American · 1935–2001
Ken Kesey wrote "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" while working at a psychiatric hospital and participating in government LSD experiments. The American author's 1962 novel about a mental ward's rebellion became a countercultural touchstone and an Oscar-winning film. Kesey later led the Merry Pranksters' psychedelic bus trips across America. His literary output was small; his influence was immense.