Rating:  Summary: A strong contrast from the movie. Review: An individual who sees the movie first, and expects to read one of the funniest novels ever, will be sorely disappointed. The movie, is told in some respects, from the viewpoint of R.P. McMurphy(played in the movie, brilliantly by the way, by Jack Nicholson), while the book, is told from the viewpoint of Chief Bromden(played in the movie by Will Sampson). And from Chief Bromden's perspective(that of a virtual mental ward "lifer), some of the things, such as Bancini constantly moaning, "I'm tired, I'm tired", which McMurphy justs finds hilarious, Bromden finds rather tragic. The viewer of the movie doesn't fully understand that nurse Racthed is "evil", to some extent, I'm certain viewer's of the movie sympathized for her, but the reader of the book has absolutely no sypathy for Nurse Ratched. The reason the reader of the book has no sypmathy for Nurse Ratched is they know her whole story, she eliminates any one with independent ideas, and falsifies the results of other people's findings(for instance, if the doctor, who viewers of the movie thought would help Jack, were to diagnose MacMurphy as capable of returning to the normal world, Nurse Racthed could simply insinuate he was an alcoholic, and his diagnoses would be thrown in the trash!). Nurse Racthed is sort of the literary world's Joseph Stalin. Purposely omitting other remarkable differences from the movie, I shall end my review. All I can say is, read the book, and of course, watch the movie, it certainly won't change your life for the worse(although I can't say for sure if it will change your life for the better).
Rating:  Summary: One of the best books I have EVER read! Review: I am working my way through the 100 best books of the 20th century (Hungry Mind's picks). I am so glad I skipped to this one. I must say that it is one of the best books I have ever read. I couldn't put it down. I am going to rent the movie, but expect to be disappointed.
Rating:  Summary: Kesey's Loony Bin Review: There is no story quite like Ken Kesey's One Flew over the Cukoo's Nest. It is an incredible tale of a man who single-handedly brings life back to the inmates of an Oregon mental hospital. It is a tale of hope, desire, and of living life to the fullest. Hope is represented by the freewheeling Randle McMurphy who makes it his mission to save his fellow inmates from the terrible rule of Nurse Ratched. The battle of wits between the nurse and McMurphy becomes the essence of this story. It symbolizes something much bigger than the petty poer struggle it appears to be; this is the power-hungry versus the oppressed. Author Ken Kesey has managed to maintain a humorous tone in the gloomiest of settings with a cast of some of the most animated characters I have ever come across. From the POV of a hospital inmate, the story puts the reader right inside the walls of this loony psych ward. Read it and find your way out.
Rating:  Summary: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Review: A reader from San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 11/2/00A very astonishing and mouth opening fiction literature. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey is a very exciting fictional work which gives the reader a taste of what it was really like for patients in mental institutions back in the 1960's. Such experiments as electric shock and actual puntures in the head made to analyze the patients reaction, really shocked me to hear. The story is told by a Native-American mental patient, Chief Bromden. His experience, however, is very astonishing to hear, and intriguing to acknowledge that mental experiments such as those were actually thought to improve their mental health instead of making it any worse. Overall the book is phenomenal and I stongly give it a 5.
Rating:  Summary: One Flew Over a Cuckoo's Nest: You have to read this one!! Review: One Flew Over a Cuckoo's Nest is a spetacular book. It's a powerful, emotional experience that takes place in a mental institution and gives you an insight to the awful lives of the patients there when they have to deal with the awful, manipulative "Big Nurse." I really don't like "Big Nurse", at all. The author Ken Kesey had great sucess with this book. He has everyone that reads it, have the same emotions about the characters. The style and tone of this book is excellent. I totally recommend this book for everyone.
Rating:  Summary: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Review: The book One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey is about a group of men in an asylum. Everything on the ward is run tight and strict by Mrs. Ratched, until a man named McMurphy shows up to show the men how to laugh and live again. Kesey's story of friendship and loyalty is easily related to everyday life. It was a fun and interesting book to read, and it definitely kept you awake with all of McMurphy's games and hysterical fiascoes to upset Mrs. Ratched, and amuse the other members of the ward. Through all of this he touches each member differently, personally, and in their own way. Mrs. Ratched tried to blame the death of Billy on him, but nobody believed any of it. They trusted McMurphy because he had helped each of them grow so tremendously, especially Chief. He was a completely different person at the end of the book. He started out so shy that people thought he was deaf but throughout the book he opens up more and more, first to McMurphy, who knew better than to doubt his mental or physical strength. Inside his rough exterior was someone with more feelings than any of the other men, and he proves that in the book, without losing his trouble-making image. Kesey tells a great story about standing up for yourself, while still being able to keep things funny at the same time. He also tells a story with a sad, yet understandable end. Even though it may have been difficult to follow while trying to translate the words and meaning of a man from an asylum, that is what keeps the reader interested. It was unique to see it through the eyes of Chief, rather than knowing the whole truth from the narrator. Sometimes the truth symbols, and hidden meanings were complicated to find, but the story is understandable on many levels, so the message is still revealed.
Rating:  Summary: one of the best books ever. Review: I cannot stress enough in words how this book has affected me. It was amazing, and as good as the movie was, it really does the book no justice. If you havnt seen the movie, please read the book first. It is a timeless Classic that will be easily read multiple times.
Rating:  Summary: Great text, period Review: Big Brother if relieved by Nurse Rached (ratched) in the mid'60's after a long shift lasting for twenty years. One of the quickest, most rewarding reads in all of American lit. Do yourself the favor.
Rating:  Summary: One of the best Review: Undeniably at the top of my list. Randle McMurphy is an example to all who feel trapped "in the fog" The movie was good, but a lot of the power was in the narration by the Chief, as he's led back out of the fog by McMurphy.
Rating:  Summary: ... Review: This is a wonderfully engaging novel told from the perspectiveof a mental patient. Read it! Now on to the subject I wanted totalk about. There is a customer review by a 6 year old girl (from 1997) telling the story in her own words. I would like to inform anyone who cares that the events the little girl spoke of were not true to the book. They were scenes from the movie with Jack Nicholson. The movie and the book are very similar, but there are very huge differences, one being the fishing trip. The "little girl" told the movie version. In the book version, the patients have permission to go on the trip, and Doctor Spivey accompanies them on the trip...This really is a wonderful novel and I hope everyone will read it AND see the movie to see the differences. The movie is classic, so if you really don't want to read the book, see the movie, but don't play it off like you read the book.
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