About book The Short Novels Of John Steinbeck (1953)
loved tortilla flat and cannery row, both days in the lives of the monterrey underclass, where the preferred unit of measure of wine is the gallon, and money is only procured as needed by cutting squids for the chinaman. the moon is down is something petraeus and the rest of the pentagon war-boys should have to read, fiction about the facts and fantasies of military occupation. mice and men grew on me. the pearl was just too damn depressing, i already know people suck, especially rich greedy people. I am actually re-reading this excellent collection of Steinbeck's short novels; I tend to return to old favorites again and again, like visiting old friends. Accounts of my affection for these stories could fill several small volumes on their own; suffice it to say that I heartily recommend John Steinbeck's work to anyone interested in understanding 20th century American literature and culture.My favorite here is Of Mice and Men; I have read it more frequently than any of Steinbeck's books, and I was fortunate to see an excellent stage production in summer stock many years ago — a formative experience for me as a writer. The characters are brilliantly drawn, and the economy with which the author tells the story is truly breathtaking. If you've not read it before, the ending will leave you stunned, pondering the enormous power of the demands of love and brotherhood.The Moon is Down is also very serious business, and particularly of interest to anyone studying the dynamics of occupation and the subjugation of one people by another. My interest in virtually all things related to the World War II era fed my original fascination with this work, but on finishing it the first time, I came to see its story in the larger context of the relationships that occur between people who find themselves in untenable circumstances.Although I probably do the author some disservice by doing so, I admit that I tend to think of Tortilla Flat and Cannery Row as being somehow related, when in fact they are quite distinct. There was a time when I particularly enjoyed studying Tortilla Flat for its parallels to the legend of King Arthur — a structure that Steinbeck consciously pursued and rightfully celebrated. Both of these feature strong characters and lovingly crafted narratives; even without any academic pretense involved, you will probably just love reading them.The Red Pony always seems to me to be a quite separate work from the others in this collection, which is not to say that it is any less emblematic of its author or divorced in any way from the overall progression of his work; it just seems like such a very different sort of story, told in a different manner from the others. Maybe it seems so different because of the manner in which it came to be — it was first written and published in parts and then collected into the manuscript that we now know as the finished book. On the other hand, it may also be viewed as an example of Steinbeck's wonderful penchant for experimentation, and the confidence he had in his own ability to convey great stories on a wide variety of subjects, and likely, to a widely varied audience.Finally there is The Pearl — a brilliantly evocative tale that conveys an enormous amount of wisdom in a disarmingly simple story. It is another of my favorite Steinbeck stories, and the kind of book whose characters and scene and setting will likely drift in and out of your field of vision for a long time after you've reached the final word and returned to the shelf.And if you are like me, it will be a nearby shelf, and easy to reach, for the next time...
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I read these books years ago before I ever read Steinbeck’s more weighty novels of 'East Of Eden' and 'The Grapes of Wrath'. After a recent scan of these works my thoughts on them have not diminished. If only dipping into the novellas and short stories, most readers will go straight to 'Of Mice and Men'. To read only this is a mistake of catastrophic literary proportions. If you like allegorical tales this is indeed a good book, in a similar vein to The Pearl. It does not, however come close to the rough poetry of 'Tortilla Flat' or ultimately the perfection that I feel is 'Cannery Row'.A sample not a spoiler:Opening line – “Cannery Row in Monterey in California is a poem, a stink, a grating noise, a quality of light, a tone, a habit, a nostalgia, a dream.”From the first page - Its[Cannery Row's] inhabitants are, as the man once said, 'whores, pimps, gamblers, and sons of bitches,' by which he meant everybody. Had the man looked through another peephole he might have said, 'saints and angels and martyrs and holy men,' and he would have meant the same thing."Quotable lines, and there are so many, do not make a great book, but this book has additionally characters born of Steinbeck’s experience of this locale, that are painted so perfectly they do indeed stink of the poetic in a dream like quality of light.All of these works are very good. As a collection they are a must read, far exceeding the rather cinematographic western style of East of Eden.I loved this collection.
—tk811
14/02/2013, birthday present from parents (I asked for it). The book itself is just lovely... even nicer than I could have imagined. The cover is smooth and of good quality. The pb book is big, but the pages open up easily and such that the spine won't easily crack (unless you intend to do so). The font isn't too small, on par with some other classic novel lines. The edges are deckled. There are french flaps. On the front page is a summary of John Steinbeck's life and works/achievements, and also on the back french flap.I'll be starting with OF MICE AND MEN. I won't mark this as currently reading, but rather I'll add the individual novellas and when I've finished all six stories I'll mark this as read. I've been waiting YEARS to re-read Of Mice and Men. Definitely worth the price if you're a fan of Steinbeck or want to try some more of his works.
—britts
Another favorite. What's not to love? It's a collection of Steinbeck...
—Daniellascool
