Where should I begin with Steinbeck?

[dna1964dna]

I was at the bookstore today and I came across a nice copy of The Winter of Our Discontent, but I passed it up because I wasn't sure this was the best place to jump into his writings.

Any suggestions? Thanks in advance!

[dfloyd]

is with his shorter, humorous novels such as Cannery Row and Tortilla Flat. Before delving into The Grapes of Wrath, try In Dubious Battle. Grapes and East of Eden are considered his apogee. East of Eden is probably his longest novel and the hardest to read, especially if you are a young reader. To get in the mood for East of Eden, try Of Mice and Men. Steinbeck is a very prolific writer and one of America's best so don't give up on him.

[dna1964dna]

I studied a considerable amount of Faulkner and earlier American Literature, but none of my professors ever touched on Steinbeck. I have been pretty intrigued by people's conversations about his works and can't wait to dive in.

Thanks for the quick response.

[minstrelbard]

I agree strongly with dfloyd. Cannery Row is a great place to start. But I disagree about East of Eden. I didn't find it hard to read at all, and it was the first Steinbeck I ever read. It's his longest, and most ambitious (I guess - I haven't read all of Steinbeck), but it's very readable. It's as philosophically dense as Steinbeck got, though, but if that's your thing, jump right in!

[MaineTim]

"Grapes Of Wrath" and "Of Mice And Men" were (in that order) the first two Steinbeck works I read, and having left strong impressions on me, they remain my favorites so far. Although I liked "Cannery Row", and to a lesser degree "Tortilla Flat", had I read them first, I think my view of Steinbeck as an author worth pursuing might not have been as strong.

[damondarkwalker]

Seems like I read "The Pearl" first. Either that or "The Red Pony". Then there was a story about this guy trying to reach the border before the posse got to him. It was in a lit collection.

[joebob]

of mice and men.

but really, it doesn't matter. it's not like he has a writing style that you have to adjust to or anything.

also, grapes of wrath blows. east of eden is where it's at

[Alexander III]

I would suggest Of Mice and Men

[Themis]

I second dfloyd and suggest you start reading "Tortilla Flat". I'm not a big fan of Steinbeck, but I did like that one.

[Old Crow]

I would say The Wayward Bus since, to me, it feels like the most succinct and mature of his shorter novels. The range of characters that come into painfully clear and empathetic definition is remarkable for the size and consumability of it. It is pretty hard to go wrong with Steinbeck, though, since all of his work is at least readable.

[kelby_lake]

Of Mice and Men would be a good place to start, seeing as that's one of the most famous ones and you'll definitely find a lot of discussion on it. It's also very short- but it is very sad too.

[Mariamosis]

I started with "Tortilla Flat" and went from there to "Travels with Charley". I don't think it matters where you start as long as you start. However, the book that really put Steinbeck on the map for me was "The Grapes of Wrath" which is a must read!

[applepie]

I would say don't start, but then I read The Grapes of Wrath in school and that left a pretty bad taste in my mouth. Something about an entire chapter on dirt and a turtle just didn't keep me enraptured ;)

Perhaps it is time I Steinbeck another shot...

[loe]

Steinbeck was one of the authors who led mit into literature long time ago. :)
I would recommend to start with "Tortilla Flat".
Starting with "Cannery Row" could make every Steinbeck-book after it a bit disappointing because in my opinion this is the lovliest story he has ever written.

Best regards

[Der Wegwerfer]

the great thing with Steinbeck is that his style of prose is easy to understand and very straight-forward. Any of his shorter stories (about 100 pages) would be a good way to get a taste of him (Of Mice and Men, Cannery Row, Tortilla Flat)

I'd also like to mention there is a sequel to Cannery Row called Sweet Thursday as well, so if you liked Cannery Row it might be worth checking out. Also Travels with Charley is great as well.

I haven't heard too many people say East of Eden is a hard read, I've actually heard some people say it's better than Grapes of Wrath.

I'm sorry I don't know anything about Winter of our Discontent.

Steinbeck was truly a great American author.

[NeiljFraser]

I'd go for Graped of Wrath - great book. Of Mice and Men is also great

[Seasider]

Of Mice and Men, A study of loneliness and longing. The characters are so well drawn...each with a different reason for loneliness...the old man, the black man, the young woman living in a world of men...such a collection of losers ...and yet it's a good read.

[Modest Proposal]

Let me begin by saying that I've enjoyed all of Steinbeck's work that I've encountered, particularly "Of Mice and Men", "Grapes of Wrath" and "East of Eden." That said I strongly encourage you to wait on Grapes, not because it is the least of these but just because the people I know who ARE averse to Steinbeck are so because they started with Grapes and found it boring. I don't think it is but I can see why the uninitiated would feel so at first.

[Der Wegwerfer]

Let me begin by saying that I've enjoyed all of Steinbeck's work that I've encountered, particularly "Of Mice and Men", "Grapes of Wrath" and "East of Eden." That said I strongly encourage you to wait on Grapes, not because it is the least of these but just because the people I know who ARE averse to Steinbeck are so because they started with Grapes and found it boring. I don't think it is but I can see why the uninitiated would feel so at first.


this is great advice. So many people are forced to read Grapes and it turns them off to either Steinbeck or epic type novels.

[goatlips]

A problem I have with Steinbeck is his sentimentality but I remember reading Tortilla Flat in my younger days and enjoying it.

[Mr.lucifer]

IS he one of those arthurs with long winded prose?

[dfloyd]

I suppose some would consider Mort d'Arture as long wided.

so it should give you an inkling about the book.

[nandakishore]

I read The Grapes of Wrath as a teenager as I was convalescing from a bout of viral fever, because there was nothing else to read: and I fell in love with the book. So much so that anything I've read of Steinbeck after that feels a letdown. I know it's a matter of taste, but the long passage of a shiftless people across a wasteland caught my imagination; and the last scene where the young woman breastfeeds the dying old man is mindblowing.

I'd go for The Grapes of Wrath first.

[Mr.lucifer]

He considered eden of the east his best work.

[country doctor]

'grapes of wrath' is what the doc recommends...but make sure you don't exclude 'travels with charley' when you go about your steinbeck readings...

the winter of our discontent' is the only steinbeck book that turned out to be a stinker for the country doctor...he just couldn't finish it...by this time the doc is afraid the magic had left the pen of mr. steinbeck with his fiction...

but 'travels with charley' delivered the goods...google the research if you're not familiar with it, is the doc's suggestion...

[Bumbeli]

I've read East of Eden, Cannery Row and Of Mice and Men and I think all three of them are really good books, with East of Eden being the one I consider his best of those. I was about to read Grapes of Wrath but had to stop, and just ordered Travel's with Charley.
I think Of Mice and Men would be a good one to start with, it's not too long, very appealing and a great story.

[YORK]

I think I started, as many do in England as it's a syllabus text at GCSE, with 'Of Mice and Men'.

I thoroughly enjoyed that so I checked the library and moved through his mid length novels like 'Cannery Row' and 'To a God Unknown' before taking a shot at the colossal 'East of Eden'.

As others have said, I think it probably is wise to gain some familiarity with his work before you give the larger novels a go.