August 18,2010
Author Research
Ken Kesey, an American author, is considered one of the most controversial people of his time. He is a cultural figure, and some have him the link between the Beat Generation of the 1950s and the hippie generation of the 1960s.
Born on September 17, 1935 to his parents Fred A. and Geneve Kesey. Ken Elton Kesey was born in La Junta, Colorado; however, he was raised in Springfield, Oregon (Encyclopedia). As a child, he was very well rounded and active in both athletic and theatrical activities (Encyclopedia). With all-American dreams, no one would have guessed the places life would take him as an older man. The Kesey family was Baptist and had great respect for the Bible, which lasted well into Ken’s adult life (Encyclopedia). In high school, he continued to be involved in many activities. His graduating class voted him most likely to succeed (GradeSaver).
Ken Kesey went to the University of Oregon after high school, where he studied speech and communications (Encyclopedia). During the summer, Kesey went to Hollywood but found little success (Encyclopedia). Like high school, Ken was a very involved student at the university. He participated in sports, such as wrestling, and he wrote many scripts for the drama department (Encyclopedia). With his passion for sports, this would help lead to the writing of his first novel. Ken Kesey was awarded two thespian awards and earned the Fred Lowe Scholarship for wrestling (Encyclopedia). While still attending the university, Kesey married Faye Haxby (GradeSaver). Ken Kesey graduated and received his bachelor’s degree in 1957 (Encyclopedia).
Ken Kesey returned home for a year to work in the dairy business. After a year, he decided that he wanted to become a writer (Encyclopedia). Kesey was encouraged to apply for the Woodrow Wilson Fellowship (Encyclopedia). He was granted this scholarship, which allowed him to continue with his education at Stanford (Encyclopedia).
At Stanford, he completed his first unpublished novel about college athletics (Encyclopedia). His interest in sports carried on through most of his life so it seems fitting that his first novel pertains to this subject. In a short time, Ken Kesey began running around with the wrong crowd. He began to smoke marijuana and left his Baptist ways behind him. Ken Kesey was very interested in the beat scene, which would lead to his second novel, Zoo (Encyclopedia).
At a veteran’s hospital, Ken Kesey was paid to ingest psychedelic drugs, some of which were LSD (Kesey). He then decided to begin his own study where he would tale hallucinogens to see the effect son his body. Then at this hospital, he was later hired as a night attendant (Kesey). This is where One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest began developing for Ken Kesey. This is one of his best-known works of literature and most controversial as well.
A group the he belonged to traveled the world in a psychically painted bus. The group promoted the use of LSD and would often time hand it out at there stops (Kesey). Kesey would observe the reactions of the drug to the person (Encyclopedia). At the time, this drug was legal so they were not breaking any laws. However, Kesey eventually got in trouble with the law and was charged with the possession of marijuana (Encyclopedia).
Ken Kesey had a huge impact on American culture during his time. Along with One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Kesey wrote Kesey’s Garage Sale (1987), Demon Box (1987), Sailor Song (1992), and Last Go Round (1994) (GradeSaver).
In 1997, Kesey suffered a mild stroke. Four years later, on November 10, Ken Kesey would die of liver cancer at the age of 66 (Encyclopedia).
Born on September 17, 1935 to his parents Fred A. and Geneve Kesey. Ken Elton Kesey was born in La Junta, Colorado; however, he was raised in Springfield, Oregon (Encyclopedia). As a child, he was very well rounded and active in both athletic and theatrical activities (Encyclopedia). With all-American dreams, no one would have guessed the places life would take him as an older man. The Kesey family was Baptist and had great respect for the Bible, which lasted well into Ken’s adult life (Encyclopedia). In high school, he continued to be involved in many activities. His graduating class voted him most likely to succeed (GradeSaver).
Ken Kesey went to the University of Oregon after high school, where he studied speech and communications (Encyclopedia). During the summer, Kesey went to Hollywood but found little success (Encyclopedia). Like high school, Ken was a very involved student at the university. He participated in sports, such as wrestling, and he wrote many scripts for the drama department (Encyclopedia). With his passion for sports, this would help lead to the writing of his first novel. Ken Kesey was awarded two thespian awards and earned the Fred Lowe Scholarship for wrestling (Encyclopedia). While still attending the university, Kesey married Faye Haxby (GradeSaver). Ken Kesey graduated and received his bachelor’s degree in 1957 (Encyclopedia).
Ken Kesey returned home for a year to work in the dairy business. After a year, he decided that he wanted to become a writer (Encyclopedia). Kesey was encouraged to apply for the Woodrow Wilson Fellowship (Encyclopedia). He was granted this scholarship, which allowed him to continue with his education at Stanford (Encyclopedia).
At Stanford, he completed his first unpublished novel about college athletics (Encyclopedia). His interest in sports carried on through most of his life so it seems fitting that his first novel pertains to this subject. In a short time, Ken Kesey began running around with the wrong crowd. He began to smoke marijuana and left his Baptist ways behind him. Ken Kesey was very interested in the beat scene, which would lead to his second novel, Zoo (Encyclopedia).
At a veteran’s hospital, Ken Kesey was paid to ingest psychedelic drugs, some of which were LSD (Kesey). He then decided to begin his own study where he would tale hallucinogens to see the effect son his body. Then at this hospital, he was later hired as a night attendant (Kesey). This is where One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest began developing for Ken Kesey. This is one of his best-known works of literature and most controversial as well.
A group the he belonged to traveled the world in a psychically painted bus. The group promoted the use of LSD and would often time hand it out at there stops (Kesey). Kesey would observe the reactions of the drug to the person (Encyclopedia). At the time, this drug was legal so they were not breaking any laws. However, Kesey eventually got in trouble with the law and was charged with the possession of marijuana (Encyclopedia).
Ken Kesey had a huge impact on American culture during his time. Along with One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Kesey wrote Kesey’s Garage Sale (1987), Demon Box (1987), Sailor Song (1992), and Last Go Round (1994) (GradeSaver).
In 1997, Kesey suffered a mild stroke. Four years later, on November 10, Ken Kesey would die of liver cancer at the age of 66 (Encyclopedia).
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