Ken Kesey Biography
| Born as | Ken Elton Kesey |
| Occup. | Author |
| From | USA |
| Born | September 17, 1935
La Junta, Colorado, USA |
| Died | November 10, 2001
Eugene, Oregon, USA |
| Aged | 66 years |
Ken Kesey, a significant figure in the counterculture activity of the 1960s, was born in La Junta, Colorado, on September 17, 1935, and elevated in Springfield, Oregon. His moms and dads were milk farmers Fred as well as Geneva Kesey. He spent his young life in the Pacific Northwest, where he developed a love for nature and the outdoors.
Ken Kesey graduated from senior high school in Springfield in 1953 and went on to study at the University of Oregon in Eugene. He was a talented athlete and a wrestler during his time at the university. Kesey examined literary works and obtained the
Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship to attend Stanford University as an imaginative writing student. At Stanford, he examined under
Wallace Stegner and
Malcolm Cowley as well as ended up being close friends with
Larry McMurtry, one more noteworthy writer.
In 1956, Kesey married his childhood years sweetie, Faye Haxby. They had three youngsters, Jed, Zane, and Shannon. Faye's assistance played a significant function in Ken's quests, and also their marriage lasted up until his death in 2001.
While at Stanford, Kesey joined medical experiments carried out by the United States government. During these experiments, he was introduced to hallucinogenic drugs such as LSD as well as mescaline, which significantly affected his work and approaches. This led to Kesey's association with the counterculture activity as well as an interest in try out altered states of consciousness.
Kesey's first story, "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" (1962), was a vital as well as business success. The unique, set in a psychological healthcare facility, was based upon Kesey's experiences working at a psychiatric facility in Menlo Park, California. The book critiqued the dehumanizing nature of mental establishments and also ended up being a staple in American senior high school as well as college curricula. In 1975, "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" was adjusted into a film, starring
Jack Nicholson, which took place to win 5 Academy Awards.
Kesey's second novel, "Sometimes a Great Notion" (1964), likewise obtained vital honor. Embed in Oregon logging nation, the tale concentrated on the complex partnerships and struggles of a family of loggers. The book was later developed into a movie starring
Paul Newman in 1970.
Complying with the success of his novels, Kesey formed the "Merry Pranksters," a group of loved ones members who traveled across the United States in a colorfully painted school bus called "Furthur." The Pranksters experimented with hallucinogenic medicines and also were known for holding lively events, occasions, and performances. Kesey and also his Pranksters became a significant pressure in the counterculture motion, together with various other figures such as
Timothy Leary and
Allen Ginsberg.
The team's experiences were documented by
Tom Wolfe in his unique "The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test" (1968), which presented Kesey as well as the Merry Pranksters to a wider target market.
Kesey continued to compose throughout his life, releasing a number of stories, narratives, articles, and plays. Nevertheless, his later jobs never achieved the very same critical and industrial success as his very early novels.
After moving back to Oregon in 1969, Ken Kesey stayed active in the neighborhood community as well as was a popular member of the "Grateful Dead" as well as "Furthur" music scenes. In his later years, he instructed creating workshops, mentored young authors, as well as added to environmental and also community causes.
On November 10, 2001, Ken Kesey died in Eugene, Oregon, from complications after liver surgery at the age of 66. His legacy in American literature and also counterculture remains to be commemorated for its one-of-a-kind point of view and also powerful prose.
Our collection contains 35 quotes who is written / told by Ken.
Related authors: Paul Newman (Actor), Jack Nicholson (Actor), Tom Wolfe (Journalist), Wallace Stegner (Novelist), Larry McMurtry (Writer), Malcolm Cowley (Critic), Joey Skaggs (Celebrity), Allen Ginsberg (Poet), Timothy Leary (Educator), Lawrence Taylor (Athlete)
Ken Kesey Famous Works:
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