Came across this book the other day. While I heard of it, mainly in the context of it being Steinbeck's final work, I knew nothing about the book. It does not get the attention that Of Mice and Men, or Grapes of Wrath, or East of Eden does, and I'm not sure why. Of all the Steinbeck I have read, this is the most inwardly focused. Ethan seems to outdo Adam Trask in certain aspects as Steinbeck's best character.
There is something reminiscent of Ulysses in this book. I think it is the tone that Steinbeck takes - it is more playful than his other works (excepting Cannery Row), and the attention he gives to the central character.
Has anyone else read this one, and if so, how does it stack to the "greats" that placed Steinbeck in the cannon?
For those who haven't read it - some enticement...
It is the story of a man, Ethan Hawley, living in your typical Steinbeck rural America setting, at a time when money is becoming the driving force of the world like never before. Ethan comes from a family that used to be extremely wealthy but lost it on in the stock market, and now he is a poor grocery clerk. He struggles with his (and his family's) ambition to reclaim lost wealth, and the fear of being corrupted by money.
It's a very internal story centred about the ethical decisions that are universal to us all. Highly recommended.
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