# Is "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" by Ken Kesey a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey (The Viking Press, 1962) is identified by: Copyright page reads 'Published in 1962 by The Viking Press, Inc.' with no later-printing statement. US Viking is the true first, preceding the UK Methuen 1962 edition.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- Kesey's first novel
- Copyright page reads 'Published in 1962 by The Viking Press, Inc.' with no later-printing statement
- Bright green cloth lettered in yellow on the spine, top edge stained peach
- First-state text points (removed in later printings after a lawsuit): the 'fool Red Cross woman' wording at page 9 and the 'Gwen-doe-lin' Red Cross-woman passage at pages 85-86
- First-issue dust jacket carries the printed price (unclipped) and a Jack Kerouac blurb on the front panel; jacket designed by Paul Bacon
- Publisher imprint reads The Viking Press
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Ken Kesey |
| Publisher | The Viking Press |
| Year | 1962 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | Kesey's first novel |
| Book-club edition exists? | Yes |

## Points of issue
Kesey's first novel. Copyright page reads 'Published in 1962 by The Viking Press, Inc.' with no later-printing statement. Bright green cloth lettered in yellow on the spine, top edge stained peach. First-state text points (removed in later printings after a lawsuit): the 'fool Red Cross woman' wording at page 9 and the 'Gwen-doe-lin' Red Cross-woman passage at pages 85-86. First-issue dust jacket carries the printed price (unclipped) and a Jack Kerouac blurb on the front panel; jacket designed by Paul Bacon.

## Is this the true first?
US Viking is the true first, preceding the UK Methuen 1962 edition. The pre-revision textual states are the decisive first-issue points beyond binding and jacket.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
The Book-of-the-Month/club edition lacks the 'Published in 1962' first-state copyright wording, has no price on the jacket, carries the revised (post-lawsuit) text, shows a blind-stamp dot on the rear board, and uses cheaper boards.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest* by Ken Kesey a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/one-flew-over-the-cuckoos-nest
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.