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Steinbeck Centennial Editions
The Centennial boxed set East of Eden, The Grapes of Wrath, Of Mice and Men, Cannery Row, The Pearl , and Travels with Charley in Search of America .
@IAmWithSam Lennie came back into the cabin with that look on his face and I said, Lennie, did you kill another woman?
He told me he had done it again, he thought. Why do I get stuck with the dangerously disabled? Did Forrest Gump ever hurt anyone?
From The World's Greatest Books in Twenty Tweets or Less
@IAmWithSam Lennie came back into the cabin with that look on his face and I said, Lennie, did you kill another woman?
He told me he had done it again, he thought. Why do I get stuck with the dangerously disabled? Did Forrest Gump ever hurt anyone?
From The World's Greatest Books in Twenty Tweets or Less
48 pages, Paperback
First published February 5, 2002
4 people are currently reading
208 people want to read
About the author
John Steinbeck
1,074 books27.5k followersJohn Ernst Steinbeck was an American writer. He won the 1962 Nobel Prize in Literature "for his realistic and imaginative writings, combining as they do sympathetic humor and keen social perception". He has been called "a giant of American letters."
During his writing career, he authored 33 books, with one book coauthored alongside Edward F. Ricketts, including 16 novels, six non-fiction books, and two collections of short stories. He is widely known for the comic novels Tortilla Flat (1935) and Cannery Row (1945), the multi-generation epic East of Eden (1952), and the novellas The Red Pony (1933) and Of Mice and Men (1937). The Pulitzer Prize–winning The Grapes of Wrath (1939) is considered Steinbeck's masterpiece and part of the American literary canon. By the 75th anniversary of its publishing date, it had sold 14 million copies.
Most of Steinbeck's work is set in central California, particularly in the Salinas Valley and the California Coast Ranges region. His works frequently explored the themes of fate and injustice, especially as applied to downtrodden or everyman protagonists.
During his writing career, he authored 33 books, with one book coauthored alongside Edward F. Ricketts, including 16 novels, six non-fiction books, and two collections of short stories. He is widely known for the comic novels Tortilla Flat (1935) and Cannery Row (1945), the multi-generation epic East of Eden (1952), and the novellas The Red Pony (1933) and Of Mice and Men (1937). The Pulitzer Prize–winning The Grapes of Wrath (1939) is considered Steinbeck's masterpiece and part of the American literary canon. By the 75th anniversary of its publishing date, it had sold 14 million copies.
Most of Steinbeck's work is set in central California, particularly in the Salinas Valley and the California Coast Ranges region. His works frequently explored the themes of fate and injustice, especially as applied to downtrodden or everyman protagonists.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
December 11, 2022
Cannery row
“it has always seemed strange to me,” said doc. “The things we admire in men, kindness and generosity, openness, honesty, understanding and feeling are the concomitants of failure in our system. And those traits that we detest, sharpness, greed, acquisitiveness, meanness, egotism and self-interest are the traits of success. And while men admire the quality of the first they love the produce of the second”
“it has always seemed strange to me,” said doc. “The things we admire in men, kindness and generosity, openness, honesty, understanding and feeling are the concomitants of failure in our system. And those traits that we detest, sharpness, greed, acquisitiveness, meanness, egotism and self-interest are the traits of success. And while men admire the quality of the first they love the produce of the second”
March 23, 2009
Steinbeck has long been recognized as one of America's finest writers and The Grapes of Wrath one of its finest novels.While not technically speaking a political writer, his Grapes of Wrath is a searing indictment of some aspects of Capitalism,(see his moving portrait of Muley Graves as he tries to find who to shoot for moving him off his farm, only to realize the "who" has become so entrenched in the Capitalist System as to be unrecognizable),a fact which has often led people to view him as a Socialist. Steinbeck was far from a Socialist. If you were rash enough to try to force him into any box, I think Humanist would be a much better fit.
Steinbeck cared about people;very often those who struggled to merely survive. His books are filled with such characters.Those who seldom win awards or warrant headlines, but are oftentimes heroic in the face of insurmountable odds.I know some critics have scoffed and pointed to Lennie in Of Mice and Men as a kind of character straight out of burlesque, but when I was teaching secondary school,that wonderful short epic novel was the only book I ever assigned that was cherished by every students regardless of level.
East of Eden still has a special meaning for me. It was recommended to me by a wonderful old psychology teacher during my junior year in college when I was struggling over whether to follow my older brother into medical school and gain the parental approval that went with it,or follow my heart and chose a life in the Arts.The old professor knew I would recognize that story of the two brothers in East of Eden as my own.
