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Pam wrote: "I fell asleep again on my 2nd try! I’ll have to listen tomorrow while driving and waiting for my dad at his PT appointment. I’m really interested in this one since I’ve been to a lot of the places ..."

Don't let it put you to sleep driving! Given your short-term history with it you might need coffee to keep yourself awake. LOL.

Dave wrote: "Thank you Leslie. I look forward to reviewing the past years reads. Steinbeck wrote a lot, and I have long term plans to read many of his works. I was in the Navy for 24 years and spent a year and ..."

I felt that familiarity also for Cannery Row, Sweet Thursday, and East of Eden, living within a few hrs of Monterey. But for whatever reason I don't feel that connection with Tortilla Flat and haven't finished it.

I can say the same about Tortilla Flat, Blueberry. I'm currently reading it and not quite enjoying it. He writes well, but the story eludes me. And I don't feel any connection with the characters either. Well, it's an early work of Steinbeck, and now I'm used to accepting disappointments even from my favourite authors.

I started listening to East of Eden last night. Got through chapter six. Te Audible reader is Richard Poe, one of my favorite readers.
Expecting to highlight, I also got the linked Kindle edition which I am reading as I listen. The prose is so beautiful that I am highlight almost everything.

About ten years ago I joined a United Methodist church after a lifetime of not being involved in church. Being a bookworm I determined I would “read the book��. This lead to about four years of intense self-paced Bible study. I now teach Bible study.

I am astonished at how closely the prose adhere’s to the first chapter’s of Genesis.

So, I broke down and bought Travels with Charley at the used bookstore. I still have the audiobook checked out so I may do a combo of reading/listening.

Pam wrote: "So, I broke down and bought Travels with Charley at the used bookstore. I still have the audiobook checked out so I may do a combo of reading/listening."

Have you gotten a chance to start on it yet Pam?

Leslie- I’ve just barely started it. I found something more interesting but I will get back to it. 😀

Pam wrote: "Leslie- I’ve just barely started it. I found something more interesting but I will get back to it. 😀"

No worries! Thread is open all year!

I have read the first 17 chapters of East of Eden and I just love it.

That is great Dave!

An early draft of John Steinbeck’s novel Of Mice and Men was eaten by his dog.

It was Max, one of several dogs Steinbeck owned during his life, who devoured the novel’s draft and so became, in effect, the book’s first critic. This is probably Steinbeck’s most famous novel, and draws on his own experiences as a ‘bindlestiff�� (or migratory worker) in the US in the 1920s.

Lesle wrote: "An early draft of John Steinbeck’s novel Of Mice and Men was eaten by his dog.

It was Max, one of several dogs Steinbeck owned during his life, who devoured the novel’s draft and so became, in eff..."

That is the next Steinbeck I will read after EoE.

Steinbeck won the Pulitzer Prize in 1940 for "The Grapes of Wrath," and a Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962, an award he did not think he deserved. The author was not alone in that thought; many literary critics were also unhappy with the decision. In 2013, the Nobel Prize committee revealed that the author had been a "compromise choice," chosen from a "bad lot" where none of the authors stood out. Many believed that Steinbeck's best work was already behind him by the time he was chosen for the award; others believed that the criticism of his win was politically motivated. The author's anti-capitalist slant to his stories made him unpopular with many. In spite of this, he is still considered one of America's greatest writers and his books are regularly taught in American and British schools.

I finished Travels with Charley, Steinbeck’s account of his trip across the US with his poodle Charley. I wasn’t thrilled with it but there were some interesting moments. The book didn’t have a natural flow for me. The parts I enjoyed most were ones involving his dog. There was a scene in the south related to school segregation protests that was interesting. I’ve read about these protests but was too young to know about it first-hand. Having lived in 4 different regions in the US, I can appreciate the differences (and the similarities as he points out) in people and attitudes found throughout the country.

I have yet to read this one. Parts of it Pam sound interesting. I have only lived in Ohio but can understand the different regions could have differences.

Thank you for sharing!

I finished “East of Eden��, It had a powerful effect upon me because I am 71 and a father and grandfather and have lived through the agonies and ecstasies of life and have come to know timshe.

“Of Mice and Men�� will be next.

Dave one of the groups favorite of Steinbeck's reads is Of Mice and Men.

It is one of those you cannot say I enjoyed it.
It is more like I appreciate the parable of the story.

Lesle wrote: "Dave one of the groups favorite of Steinbeck's reads is Of Mice and Men.

It is one of those you cannot say I enjoyed it.
It is more like I appreciate the parable of the story."

Thanks for the intro Lesle.

Dave not sure that was an intro or not but here is a discussion thread from 2017:


/topic/show/...

Lesle wrote: "Dave not sure that was an intro or not but here is a discussion thread from 2017:


/topic/show/..."

Thanks again Leslie, I think Steinbeck has nosed out Faulkner as my favorite 20th Century American author.

Looking ahead beyond Of Mice and Men, I will read Tortilla Flat, Cannery Row, and Travels with Charlie. After that I will graze in his books as my fancy takes me.

Sounds like a good plan Dave!

Red Pony: I had personal issues with but many like it. Even though I know about the time frame written, it still bothered me.

Hope you enjoy the shorts you have lined up.

Lesle wrote: "Sounds like a good plan Dave!

