One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Ken Kesey

A landmark of American literature, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey is a vivid and unforgettable portrayal of power, conformity, and the struggle for self-determination. 

When Randle Patrick McMurphy is institutionalized in an Oregon psychiatric hospital, he rallies the other patients of the mental ward around him by challenging the dictatorship of Nurse Ratched. A fun-loving, boisterous fighter, McMurphy promotes gambling in the ward, smuggles in wine and women, and openly defies rules at every turn. But this defiance, which starts as a sport, soon develops into a grim struggle, an all-out war between two relentless opponents: Nurse Ratched, backed by the full power of authority, and McMurphy, who has only his own indomitable will.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest burst onto the scene like a rebel yell that would not be contained, becoming an instant international bestseller and one of the defining works of the 1960s. Hailed upon its publication in 1962 as “a glittering parable of good and evil” (The New York Times Book Review) and “a roar of protest against middlebrow society’s rules and the invisible rulers who enforce them” (Time), Kesey’s intense, propulsive and ultimately harrowing novel has sold millions of copies and remains as bracing and insightful today as when it was first released. 

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest was adapted into a stage play in 1963, and then into a film in 1975, which won five Academy Awards.

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About The Edition

Our edition of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey is presented in three states. The edition measure 6” x 9” and feature seven color illustrations by award-winning artist Federico Infante, as well as a foreword by Chuck Palahniuk and an introduction by Robert Faggen, both of which appeared in the 40th Anniversary edition.

The illustrations in the Numbered and Lettered states are printed as fine art giclée prints on Hahnemühle Bugra and are tipped on. The text is set in Warnock Caption and printed letterpress by Norman Clayton in Ojai, California on Cougar Natural, Neenah Cotton and mouldmade Hahnemühle Biblio papers. The edition is designed by award-winning designer Misha Beletsky.

A Note on the Typography

Warnock Caption, designed by Robert Slimbach in 2000, is a versatile serif typeface that balances classical elegance with modern functionality. Its roots in traditional Renaissance book typography make it an appropriate choice for our edition of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, a novel that explores the tension between individuality and authority. The typeface’s clean, crisp details and compact proportions suit both small text and impactful titles, echoing the book’s layered narrative structure and psychological depth. The controlled strokes of Warnock Caption convey a sense of order, subtly counterpointing the chaotic, rebellious energy at the heart of the story.

The Artist edition is limited to 500 copies with a dust jacket illustrated by Federico Infante. It is a full cloth binding with a foil blocked front cover. Endsheets are Hahnemühle Bugra and the edition is housed in a cloth covered slipcase with end caps in a complimentary color. The edition is printed letterpress on Cougar Natural, with illustrations printed offset and is signed by Chuck Palahniuk, Robert Faggen and Federico Infante.

The Numbered edition of 250 copies is a quarter goatskin binding with a capped fore-edge in the Millimeter style. The cover paper is a custom making for this edition and is handmade by renowned paper makers Cave Paper. The paper is made from pigmented pulps of abaca fiber layered onto natural flax base sheets to create painterly abstractions designed to reflect the distinctive atmospheric style of the illustrations. Each sheet is formed and colored by hand with no two covers being exactly alike.

Head & tail bands are leather and the cover label is layered, with a darker base framing the lighter, letterpress-printed title label, adding depth and elegance to the design. Endsheets are handmade at the Ruscombe mill in France and are applied by laminating two different colored sheets creating a contrast between the front and back. The Ruscombe Paper Mill, located in French Chateau country, is one of the finest handmade mills in operation. A giclée printed fold-out of the Artist edition jacket illustration is included in this state.

Each copy is bound by hand and is housed in a clamshell enclosure covered in Dubletta cloth with an offset-printed art print tipped onto the front cover and set into a debossed frame. The edition is printed letterpress on Neenah Cotton paper with all illustrations printed giclée on Hahnemühle Bugra which are tipped-on. The edition is signed by Chuck Palahniuk, Robert Faggen and Federico Infante.

The Lettered edition is limited to 26 copies and is a full goatskin binding which is hand dyed in pastel colors to match the aesthetic of the interior illustrations. The cover is then overdyed in ochre with a craquelure resist technique. We chose this design as a way to symbolize the tension between individuality and authoritarian control. Its delicate network of fractures mirror the scars left by oppressive systems while simultaneously celebrating the resilience and beauty of imperfection. Each crack is a testament to the enduring human spirit that refuses to be subdued by conformity, inviting the reader to explore the power of personal freedom amid institutional authority.

A giclée printed fold-out of the Artist edition jacket illustration is included in this state. The book is housed in a clamshell enclosure covered in European cloth and velour lined trays. This state is printed letterpress on mouldmade Hahnemühle Biblio 150 gsm paper by Norman Clayton in Ojai, California. The hand dyed leather covers are created by Gillian Stewart in Glasgow, United Kingdom. It is signed by Chuck Palahniuk, Robert Faggen and Federico Infante.

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Matching Numbers & Letters

A Matching Pre-Order email is sent to owners of our previous publication, Treasure Island at 9:00 A.M. PT on the day of announcement. If you did not receive the email, contact us here. If your order is not received before the deadline, your designated number or letter will be assigned to the new owner.

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Order Limits

Please be aware of the order limits for our editions. You can read more about this in the Order Limits article on our support site.

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Six of Seven Illustrations by Federico Infante.