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Who loves Steinbeck? What's your favorite?

I read Of Mice and Men many years ago, and wasn't terribly impressed. Didn't read Steinbeck for years afterward. Then I read The Grapes of Wrath. Loved it. That inspired to me read East of Eden. I had seen the film with James Dean, but never read the book.

The film is actually only a section of the book (as is often the case). East of Eden is easily one of the best books I've read in a long time. It's incredibly well written, and the main antagonist is one of the most disturbing and fascinating characters you'll encounter in American literature. It's a book that stays with you after you've finished reading it. You won't soon forget it.

I love Steinbeck!

I read "Grapes of Wrath" in high school and enjoyed it but wasn't overly impressed with it. A few years later one of my fellow English peers recommended that I read "East of Eden". She swore it was one of the best books that she had ever read. I couldn't believe it to be honest, I mean I had already read one book by Steinbeck and wasn't amazed and to add to that the story of "East of Eden" has a lot of religious context which I didn't think would interest me. I was wrong. So very, very (and gratefully) wrong.

"East of Eden" is one of my all time favorites. It's extraordinary. You want to slip inside all the characters, well maybe except for Cathy. This book has never left me and I do find that I think of it often when reading other material. I don't re-read books as a rule, but I'm thinking that I would like to re-read this one.

Glad I'm not the only one who adores "East of Eden"!

I've read Of Mice and Men, but didn't really think much of it. Haven't tried any of his other books

I can't say much so far, but I think I prefer his shorter works over his novels right now.

I have read his "East of Eden" in my youth and liked it. I should read it again sometime.

I just read Of Mice and Men, again! That is such an amazing book! I am planning on re-reading The Grapes of Wrath soon. I read both in high school so I'm glad I decided to re-read.

I am reading Travels with Charley right now. Steinbeck journeys across the country with his dog and records his experiences. The funny of it is, his son said he figured his dad was so shy every conversation in that book was made up. It's a good read.

I have always loved Steinbeck. I read East of Eden again last year and I have read Of Mice and Men multiple times.

Never was a fan of Steinbeck. His characters were always so unappealing, and Of Mice and Men is just creepy. At the end of his life he began to redeem himself with The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights, but then he went and died without finishing it. Inconsiderate of him, wasn't it?

I read of Mice and Men a few months back and loved it! Eventually I intend to read more of his works.

TrishaAnn92 wrote:I read of Mice and Men a few months back and loved it! Eventually I intend to read more of his works.

Read East of Eden. It'll be one of your favorite books, I promise!

I'm not really a fan of Steinbeck. I've never really enjoyed his work.

I began this by listing those books of his I read and enjoyed despite them having been college reading assignments. My favorite was "In Dubious Battle," about the conniving ways of those who pushed for labor unions. All of what Steinbeck wrote placed the struggling working man as the topic. "The Grapes of Wrath" is an excellent example of this. "The Winter of Our Discontent" is about a man who begins work as a straight, honest man, and eventually turns into a ruthless fellow who justifies his actions by comparing his behavior to his military duty which was to kill or be killed.

Maybe the age of the reader has something to do with the satisfaction of Steinbeck's novels. For me, he pit well the fight against the needs of the lower class with the greed of the upper middle class who would do little to show their appreciation for the needed back breaking workers who had nowhere else to go. For if you don't work, you don't eat.

I love Steinbeick's work. I read Of Mice and Men, The Grapes of Wrath and Cannery Road all in a row. I want to collect all of his works because I really enjoy is writing style and his themes.

hopeingod wrote:For me, he pit well the fight against the needs of the lower class with the greed of the upper middle class who would do little to show their appreciation for the needed back breaking workers who had nowhere else to go. For if you don't work, you don't eat.

I totally get that that's what he was all about, and applaud him for speaking up. I just tend to be a character oriented reader (in fiction anyhow), and I never could really like his characters.

Have you encountered Dougie Maclean's song, Rank and Roses? I'm sure it's on YouTube. It's about the perseverance of the class society in Scotland even today, and the younger generation putting an end to it.

We are our father's dreams.
We are our mothers' pride and joy,
and we will be the ones
to tell you now that it's over.
You have no hold on us
like the fear you laid on them.
We are the seeds they grew.
It's we that you must answer to.

Steinbeck would have loved it!