Then there is Travels With Charley. I used to think it a strange book for a great writer like Steinbeck.It wasn't a novel or short story--- not even a play ,which Steinbeck tried once with only middling success in The Moon is Down.It was a kind of travelogue! A story of a trip the aging writer took with his dog,Charley, across the USA to rediscover an America which had become blurred to him over the years.What he found was an America that had changed. Changed not because he was older and unable to feel things as profoundly as he once had.That was Wordsworth's discovery,not his. America itself had changed. It had become homogenized. Everywhere he went looked the same. Mirror images.In a sense, the melting pot called America had been stirred in such a way that all the ingredients were now indistinguishable.Language,dress,ceremony.All become one.Boston become Biloxi.New York ,New Orleans.It was a change that bothered him a great deal. America had lost something.Something that had made it unique.Interesting. A place worth writing about.What had once been a country of vibrant color had overnight become a singular shade of gray.
I used to wonder why he wrote that book. I don't any more.
Steinbeck cared about people;very often those who struggled to merely survive. His books are filled with such characters.Those who seldom win awards or warrant headlines, but are oftentimes heroic in the face of insurmountable odds.I know some critics have scoffed and pointed to Lennie in Of Mice and Men as a kind of character straight out of burlesque, but when I was teaching secondary school,that wonderful short epic novel was the only book I ever assigned that was cherished by every students regardless of level.
East of Eden still has a special meaning for me. It was recommended to me by a wonderful old psychology teacher during my junior year in college when I was struggling over whether to follow my older brother into medical school and gain the parental approval that went with it,or follow my heart and chose a life in the Arts.The old professor knew I would recognize that story of the two brothers in East of Eden as my own.
Then there is Travels With Charley. I used to think it a strange book for a great writer like Steinbeck.It wasn't a novel or short story--- not even a play ,which Steinbeck tried once with only middling success in The Moon is Down.It was a kind of travelogue! A story of a trip the aging writer took with his dog,Charley, across the USA to rediscover an America which had become blurred to him over the years.What he found was an America that had changed. Changed not because he was older and unable to feel things as profoundly as he once had.That was Wordsworth's discovery,not his. America itself had changed. It had become homogenized. Everywhere he went looked the same. Mirror images.In a sense, the melting pot called America had been stirred in such a way that all the ingredients were now indistinguishable.Language,dress,ceremony.All become one.Boston become Biloxi.New York ,New Orleans.It was a change that bothered him a great deal. America had lost something.Something that had made it unique.Interesting. A place worth writing about.What had once been a country of vibrant color had overnight become a singular shade of gray.
I used to wonder why he wrote that book. I don't any more.
September 3, 2022
This book is the chronicling of Steinbeck’s reflections on a changing America that he formed as he circumnavigated the country with his wife’s dog Charley and a camper/trailer attached to his truck. Although much of this actual experience has been shown to be fabricated, his insights into America have mostly stood the tests of time. His writing, as always, is beautiful and thoughtful.
February 5, 2016
Grapes Of Wrath:-
It is not easy to read, and I found it easier to see the film and understood better - but therefore all the more I value this work, not because it is difficult but because I could grasp it through the film.
And the film truly was great, especially when it came to the dialogue of mother and son at the end - and Henry Fonda forever marked his place amongst the great with his portrayal and his delivery in the last speech.
It is an entirely worthy, great - in the original sense of the word - work, and for anyone from US it is a must read because it is your own history, usually not told around in the fairy tale account of your country you get officially.
If you are not from US it is still a great work relating a part of history of US, and entirely worthy of reading. Difficult, yes. Great, absolutely.
The book deals with the depression in US that was devastating there, the beginning of an era in Europe that ended with millions killed in war and a sizeable few millions helpless killed by their own government in gas chambers and other ways of murder, and so on.
In all this the poor and the not so poor that became poor in US were almost forgotten, since the nation holds on to the myth that anyone who is willing to work must do well in that country.
This book for one exposes such myths.
.........................................................................
Of Mice And Men:-
.............................................................................................
East Of Eden:-
John Steinbeck is not only one of the most famous writers, and generally also a very respected one, but more than anything he transcends often from good writer to a great one. This is one of the works that is evidence of his quality that is at once magical and great both.
East Of Eden rises above the mundane and the unusual, the common and the evil, the different characters that it describes, by the good and the superlative, the aspiring human spirit and the calm, comprehending one; the courage of one and the silent tragedy of another.
It is not just the mirroring of Adam and Charles with slightly skewed images in Aaron and Caleb, and the questionable source of the money fo Adam's father mirrored in the beyond question source of Cathy's - it is the whole lot of people.
