Customer Reviews

Demon Box

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4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
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Ken Kesey has produced a very special collection of stories, a number of which are written in the 3rd party, using the character "Deboree" as Kesey's alias. Deboree shares through the pages, trips & memories with characters, who are immediately recognisable as Kesey's personal friends such as X,Y & Z, some still alive, some dead. The stories are of personal experiences and touch on Deboree's inner feelings & thoughts, which leaves the reader feeling quite privileged. The personal stories are interspersed with the most joyful of fairytales. The reader is catapulted into a land of make believe in "Big Double" and nothing bar your own imagination can stop the words dancing into your mind and creating a Technicolor widescreen movie of your own. The Demon Box is a gem and must have for any admirer of Kesey, the greatest Prankster of them all

Because this book is one of Kesey's lesser-known works, I assumed that it would be of lower caliber than what I had previously read by him. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I was wrong. Kesey has not lost his flair for words. The story jumps around a bit, but it is quick-paced. It kept my attention, but what really got me hooked was the eloquent writing. Kesey has a great talent for detail, but he does not ramble on for pages about trivialities. His wit made me smile, and his honesty made me sigh. A great book if ever there were one.

ken kesey is one of my favorite authors. sometimes a great notion is one the best novels i have ever read. after reading the electric kool aid acid test, demon box is a logical followup.

this series of short stories has highs and lows. the very best is now we know how many holes it takes to fill the albert hall. written about the death of john lennon, kesey, through interactions with people immediately before, at the time of,and immediately after the murder, shows the transition of culture from the sixties to the eighties. the death of lennon is the end of the dream of the sixties. it alone is worth the purchase of the book.

another great story is the tranny man over the border. its most interesting part deals with kesey's father.

a story about his farm animals, abdul and ebenezer, is hilarious.

this book gives the kesey fans a better understanding of the man, his family, and his friends.

Demon Box is great for those who have read The Electric Kool Aid Acid Test, One Flew Over the Coo Coo's Nest, and Sometimes A Great Notion and still want to hear more about Kesey. In the book, Kesey, as Devlin Debree, decribes his life after the Prankster days and gives insight into the failure of the 60's counter-culture.

ken kesey is my favourite author, his books just beg to be read and this was no exception. it's a collection of short stories and so of course it's not all going to be great, though the parts you least expect to like are for the best part the highlight of the book. the story about killer, the stories written from the viewpoint of his grandmother and the return to the mental ward which was the inspiration for one flew over the cuckoos nest are all great stories and there are so many others. read and enjoy. prepare to be baffled, confused and dumbstruck but above all prepare to be taken to other places, better times and marvel in the genius that was ken kesey. may he rest in peace.

Using Kerouac's technique of writing autobiographical fiction (the events may be true, but the names have been changed), Kesey presents DEMON BOX, a series of short shorties and vinettes depicting his life on his farm in Oregon.

Relating a variety of experiences, ranging from scary hangers on to adventures with farm animals, and fallout from the drug haze of the '60's, Kesey vividly captures specific times and places. His humor, characterization and descriptions of geographical space (my native Oregon)all remain intact and on a level with his finest work.

Some vinettes are obviously more memorable than others and often the writing seems unfocused and in need of editing.

This is really a small matter considering that this is the closest to a autobiography the world will ever get. DEMON BOX certainly makes for a strong and worthwhile read.

The passing of Kesey last month led me to the Demon Box. I immediately fell under his spell...again. His classic third person writings are on glorious display here. Most short story collections usually are interspersed with good and bad and that is the case here. However, the good ones are great and Kesey has turned me on once again with his psycho-traumas. Kesey proves he is the best at stream of conscience writing. From the bulls on his farm to John Lennon on the night he died to his reluctance to revisit the ward, Kesey very neatly puts it all in perspective. A truly enjoyable read. He will be missed.

This collection of writings chronicling Kesey's life in the decades following his dual notoriety as leader of the Merry Pranksters and one of the brightest literary lights of his generation is full of surprises. Kesey pulls no punches in outlining how the golden dream of the '60s turned to ashes over time, with many of its symbolic leaders falling away. He spares no one, least of all himself, in these pages.

And yet, this is not a grim or depressing read. Detailing with tremendous humor and gusto his journeys to China and Egypt, as well as offering poignant observations on the passing of personal heroes like John Lennon and Neal Casssdy, Kesey emerges as a fully realized person whose flaws only make him more fascinating.

While Demon Box can hardly compare to a towering masterwork like Sometime a Great Notion, it is a deeply rewarding book. One that can be revisited on numerous occasions with enhanced, not diminished, enjoyment.

An intense glimpse into the life and the mind of a man who helped to change the world. A raw collection of very personal essays, this book is sometimes dark and unsettling, but Kesey's spirit and naked honesty makes for an ultimately uplifting read. What does it mean to be human? Perhaps you can get a hint or two here.

Kesey lays it all on the line in this very personal collection of short stories. Real life characters that you've heard about achieve greater depth through these narratives of adventuresome travels as well as simple home life.

This is powerful writing and thought provoking commentary on how the counter-culture of the 60's took it's toll on the founding father of a whole generation.
This may not be Kesey's masterpiece nor his signature novel but tremendous none-the-less.