Lesle’s Reviews > East of Eden/The Wayward Bus > Status Update

Lee said "Help him...Let him be free...Bless him!"
Adam whispered word seemed to hang in the air: "Timshel"
His eyes closed and he slept.

Adam takes his new wife to California where he works with Samuel an expert on the land and purchases a run down ranch. He hires what he thinks if a Chinaman (but actually his ancestry is). Cathy tries to abort the child and in the end after delivering twin boys a few days later she tells Adam to throw the boys in his well she was leaving. Adam thought for a monment she was going to stay.

Cyrus was a tall tale provider. His military adventures that he retold were fabricated. The only exception was he did not change his rank. All of these tales he learned from charts and textbooks. He treated his children as if the were in the army. By the time they were in grade school they were taught close-order drill and training them marksmanship skills.

Cyrus soon married Alice his second wife. She covered everything he needed someone to take care of Adam keep house cook. Alice's greatest virture was she never said anything unless directly asked.

We meet Adam who was born on the farm by his mother who was working the farm by herself as Cyrus Trask was serving in the military where he lost his leg by a heavy slug. Mrs Trask was very religious and when Cyrus brought her an infection her God was a man of vengeance. She scarificed herself.

We meet Samuel Hamilton from Ireland. He was honest. Love is what brought him to California. A big man blacksmith, carpenter and woodcarver. Homesteader of 1760 acres of harsh and dry land. Blacksmithing was what kept him a float.
Liza his Irish wife had a moral code. She gave Samuel nine children.

Part One/Chapter One
The frame of the story is the Salinas Valley in California. The description of the grasses and flowers are discribed as the memory of odors is very rich. (from childhood) Gabilan Mountains, Salinas River in the spring. The land baren from farms and people.

The Wayward Bus is pages 495-662 in my combo book.

Will be starting The Wayward Bus after finishing Out of Africa.
I have seen the movie from 1957 starring Jayne Mansfield and Joan Collins.

Cathy Ames....a piece of work and to be so devious for one so young!