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One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

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About this listen

 One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is one of the most electrifying, most admired novels of our time. Set in the bleak confines of a state mental hospital and narrated by a half-Indian patient named Chief Bromden, it's the story of a titanic battle of wills between two unforgettable characters.

On one side is Big Nurse, who rules her ward with iron discipline. On the other is Randle Patrick McMurphy, a lustful, brawling, life-loving new inmate who refuses to knuckle under to Big Nurse's soul-destroying methods. In the end, McMurphy pays the ultimate price for his defiance, but not before the rebellious spirit has shown Chief Bromden the way to reclaim his future.

©1962 Ken Kesey (P)1993 HighBridge Company Classics Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction

What the critics say

"A glittering parable of good and evil." (The New York Times Book Review)
"A roar of protest against middlebrow society's Rules and the Rulers who enforce them." (Time)
All stars
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The flow and manic nature of the prose really come to life when read by the author. It’s not an easy listen but well worth it.

Unnerving and raw

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I was unable to read this book easily as the language and cadence were too unfamiliar to me. I greatly appreciated the author’s reading. Astonishing and though-provoking.

Kesey knows how to read Kesey

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Elsewhere on Audible, there is a full version of this novel (3× the length) read expertly by John C. Reilly. That is not to say this isn't a very good reading of this story. This 'Reader's Digest' version of the book maintains all important moments and scenes. Perfect for an afternoon in the garden or a road trip.
Kesey is not a great reader. Not horrible, but you can tell he's not a professional. He reads characters like Mcmurphy (always Nicholson in my mind's eye) like they're characters in a Robert Service poem. To his credit, he avoids accents, but all the characters sound kind of the same.

The interview at the end with the author is interesting. I give this version of an outstanding story 7 out of 10 stars

Marvelous novel. NOTE: Abridged; poor narration

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great listen especially from the author. watched the movie after. as usual the book was so much better. nothing can beat one's own imagination.

Great listen

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brilliantly written, and brilliantly narrated! a classic fable of the human psyche. comic, tragic, and compelling!

brilliant

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