sib Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 A ward in a mental institution is turned upside-down when the swaggering, gambling McMurphy arrives. A battle ensues between him and 'the Big Nurse' as he tries to get the patients to take back control of their lives. This is well worth reading. The metaphors Kesey uses to describe some scenes are spot on. It's funny, exhilarating and tragic by turns and is really well written. 8.5 out of 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 I read this a few years back. Actually, thinking back , I was still in school, so it'll have been about 12 or 13 years back now - woah! I loved it - & for those of you who have seen & loved the movie, the book leaves it trailing coz it's SO much better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sib Posted October 9, 2006 Author Share Posted October 9, 2006 I thought the film was good too, to be honest. Thought Jack Nicholson was perfect for McMurphy and played it to perfection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 That's very true. I saw the film first & loved it - that was what drew me to the book, which I ended up loving even more. Speaking of which, i really should re-read that one - it's been a while! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pilgrim Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 I've only seen the movie which was fantastic. I did read Kesey's Sometimes a Great Notion which was very moving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogmatix Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 This is a great and tragic book. I have the anniversary edition with some additional stuff on the author and his experience with mental patients. McMurphy is one of my all time favorite characters in literature. READ THIS BOOK! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz Posted November 4, 2006 Share Posted November 4, 2006 I've ordered this from Amazon, so it will be going on my TBR pile in a few days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrathofkublakhan Posted February 24, 2007 Share Posted February 24, 2007 Big Chief hiding behind his broom with wads of Juicy Fruit gum under his bed. An amazing commentary on the time of electro-shock therapy and frontal lobotomy. The whole "one man against the system" that was so common of books in that era (think M*A*S*H), this book had a profound impact on my life. My sole regret is that I've never seen the stage play. Wonderfully written, colorful characters, sadness and liberation - a true Great Novel in my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogmatix Posted February 24, 2007 Share Posted February 24, 2007 word! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebottle Posted February 26, 2007 Share Posted February 26, 2007 My favorite book, 9/10 from me. I read the book first then I saw the movie on TV and I couldn't watch it. I tuned in during the fishing trip scene and it was lacking so much I had to turn it off. That was the only scene I watched, but I am willing to judge the entire movie on it. I also didn't like that Jack didn't have red hair (giving the impression of Irish decent and adding to his character), and the Indian wasn't as big as it says in the book. Seems like little things, but they are important when you read the book. I'm sure if I watched the whole movie I would have more to complain about, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 I finally got round to reading this book and absolutely loved it. I thought McMurphy was a great character and I loved the changes he made to the ward; how the other patients began to change in their thinking and behavior in the ward. I also enjoyed the 'battle' that went on throughout the book between McMurphy and Nurse Ratched. The ways in which these two characters tried to get the upper hand at every given moment really kept me gripped as it made me want to know what would happen next between these two. The ending completely surprised me. It was as if Nurse ratched had finally beaten McMurphy and had won the battle. It was not until the end that I realised how much I liked McMurphy and wanted him to win. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrathofkublakhan Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 I finally got round to reading this book and absolutely loved it. Wear your badge proudly, Liz. You are now a member of an elite club. Reading the book is quite a journey, the experience can stick with you for a lifetime. How Ken Kesey wrote the scenes with the delicate power shifts and their impact on the ward simply gives me the chills. Personally, I sometimes think that this book is also a commentary on the rise of the Women's Movement when read in the context of it's publishing date. In my twisted version of reality, the perfect compliment to this movie is Frances, a movie about a strong-willed woman who gets put into an asylum with similar tragic results. All the BS above ignored, I'm glad you got to read it - one of the best books ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polka Dot Rock Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 In my twisted version of reality, the perfect compliment to this movie is Frances, a movie about a strong-willed woman who gets put into an asylum with similar tragic results. Is that about Frances Farmer, Wrath? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrathofkublakhan Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 Is that about Frances Farmer, Wrath? Yes, indeed. One article, from wikipedia, is here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oblomov Posted July 17, 2007 Share Posted July 17, 2007 Brilliant book. I read it back in 1977 and saw the movie around the same time. Great though the movie was, it cannot match the characterisation in the book. It was a touch of brilliance by Kesey to have written the story in First Person but from the perspective of the low-key character Chief Bromden. That is where the movie loses to the book; the FP narrative of the book made it possible for the Chief to get the necessary importance in the story even when he was just a bystander (which he was, almost throughout the story), that impression was impossible to recreate on the screen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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