Steinbeck, anyone?

[donaldwolford]

East of Eden is a fascinating read. Cathy is a true sociopath. Steinbeck got her character just right.

[Low Shin-Ji]

I was reading Of Mice and Men on an assignment and I unfortunately had to read it in a quite a hurry. However, as someone who enjoys reading from multiple from different perspectives, Of Mice and Men did give the opportunity for multiple readings though not as much as other classics. The book to me was important as it gave me a window into history and what it was like during that time as there were several things that were going on. The women's rights movement, the WPA, the migrant workers, the cowboys, etc. As a Malaysian reader who did not have much exposure to American history, this book was great.

One thing I felt that John Steinback did extremely well in Of Mice and Men was that he gave a very realistic depiction of people. He did not shy away from sending out a somewhat negative message but that can also be interpreted in a multitude of ways which is great.

[DATo]

he's a little gloomy

Your comment is an understatement to some people. James Gould Cozzens once said, "I can't read ten pages of Steinbeck without throwing up." *LOL* Steinbeck's "gloominess" is his trademark, much as Cormac McCarthy's is the macabre.

[memory]

Over the years I've read several Steinbeck books and have come to the conclusion that he is not for me. I never disliked the books enough not to read them all the way through, but I don't want to read any of them again.

[dickens 100]

I am surprised so many people dislike Of Mice And Men. I think it is a powerful book, although very sad, but still a page turner

[Michelle-lit]

I read The Pearl back in seventh grade and was just about the only person who liked it. Five years later, I read East of Eden, and it quickly became my favorite book, which is rather impressive, since I was going through a crisis of faith. To anyone who's on the fence about reading it, I would definitely recommend it. It's certainly worthwhile.

I was wondering if anyone was going to mention The Pearl. It doesn't seem to be the most popular of Steinbeck's works but it was definitely my favorite.

[Max Tyrone]

I've only read Of Mice and Men and The Pearl. I love the former, but the latter disappointed me a little. I don't know if it was because I hadn't read Steinbeck in a while, but I don't think that would matter.

I hear East of Eden is a masterpiece around these parts, so I'll be sure to read that next.

[Pretenti0usQuips]

I can't even count how many times I've read Of Mice and Men, and I continue to cry every.single.time.

[Hope15]

I read 'The Grapes of Wrath' and I loved it.
A family has to escape, kicked out of their house, with a strong hope to manage it as much as they can. Very strong characters who remain decent, respectfull and close to their core values (fraternity, mutual help ...) up to the end. We come across very harsh situations, but we feel emotionally close to them as they continue with dignity and strenght all the way through and we can identify a bit, I think, in some of their situations or basic needs. It kept me awake at night, and the story lingered in my mind for several days after I turned the last page.The final act of dignity by Rose of Sharon is really touching. I'm so glad that Steinbeck didn't change the last scene, even though his publisher put so much pressure on him.

I had some difficulty to read this book because of its elevated language, which is surprising for a book written about migrant workers. Overall, this is a great book, I think.

[kstockard]

John Steinbeck seems to have too many books I like. If I had to choose my favorite Steinbeck book, it would have to be East of Eden. I know I sound cliché when I say that, but it is absolutely true. I found myself a fan of Of Mice and Men when I read it in high school my sophomore year. When it came time to read East of Eden in AP Literature, I thought it would be good but not better than Of Mice and Men. Oh, how I was wrong. To my surprise, I liked Steinbeck's East of Eden even more. The novel was filled with the allusions readers are constantly looking for. The most obvious allusion: The Garden of Eden. Steinbeck meticulously placed countless biblical references in his East of Eden. As it turned out the entire book is a reference to The Bible. Every time I reread East of Eden, I seem to find another biblical allusion. I just cannot get enough of Steinbeck or his Eden.

[LitisLife4+]

I love John Steinbeck so much, even though I hated The Grapes of Wrath, that I have vowed to read all 23 novels of his that I haven't read yet. Of Mice & Men, and East of Eden are so awesome that I am inspired to read them all.

Last summer I read all of Cormac McCarthy, so I tend to do "marathon" reading of a single author during my summers off from school.

[MBurt1]

I feel Steinbeck really understands the human condition. Cathy in East of Eden is one of the most fascinating creatures ever to hit the page. I love her complexity and the story he weaves around her. Steinbeck also seems to be able to really bring to light early Americanism and the struggles and successes of the West, especially in this book. It's beautifully written, reads like poetry, and is a captivating tale.

[Eyre-thee-well]

I've always said to read Steinbeck you ought to be in a really good mood, and then be prepared for that mood to go downhill quickly. The Pearl was the required reading by Steinbeck in my Jr. High lit class and I think perhaps it's a little young to introduce him because it pretty well decided me against reading Steinbeck. It didn't help that 'The Red Pony' was also in one of our anthologies. I understand that the stories he tells are important, but I wish that in just one of his stories there would be some kind of hope in the end. But all I ever get from Steinbeck is depressed.

[Pheredox]

Hey guys, newbie here.
After reading through the previous posts I'm grateful I came across Steinbeck on my own, not as required reading through school. Forced reading is rarely enjoyable.
I'm in the process of reading all of his works, have recently added East of Eden & Sweet Thursday to the collection (yet to read) I've previously read The Pearl, Of Mice and Men & Cannery Row. My second favourite so far is The Red Pony. But The Grapes of Wrath, which I expected to be hard going is one of those books where as you're reading it, you realise you're reading one of the greatest masterpeces of literature. Not because you read it on some list, or someone told you to read it, I don't live in the US so Steinbeck isn't a must read. For me it was chapter 5, I was reading a particular paragraph and was in awe of how perfectly structured and multifaceted the content was. Can't wait to read more of his work.

[Wessel]

I have read Cannery Row. It is a story about small town characters and the social influence of the different characters, events and groups have on the whole. It is very well written, so much so that each chapter could be read as a short story on its own.
There is a thin thread running through the story about an incident that affected the whole social order of the town dramatically and then how this was corrected. This basically is the focus point of the story.
The book is not a fast read and I think it is more like American literature of a certain era and maybe even classical in that respect, nevertheless I enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone.