On This Day

"Sometimes a Great Notion," the second novel by Ken Kesey, is published by Viking Press

Sometimes a Great Notion is the second novel by American author Ken Kesey, published in 1964.

Sometimes a Great Notion is the second novel by American author Ken Kesey, published in 1964. While One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1962) is more famous, many critics consider Sometimes a Great Notion Kesey's magnum opus. The story involves an Oregon family of gyppo loggers who cut trees for a local mill in opposition to unionized workers who are on strike.

Kesey took the title from the song "Goodnight, Irene", popularized by Lead Belly.

Historical Significance

Sometimes a Great Notion is the second novel by American author Ken Kesey, published in 1964.

Events Before

  1. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" Speech

    Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his iconic "I Have a Dream" speech during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, calling for an end to racism in the United States.

  2. David Cone is born

    David Cone athlete, known for american baseball player and analyst, was born on 1963-01-02.

  3. American banker George Woods succeeds Eugene Black as president of the World Bank

    George David Woods (July 27, 1901 – August 20, 1982) was an American investment banker and financier. He served as the fourth President of the World Bank, from January 1963 until March 1968.

  4. Beatles release the single "Please Please Me" / "Ask Me Why"; peaks at #2 in UK, and #3 in US

    Introducing... The Beatles is the first studio album released by the English rock band the Beatles in the United States.

  5. Los Angeles night club and music venue The Whiskey A-Go-Go opens (inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2006)

    The Yardbirds are an English rock band formed in London in 1963. The band started the careers of three of rock's most famous guitarists: Eric Clapton (1963–1965), Jeff Beck (1965–1966) and Jimmy Page...

Events After

  1. 49-year-old former England international soccer forward Stanley Matthews is the only player to be awarded a knighthood w

    49-year-old former England international soccer forward Stanley Matthews is the only player to be awarded a knighthood while still playing for Stoke City

  2. State funeral for Winston Churchill at St Paul's Cathedral in London; at the time, the world's largest-ever state funera

    State funeral for Winston Churchill at St Paul's Cathedral in London; at the time, the world's largest-ever state funeral

  3. Righteous Brothers' music single "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" hits #1

    "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" is a song by Phil Spector, Barry Mann, and Cynthia Weil, first recorded in 1964 by the American vocal duo the Righteous Brothers.

  4. One of the most popular musical films of all time, "The Sound of Music," starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer,

    One of the most popular musical films of all time, "The Sound of Music," starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, premieres (Academy Award for Best Picture - 1966)

  5. Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov leaves his spacecraft Voskhod 2 for 12 minutes and becomes the first person to conduct a

    Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov leaves his spacecraft Voskhod 2 for 12 minutes and becomes the first person to conduct a spacewalk

More from the 1960s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on July 27, 1964?
Sometimes a Great Notion is the second novel by American author Ken Kesey, published in 1964. While One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1962) is more famous, many critics consider Sometimes a Great Notion Kesey's magnum opus. The story involves an Oregon family of gyppo loggers who cut trees for a local mill in opposition to unionized workers who are on strike.
Why is "Sometimes a Great Notion," the second novel by Ken Kesey, is published by Vi... significant?
Sometimes a Great Notion is the second novel by American author Ken Kesey, published in 1964.

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