Red Pony: I had personal issues with but many like it. Even though I know about the time frame written, it still bothered me.

Hope you enjoy the shorts you have line..."

Now you’ve got me intrigued like a bad boy. Red Pony up next.

lol! Sorry Dave! :o)

Began of Mice and Men, postponed The Red Pony for now.

Good choice, Dave! The Red Pony has some emotionally tough sections.

Rosemarie wrote: "Good choice, Dave! The Red Pony has some emotionally tough sections."

Precisely, I am emotionally vulnerable right now.

I was interested to learn that “Of Mice and Men�� is one of the most censored books in the US now. Of course I immediately Googled that list and added a number to my reading list. I was pleased I have already read several

The descriptions of nature in Of Mice and Men are beautifully written. The characters stay with you after you finish reading.

I finished Of Mice and Men

Dave wrote: "I finished Of Mice and Men"

What did you think Dave?

Exactly what I thought when I finished The Grapes of Wrath and East of Eden. How could I have neglected Steinbeck so long? His stories, long or short, carry a powerful punch and commentary on the human condition.

Quite frankly, there are other novels I am reading or recently read that I was frustrated by, saying to myself, “Steinbeck could have written this much better.��

That made me giggle and say "Oh Wow" at the same time Dave!

He is an excellent author and his words flow well for me!

Dave wrote: "Rosemarie wrote: "Good choice, Dave! The Red Pony has some emotionally tough sections."

Precisely, I am emotionally vulnerable right now.

I was interested to learn that “Of Mice and Men�� is one o..."

I hadn't heard of that list, Rosemarie, but looked at it after seeing your post. Some of them I could get that some people might object to them, but others just left me scratching my head in wonder. For example, Ender's Game and To Kill a Mockingbird.

John wrote: "Dave wrote: "Rosemarie wrote: "Good choice, Dave! The Red Pony has some emotionally tough sections."

Precisely, I am emotionally vulnerable right now.

I was interested to learn that “Of Mice and ..."

Yes, its more bizarre the further you go. Both The Bible and all Harry Potter are on the list.

I took the plunge and read The Red Pony. Having seen the conversations here about the emoitional impact I figured now was a good time as I already have a "gentle" book planned to follow. As detailed in my review, despite the warnings the first chapter was very close to home and hit hard.

This to me is where Steinbeck's power really is. He found a way to capture moments of everyday life, paint a picture of it with his words and make you feel what's happening. Like Of Mice and Men, the only other Steinbeck fiction I've read so far, I can imagine what these scenes would be like as if I'm watching a movie. I can't recall any other author that has acheived that for me.

I'm starting Once There Was a War today as the first entry is dated "Somewhere in England, June 20, 1943". My plan is to read the entries on the days written through the rest of the year, ending December 13th. I'm hoping that recreating the passage of time between the entries will help me to appreciate how long this snapshot of the war was.

Good idea, Mike. And it's a good book.

Maybe a Short Story?

The Forgotten Village: Life in a Mexican Village
To a God Unknown
The Long Valley a collection of shorts
The Murder
The Chrysanthemums

It is on my TBR pile Sandy to read and is really a short novel at only 240 pages. I was thinking there was another Member that was interested in reading it as well. Short reads like this make it easier to fit in other reads as well. I had thought about listing The Pastures of Heaven as a group we read it a couple years ago, but is one I really liked how the stories linked together.

I was thinking of reading In Dubious Battle. I have a Portuguese edition.
Or maybe The Wayward Bus. I have a Brazilian edition.

Sorry Sandy was just a reminder there are shorter stories that we have not explored yet. Thank you for being so diligent. Much appreciated!

No worries!

In Dubious Battle was really good, Luis.

����� wrote: "I was thinking of reading In Dubious Battle. I have a Portuguese edition.
Or maybe The Wayward Bus. I have a Brazilian edition."

Sorry I missed this.
Luis, Rosemarie is right Wayward bus is ok. Wasnt too impressed.

Lesle wrote: "����� wrote: "I was thinking of reading In Dubious Battle. I have a Portuguese edition.
Or maybe The Wayward Bus. I have a Brazilian edition."

Sorry I missed this.
Luis, ..."

So, won't you go in?

In Dubious Battle I have heard good things about. Have not read it myself. I would choose this one over the Wayward Bus though.

Lesle wrote: "In Dubious Battle I have heard good things about. Have not read it myself. I would choose this one over the Wayward Bus though."

When we will start, then?

Whenever you would like. Just add comments as you go and as much as you would like to share.
I am sure others will reply.

Here is an informative link from last year. /topic/show/...

I will also place this under message 1.

Unforgettable: The Grapes of Wrath
Sad: Of Mice and Men
Funny: Travels with Charley: In Search of America
Young-Adult: The Pearl

I found this to be interesting for this time of year:

Steinbeck’s description of autumn light, as well as other lyrical and poignant passages of Travels with Charley in Search of America.

Words, Steinbeck writes, “should be wind or water or thunder.�� So it’s no surprise that this particular book, written in the autumn of the author’s life, is a wonderfully colorful and welcome recasting of our seasonal landscape.

Travels with Charley perfectly frames autumn in ones mind: “It isn’t only color but a glowing, as though the leaves gobbled the light of the autumn sun and then released it slowly.��