Sadly, Kesey's later stuff didn't live up to the level of Notion and Coo Coo's Nest. I'm not sure why, but my theory is that once a writer thinks he/she has discovered the "answer," there's not point in seeking it any longer.

I think it's reasonable to assume that drugs had something to do with it. Not provable or disprovable - but reasonable to assume.

I agree that Sometimes a Great Notion is one of the best.

Peter.