One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is a novel by Ken Kesey that was first published in 1962. The book is set in an Oregon psychiatric hospital and follows the story of a rebellious patient, Randle Patrick McMurphy, who challenges the authority of the hospital’s tyrannical nurse, Ratched. McMurphy’s antics eventually lead to a showdown with Ratched that has far-reaching consequences.The novel is narrated by Chief Bromden, a Native American patient who feigns mental illness in order to avoid having to interact with the other patients. Bromden is initially distrustful of McMurphy, but he eventually comes to admire the man for his fearlessness.One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is a searing indictment of the psychiatric hospital system, which Kesey saw as a microcosm of the oppressive society at large. The novel is also a powerful portrait of individuality and resistance in the face of conformity.