Especially Samuel and his whole clan, on one hand, with Adam's chinese housekeeper and cook on the other with his elders who went through years of learning to ponder on a question that had nothing to do with their ancestral culture. And found the answer, too!
It is Olive, with her stoic encouragement of a pilot she thought was in trouble; her sister who spread delight and peace and joy like a delicate but definite perfume in hearts and lives and brought smiles of expectation to those that expected to meet her, and herself died selently of a heartbreak. Another one who married an inventor, who went on trying, at the expense of making money - in fact spending all he had for his experiments.
Samuel's horse who had a grand name because he had nothing else. His wife who cared for her large family with the very little that their land could provide, and did not worry, only worked and provided and organised. Samuel who knew that Adam's Chinese housekeeper was more literate and erudite than his pretense to the contrary for sake of conforming to the local social prejudice, in order to blend into the background.
So many charcters unforgettable - and so many lessons implicit and otherwise.
Of course, one may complain Steinbeck went with the more socially acceptable norm, in depicting evil in the accepted form in prevalent cultural prejudicial terms of Christian and Islamic heritage, by personifying it as a female - while evil rages far more often and far more visibly out there in garb of male gender. Think nazis, think Stalin, think kkk, think paedophiles and other abusers.
But one cannot expect everything from everyone, and if Steinbeck did not rise above all of his upbringing limitations, he was only human.
.................................................................................
The Pearl:-
One of the shortest and yet one of the best of this writer, which is saying a lot. How a poor person who is given a hand by fortune is not allowed to have it by social hounds, until he comes to a decision about what is best for his family.
Gets to heart.
.........................................................................
Cannery Row:-
About the down and out and small fry and the manual labour workers and so forth, and their lives -
..................................................................
Travels With Charley:-
...............................................................................................
It is not easy to read, and I found it easier to see the film and understood better - but therefore all the more I value this work, not because it is difficult but because I could grasp it through the film.
And the film truly was great, especially when it came to the dialogue of mother and son at the end - and Henry Fonda forever marked his place amongst the great with his portrayal and his delivery in the last speech.
It is an entirely worthy, great - in the original sense of the word - work, and for anyone from US it is a must read because it is your own history, usually not told around in the fairy tale account of your country you get officially.
If you are not from US it is still a great work relating a part of history of US, and entirely worthy of reading. Difficult, yes. Great, absolutely.
The book deals with the depression in US that was devastating there, the beginning of an era in Europe that ended with millions killed in war and a sizeable few millions helpless killed by their own government in gas chambers and other ways of murder, and so on.
In all this the poor and the not so poor that became poor in US were almost forgotten, since the nation holds on to the myth that anyone who is willing to work must do well in that country.
This book for one exposes such myths.
.........................................................................
Of Mice And Men:-
.............................................................................................
East Of Eden:-
John Steinbeck is not only one of the most famous writers, and generally also a very respected one, but more than anything he transcends often from good writer to a great one. This is one of the works that is evidence of his quality that is at once magical and great both.
East Of Eden rises above the mundane and the unusual, the common and the evil, the different characters that it describes, by the good and the superlative, the aspiring human spirit and the calm, comprehending one; the courage of one and the silent tragedy of another.
It is not just the mirroring of Adam and Charles with slightly skewed images in Aaron and Caleb, and the questionable source of the money fo Adam's father mirrored in the beyond question source of Cathy's - it is the whole lot of people.
Especially Samuel and his whole clan, on one hand, with Adam's chinese housekeeper and cook on the other with his elders who went through years of learning to ponder on a question that had nothing to do with their ancestral culture. And found the answer, too!
It is Olive, with her stoic encouragement of a pilot she thought was in trouble; her sister who spread delight and peace and joy like a delicate but definite perfume in hearts and lives and brought smiles of expectation to those that expected to meet her, and herself died selently of a heartbreak. Another one who married an inventor, who went on trying, at the expense of making money - in fact spending all he had for his experiments.
Samuel's horse who had a grand name because he had nothing else. His wife who cared for her large family with the very little that their land could provide, and did not worry, only worked and provided and organised. Samuel who knew that Adam's Chinese housekeeper was more literate and erudite than his pretense to the contrary for sake of conforming to the local social prejudice, in order to blend into the background.
So many charcters unforgettable - and so many lessons implicit and otherwise.
Of course, one may complain Steinbeck went with the more socially acceptable norm, in depicting evil in the accepted form in prevalent cultural prejudicial terms of Christian and Islamic heritage, by personifying it as a female - while evil rages far more often and far more visibly out there in garb of male gender. Think nazis, think Stalin, think kkk, think paedophiles and other abusers.
