I first read this around 1964 as a young man in Scotland...it has lived with me ever since. After recently visiting for the first time the beautiful Oregon coastal and river areas described by Kesey, I had to buy the book again. What a buy! I had forgotten (or never fully appreciated) the beauty of the language, the depth of the characters and the strength of the narrative. To revisit the book after these long (and hopefully maturing) years, with the benefit of a better understanding of life and America and the Oregon landscape has been a rich journey. This book will take a permanent spot on my bookshelf and will be high on my "must read" list.