Top 30 Modern Classics - V

One Flew Over Cukoo's Nest

By Kene Kesey

Written in 1959 by Kene Kesey, the book was published in 1962. This was the period when the Civil Liberty Movement was in progress in America.

The novel is set in an psychiatric hospital.

The book is narrated by "Chief" Bromden, a gigantic and docile half-Native American inmate. Bromden faked as deaf and dumb. Bromden’s tale focuses mainly on the antics of the rebellious McMurphy, who faked insanity to serve his sentence for battery and gambling in the hospital rather than in prison. The head administrative nurse, Mildred, rules the ward with an iron fist and with little medical oversight. She is assisted by her three black day-shift orderlies, and her assistant doctors.

McMurphy constantly antagonizes Nurse Mildred and upsets the routines of the ward, leading to constant power struggles between the inmate and the nurse.

One night, after bribing the night orderly, McMurphy smuggles two prostitutes with liquor onto the ward and asks one of them to seduce Billy Bibbit, a timid, boyish patient with a terrible stutter and little experience with women. Nurse Mildred finds Billy and the prostitute in each other's arms. she threatens to tell Billy's mother. Billy has an emotional breakdown, and commits suicide by cutting his throat. Nurse Mildred blames McMurphy for the loss of Billy's life. Enraged McMurphy attacks Mildred. McMurphy is physically restrained and moved to the Disturbed ward.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Expanded Edition (English)

Nurse Mildred misses a week of work due to her injuries, during which time many of the patients either transfer to other wards or check out of the hospital forever. When she returns she cannot speak, and is thus deprived of her most potent tool to keep the men in line. 

Read the book to find out the rest.

A classic by any standard.

It is also the most challenged and banned book in the history of American literature

Namaste

Prabir