But one cannot expect everything from everyone, and if Steinbeck did not rise above all of his upbringing limitations, he was only human.
.................................................................................
The Pearl:-
One of the shortest and yet one of the best of this writer, which is saying a lot. How a poor person who is given a hand by fortune is not allowed to have it by social hounds, until he comes to a decision about what is best for his family.
Gets to heart.
.........................................................................
Cannery Row:-
About the down and out and small fry and the manual labour workers and so forth, and their lives -
..................................................................
Travels With Charley:-
...............................................................................................
Want to Read
April 21, 2011Grapes of Wrath Review (8/12/12)
Gave 5 stars
The Grapes of Wrath is a poignant novel which follows the story of the Joad family. I loved the symbolism of the story and the deep meanings and themes. The ending is by no means a happy ending, but it ends on a positive and hopeful mood. This is definitely one of my favorite Steinbeck novels. Steinbeck is a genius when it comes to depicting the how the characters actually feel and the hardships that they have to face. Another great American classic by Steinbeck. I like this book even more than East of Eden.
Of Mice and Men Review (2/02/11)
Gave 4 stars
I recommend to all Steinbeck reader fans. The ending is extremely sad, but Of Mice and Men is a worthwhile read that cannot be ignored. The friendship between George and Lennie is extremely complex, and they have a genuine companionship that is not parasitic-but rather mutual-istic. Lennie needs George for intellectual and emotional support, but George leans on Lennie for enthusiasm and hope. Once their dreams of someday owning a rabbit farm are shattered, George has to man up in order to save Lennie from a painful torture and death.
East of Eden Review (8/31/10)
Gave 5 stars
I was astonished at how profound this book was. I loved how the symbolism of the biblical story between Cain and Abel was included. And despite this being the first time reading Steinbeck's work, I can totally see why he said that it was his best work. He transitioned the story so perfectly well (despite having so many characters). His meandering throughout the book necessarily added the effect of the story. The symbolism was creatively crafted into Cain and Abel. And, of course, East of Eden left an important message to its readers through a heartfelt, memorable story. *Timshel*
Although I admit being shocked when I first saw how inevitably long East of Eden was (I had to read it as a summer homework assignment), it was very entertaining as a matter of fact. It wasn't boring at all. I really didn't think of East of Eden as one huge, never-ending book anyways. East of Eden was really like a big collection of four books put together. Like a series of books. I totally recommend this to everyone.
The Pearl Review (8/30/12)
Gave 4 stars
The novella is widely entertaining with great plot and characters, still, I was just really hoping that the infant, Coyotito, could have gained something. I was anticipating a happy ending. I was not hoping for Kino and Juana to become rich after they found the pearl (that would go against Steinbeck's message), but I was disappointed when Coyotito was killed off like that! Once Kino and Juana found the pearl, I was rooting for them the whole time and sharing that same enthusiasm with Kino-hoping that Coyotito would get an education. My wishes for a different ending is probably silly though. Killing off Coyotito, unfortunately, is probably the only way for Kino to understand how corruptible the pearl became. Unlike Juana, Kino did not recognize the pearl's evil until very late (actually, too late) in the novel.
Either way, the techniques used to craft the novella were really clever. I liked Steinbeck's use of different characters and the balance between Kino's idealistic dreams and Juana's practicality. The story was focused primarily on the plot and characters, so it was not a dull read (not too much description on setting involved this time). The read is not too difficult or long, so I recommend to everyone! I read this in one sitting.
Cannery Row Review (8/29/12)
Gave 3 stars
This novel is not plot-driven, but the story focuses more on delineating the town and characters of Cannery Row. Cannery Row is a good book for a quick read. As he always does, Steinbeck implies important short lessons about life in his story about the struggling between the rich and the poor.
Travels With Charley in Search of America Review
Gave stars
Gave 5 stars
The Grapes of Wrath is a poignant novel which follows the story of the Joad family. I loved the symbolism of the story and the deep meanings and themes. The ending is by no means a happy ending, but it ends on a positive and hopeful mood. This is definitely one of my favorite Steinbeck novels. Steinbeck is a genius when it comes to depicting the how the characters actually feel and the hardships that they have to face. Another great American classic by Steinbeck. I like this book even more than East of Eden.
