A Journey into Steinbeck's California, Third Edition

by Susan Shillinglaw, Nancy Burnett (Photographer)

This part art book, part biography, and part travel guide offers insight into how landscapes and townscapes influenced John Steinbeck's creative process and how, in turn, his legacy has influenced modern California. Various types of readers will appreciate the information in this guide—literary pilgrims will learn more about the state featured so prominently in Steinbeck's work, tourists can visit the same buildings that he lived in and wrote about, and historians will appreciate the engrossing perspective on daily life in early 20th-century California. Offering an entirely new perspective on Steinbeck and the people and places that he brought to life in his writing, readers will find delight in this depiction of the symbiotic relationship between an author and his favorite places.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Travel

300 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I stumbled upon the ArtsPlace series by chance looking for a book about Steinbeck, however now I'm so taken with the concept of this series which examines the life and work of an artist as it relates to the human and physical geography that served as their muse. Some other books in the series are on Michelangelo's Rome and Dorothy Parker's New York. Here's hoping they publish a volume about Faulkner's Mississippi.

This is a shortened biography of Steinbeck with lots of pictures and maps. It dwells on the locations that influenced him from his hometown of Salinas (the setting of East of Eden) to Monterey and Pacific Grove and, to a lesser extent, Carmel and Los Gatos. The final chapter is about Mexico, a country that inspired several of Steinbeck's books and two screenplays. If you are a Steinbeck fan or California history buff, you'll love it.

There are so many great anecdotes in the book. Pilon, Danny and the Pirate from Tortilla Flat were based on real people and there are pictures of them. Dora's Cannery Row brothel was closed by the US Military and turned into a storage house for fish meal. Steinbeck had a dog that kept getting kidnapped in Mexico and he would grumble about the scam but pay the local theater to run an ad promising a reward so it would be returned (another reason to love him: he was a big dog lover.)

There's also the funny yet sad story of his ex-wife and the creation of the Steinbeck bust in Monterey a few years after his death. She wanted to participate in capturing her ex-husband's likeness but kept insisting the sculptor (her sister-in-law) make the head bigger and bigger until the first version collapsed and would come to the studio and curse at the giant-headed likeness of her ex-husband who had left her after 10 years of marriage for a much younger woman. I'm torn between feeling sad for this woman who supported Steinbeck so diligently during his early career still hurt and angry 30 years later and giggling at the image of her venting her spleen on the Parthenon-sized cranium of her late, philandering ex.

[Roaring Forties · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now in its second edition, A Journey into Steinbeck’s California explores the relationship between this iconic American writer and the area he loved and that features so prominently in his work.

This original and beautifully illustrated volume explores the landscapes and townscapes of Monterey, Carmel, and Salinas, examining not only how they influenced Steinbeck’s creative process but also how Steinbeck’s legacy shapes our view of contemporary California.

Susan Shillinglaw is the resident scholar at the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas and the author of several books on Steinbeck. Nancy Burnett has been photographing the California landscape for more than 30 years.

[Anima · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr Shillinglaw summarizes Steinbeck’s secrets.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author of this book lead my course in Monterey this summer--if you love John Steinbeck and are going to California, read it. You'll know more than you ever thought you could know about JS!

[Seth Arnopole · Rating 5 out of 5]

During a recent visit to the Monterey area, I spotted A Journey Into Steinbeck’s California in a bookshop and decided to buy it as a gift for my father, a big Steinbeck fan. My major in college focused on 20th century American novelists, so I have some familiarity with Steinbeck’s major works, but I didn’t know much about him. Thus, I had to read it myself. I found myself completely absorbed in this work, which is partly a biography but is also a travel guide touching on geography, local history, natural history, and more. The portraits of influential people in his life, including family members, wives, friends, and fellow artists add extra dimensions of interest. I found myself wanting to learn even more about Ed Ricketts (the model for “Doc” in Cannery Row) and Edith Mirrielees, Steinbeck’s creative writing teacher at Stanford.

[Tim Hill · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good overview of Steinbeck 's life. The pictures are great.

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found this fine book in a lovely gift shop/restaurant in Cambria, Linn's Easy as Pie Cafe. Started reading it immediately and couldn't put it down. Having visited in many of the places frequented by Steinbeck, this book made me want to return and look anew for Steinbeck's spirit.

Thanks to the author for an "easy" read - well-written, with a fine sense of Steinbeck's love for the working women and men of the soil. A love that dares to describe the hardships of their struggle to survive, and takes to task the greed of the powerful that perpetuates their suffering, while the powerful themselves portray themselves as misunderstood and abused by the communists, the agitators, the Reds.

Like any good biography, it made want to reach ever deeper into Steinbeck's work ... and gave me a new appreciation for his craft - because writing is hard, and good writing is fearsome.

Shillinglaw has cleared demonstrated her mastery of all things Steinbeck.

[David Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Journey Into Steinbeck's California by Susan Shillinglow (Roaring Forties Press 2006)(823.912). This volume is a travel guide to the places brought to life in Steinbeck's writings. My rating: 7/10, finished 2008.

[Saschwager · Rating 5 out of 5]

For so many reasons: loved it!! I learned so much about Steinbeck, my #1 favorite.