One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey

Ken Kesey's masterpiece is as relevant and fresh today as when I first read it in 1962. Actually, I wasn't alive to read it back then. This was my first read of the book, and apart from a few iconic moments, I haven't seen the movie. Consequently, my RP McMurphy looked nothing like Jack Nicholson, but I can appreciate why he was cast.

The story, told through the eyes of the pseudo-mute Chief Bromden, takes place in a mental facility that ostensibly advertises itself as a progressive new facility that allows the inmates to help shape the course of their rehabilitation. In reality, the men are all broken, helpless pawns of the sinister Nurse Ratched. They're unable to think on their own, instead living to make the Nurse happy to keep themselves safe. This changes with the appearance of one Randall P. McMurphy, a roaring loudmouth who's only in the mental ward to get off work duty at prison. McMurphy quickly makes himself a thorn in the nurse's side and teaches the men how to think for themselves.

McMurphy ultimately helps Chief Bromden come to terms with his inner demons, helping him realize that while the world is a truly frightening place, the rewards that come from taking action are truly worth the pain.