John Steinbeck is a great American writer. The people who are "weird" are the ones that do not enjoy reading him. East of Eden, Grapes of Wrath, Cannery Row, Of Mice and Men, and The Pearl are all "must reads" in American literature.
John Steinbeck is a great American writer. The people who are "weird" are the ones that do not enjoy reading him. East of Eden, Grapes of Wrath, Cannery Row, Of Mice and Men, and The Pearl are all "must reads" in American literature.
Harper Lee "representative of the nation" with only one book? Since you say "American writers" and not "American novelists" then I would say Walt Whitman might be more representative. Or maybe another novelist: Toni Morrison maybe?Originally Posted by cafolini
Last edited by papillondemai; 07-08-2013 at 09:33 PM.
It is quite daring to say that four writers (all of whom I like) represent a diverse continental state with such a varied history and huge population. I guess I could say what about Tom Dick andHarriet... But that would be to split hairs with an innocuous statement - again!
Yes, those Grapes, Mice, Easts, Tortillas and Red Ponies, but Charley will always be my darling.
Read the description of Hurricane Donna’s fury at landing on Long Island prior to Steinbeck’s departure to travel America and any lingering doubts about his genius will soon be dispelled by a briny wave of his quill.
Yes, Travels With Charley definitely needs to be taken with a pinch of sea salt with regards to the sequence of events, the people he runs across and the discourse that ensued, but by the trident which Cyclopes bestowed on Poseidon, John Ernst Steinbeck, Jr. had the cockles and mussels alive, alive-o!
Anyone he sets off in a pickup truck named, Rocinate with a poodle for company to see his country one last time in old age has my full attention.
Last edited by Prince Smiles; 07-09-2013 at 06:47 AM.
I have Travels With Charley. I think I'll dig it out and finally read it.
Not to like Steinbeck is to miss out on a very good writer able to bridge the gap between writing for the masses and for the serious reader. Agus Ennison mhuthaich mi fhein gun robh "sounds off" aig Of M&M s nis tha fios am carson. Taing dhuit
Papillondemai, a splendid idea! I am sure you will enjoy it.
Well as you can see, about 44 years before the Jedi, Ewan set off on his travels in the Long Way Round with his mate Charley, someone else had already beaten him to the punch.
I finished reading Of Mice and Men for the first time last night. I can safely say, that I like his writing. While the background of the characters was abit weak, I felt like the relationship between George and Lennie was almost archetypal of so many friendships in life, and going even further, bad habits we have, but have a hard time letting go of, making excuses for them. That's me reading heavily into the story, perhaps in the wrong direction, but I definitely felt there was more going on with the symbolism of the two lead characters, than what was immediately obvious.
If this is representative of his weaker writing, then I am really looking forward to East of Eden and The Grapes of Wrath.
Steinbeck? Great . None of his novels are long. No fancy writing. But he is a fantastic writer. The Pearl is only
six chapters long. Simple not simplistic and structurally well made. He called it a parable. He said there was only black and white but it is a novel of superb colour both local and intellectual. Right wing thinkers will obviously hate Steinbeck but well, f em.
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