Of Mice and Men Review (2/02/11)
Gave 4 stars
I recommend to all Steinbeck reader fans. The ending is extremely sad, but Of Mice and Men is a worthwhile read that cannot be ignored. The friendship between George and Lennie is extremely complex, and they have a genuine companionship that is not parasitic-but rather mutual-istic. Lennie needs George for intellectual and emotional support, but George leans on Lennie for enthusiasm and hope. Once their dreams of someday owning a rabbit farm are shattered, George has to man up in order to save Lennie from a painful torture and death.
East of Eden Review (8/31/10)
Gave 5 stars
I was astonished at how profound this book was. I loved how the symbolism of the biblical story between Cain and Abel was included. And despite this being the first time reading Steinbeck's work, I can totally see why he said that it was his best work. He transitioned the story so perfectly well (despite having so many characters). His meandering throughout the book necessarily added the effect of the story. The symbolism was creatively crafted into Cain and Abel. And, of course, East of Eden left an important message to its readers through a heartfelt, memorable story. *Timshel*
Although I admit being shocked when I first saw how inevitably long East of Eden was (I had to read it as a summer homework assignment), it was very entertaining as a matter of fact. It wasn't boring at all. I really didn't think of East of Eden as one huge, never-ending book anyways. East of Eden was really like a big collection of four books put together. Like a series of books. I totally recommend this to everyone.
The Pearl Review (8/30/12)
Gave 4 stars
The novella is widely entertaining with great plot and characters, still, I was just really hoping that the infant, Coyotito, could have gained something. I was anticipating a happy ending. I was not hoping for Kino and Juana to become rich after they found the pearl (that would go against Steinbeck's message), but I was disappointed when Coyotito was killed off like that! Once Kino and Juana found the pearl, I was rooting for them the whole time and sharing that same enthusiasm with Kino-hoping that Coyotito would get an education. My wishes for a different ending is probably silly though. Killing off Coyotito, unfortunately, is probably the only way for Kino to understand how corruptible the pearl became. Unlike Juana, Kino did not recognize the pearl's evil until very late (actually, too late) in the novel.
Either way, the techniques used to craft the novella were really clever. I liked Steinbeck's use of different characters and the balance between Kino's idealistic dreams and Juana's practicality. The story was focused primarily on the plot and characters, so it was not a dull read (not too much description on setting involved this time). The read is not too difficult or long, so I recommend to everyone! I read this in one sitting.
Cannery Row Review (8/29/12)
Gave 3 stars
This novel is not plot-driven, but the story focuses more on delineating the town and characters of Cannery Row. Cannery Row is a good book for a quick read. As he always does, Steinbeck implies important short lessons about life in his story about the struggling between the rich and the poor.
Travels With Charley in Search of America Review
Gave stars
September 8, 2008
John Steinbeck is a master writer/author. I enjoyed all of these books. This was a summer of Steinbeck. Grapes of wrath was my final read. East of Eden my first. East of Eden was my favorite by far. But I really like his style of writing and he really makes you feel like you know the era that he is writing in. Grapes of Wrath was sooo sad and amazing. It is hard to believe that people can live like that. We are so blessed to live right now.
December 19, 2009
This was an AP English read in high school and I loved it. I kept it at the top of my list for years and as I got older, I wanted to reread to see if I still loved it as much. I loved it even more on the reread and found so many parallels between the Dust Bowl and inequities that still exist today. The in-between chapters of commentary are phenomenal.
August 12, 2016
You have to grab this collection. If you haven't read Steinbeck, he is amazing. John Steinbeck was able to capture a different time and the people who lived through some of the worst times our nation has ever faced. He captures the characters like no other author and takes readers on a journey they will never forget.
February 23, 2008
Dang. I like Steinbeck. Gotta love his endings. You know they are coming if you know anything about foreshadowing, but they still get you. Who will ever forget either scenes in the barn in Grapes and Of Mice? I think Steinbeck had a barn thing.
September 3, 2008
I read this epic novel in high school and remember being a little overwhelmed by the story and Stenbeck's writing style. I would like to re-read this one, though it will be a while before I'm ready to takle the 464 pages again!
Want to Read
August 5, 2008I love browsing the small bookstores best, but box sets like this are why I love Amazon.
April 11, 2009
I love this man. He is by far my favorite author. To me he can not go wrong.
Read
July 23, 2009Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck (1963)
Read
August 24, 2009read all of them except the pearl loved every page
June 26, 2010
Excellent collection. I would also add Once There Was a War and America and Americans to the list of Steinbeck books worth reading.
May 24, 2012
I love John Steinbeck, and think all of his work is awesome.
June 11, 2012
Have read them all - looooove Steinbeck. Most recently was of Mice and Men - wow.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews