One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest - Ken Kesey

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Chief Bromden, half American-Indian, whom the authorities believe is deaf and dumb, tells the story of a mental instituion ruled by Big Nurse on behalf of the all-powerful Combine. Into this terrifying grey world comes McMurphy, a brawling gambling man, who wages total war on behalf of his cowed fellow-inmates. What follows is at once hiilarious and heroic, tragic and ultimately liberating. Since its first publication in 1962, Ken Kesey's astonishing first novel has achieved the status of a contemporary classic. 'Kesey can be funny, he can be lyrical, he can do dialogue, and he can write a muscular narrative. In fact there's not much better come out of America in the sixties...If you haven't already read this book, do so. If youhave, read it again' Douglas Eadie, Scotsman

First published in 1962, Kesey's novel centres on an American psychiatric ward as an allegorical microcosm 'a made-to-scale prototype' of the world outside where individuality is being repressed. On the ward coercion comes not from society but from Big Nurse, backed by the powerful Combine. It is narrated by Chief Bromden, half-American-Indian that 'vanishing American... a six foot eight sweeping machine scared of its own shadow'. Into this world comes McMurphy, who feigns insanity to escape prison and tries to incite the inmates into heroism and revolution. Kesey's modern classic forces us into the realization that while our individuality is threatened by modern mass society, we do have the power to escape from its restraints. (Kirkus UK)