There was so much about him that I didn't know either. I haven't read Cannery Row yet so haven't been introduced to the character Doc. I do know that Ed was quite the wild man himself based on the little information that was provided in this biography. It would not surprise me if there is some crossover. They had quite the friendship and shared some interesting adventures.
I read John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men in the eighth grade and didn’t think much of it. I was more interested in Kafka and HS Thompson at the time, all of whom seemed more substantial and just plain cooler. I don't apologize for being so precious and a little self-absorbed because it doesn't matter to anyone, but I was.
Luckily over Thanksgiving I still had the book lying around and read it in one day, mostly on the airplane back to Seattle.
I recall an interview of Franzen where inside Jon's office, "Aside from a laptop, the only personal items in the room were six books, arranged in a single pile: a study of William Faulkner, Friedrich Nietzsche’s Thus Spake Zarathustra, and four works by John Steinbeck."
Max - Surprisingly I haven't read Of Mice and Men but I am looking forward to it. Did you enjoy it more the second time around?
It is interesting to me which books we encounter and which we don't. I never read anything by Kafka or Thompson but would be interested to see what all the fuss is about.
Oklahoma gets most of the attention for Dust Bowl suffering, but Kansas and Nebraska were far worse off because they depended mainly on agriculture. The oil-based central part of Oklahoma wasn't affected as badly. My ancestors lived in that area and their memories of the Depression were fairly ordinary.
Yes, I think that is an interesting dynamic as well. I think they got a lot of attention because the label "Okies" stuck and was applied to anyone coming west regardless of where they came from but the agricultural regions were definitely impacted more. My family was mostly from Missouri and while there was some impact it was limited.
Hi Matthew! This was a fantastic overview of Steinbeck's career and personal life. Also, very timely. I'm trying to develop a weekly habit of reading articles on the lives and careers of authors I admire (Orson Scott Card, Andy Weir, George Orwell--just to name a few) to learn from their experiences.
The first Steinbeck book I read in school was Of Mice and Men. I remember my teacher emphasizing how Steinbeck is especially known for his ability to realistically capture the milieu of the Salinas Valley at the time. I definitely felt that a certain degree of authenticity in every aspect of that book, from the character quirks to the setting description to the dialogue, like I'm right there alongside real people. (I can see the ending in 4K detail to this day).
On a sort of unrelated-related note, since I've been studying the lives of other beloved writers, I've noticed that one major disruptor to the publishing industry is, of course, the internet. Specifically, I'm thinking of Weir who got a major book deal and a movie deal at the same time after self-publishing The Martian online.
While I know we'll probably never get the answer to this question, it's interesting to try to ponder how the writing careers of the 20th-century "greats", such as Steinbeck, would have looked had the internet been around during their time. Would it have given more talented writers a chance to be discovered as another literary genius of the 20th century? Has the internet made it easier for writers to become discovered or harder by adding to the volume of competition that was already out there? Just food for thought.
Macy - that is an interesting project you have taken on and I am glad that I could be a part of it. I love all three of those authors you mentioned. Card is one of my all time favorites.
I definitely think that was Steinbeck's niche - capturing the valley, its people, geography, sounds, and smells. He really brought it to life, good and bad. It as stuck in his psyche.
Your question about the internet is intriguing and difficult. I struggle with this a lot as I ponder the pros and cons of technological advancement in general. There have been so many good things brought about by technology and our lives are improved in ways because of that. However, there is a lot of bad as well.
When it comes to art (which I consider writing to be a part of) it has been amazing to me because I have been able to experience so many talented people I probably would never have known. Spotify is my favorite thing ever because for $12/month my entire family can have a profile and listen to an endless supply of music. I discover new musicians all the time that I would never have known if we were still in the vinyl or CD eras.
Substack has been amazing to discover a lot of great writing talent (like yourself!) but there is also a lot of noise out there. Sometimes it is challenging to shift through all the noise to find the great stuff. Also, just because someone has a lot of followers doesn't mean they have the best stuff. Some of the greats from the past became so because they were discovered and promoted by others. It seems like some, not all, success today comes about through self-promotion. That is something I struggle with as I don't enjoy that part of it.
Great thoughts to ponder. Thanks for bringing those ideas to the discussion.
Robert - thanks for reading and commenting. I have never read that one yet but it sounded very intriguing when I was reading the biography which went into the process of how it was written. I expect to get to that one later this month or early January so hopefully it will be in next month's update.
Joel - thanks, that means a lot. I admire your book reviews quite a bit so was keeping you in the back of my mind while writing. Needed to make sure I was maintaining a high standard of writing! Glad you enjoyed it and you should definitely consider adding some Steinbeck to your reading list next year. East of Eden is my favorite but it is lengthy.
Thanks for reading and commenting Stirling. It was a much different read than the others of his that I have read but it was interesting and I enjoyed it. Glad you liked it. I am looking forward to seeing how his writing develops with time.
I do love Steinbeck and I lived in Pacific Grove for a bit. I have read “Cup of Gold” and I liked it, but I agree with you that he needed to get it out of his system. I can’t pick, but some favorites are “The winter of Our Discontent”, “East of Eden”, and “Travels with Charley”. Thanks for this excellent article, I’ll be interested to read more of your thoughts on Steinbeck.
Thanks Jenn! I am sure there are many Steinbeck related things in that area. I grew up near Hannibal, MO and everything is Mark Twain themed. My favorite that I have read is East of Eden but I also loved Travels with Charley. It will be interesting to see how this project impacts my opinions on his works. Thanks for tagging along!
I thought your essay was excellent. I am tempted to read along, but I think I am maxed out with Simon’s two books.
I was in high school in the early ‘70s, and I think the first Steinbeck I read was In Dubious Battle. Later, we read The Grapes of Wrath, and I remember getting a lot of praise for my essay about it.
After high school, I casually dated a guy who was going to college in Colorado who had been in my high school graduating class. His roommate at college was from Watsonville, which is the Salinas Valley.
On one of their breaks from school, my friend and I drove down and had lunch at the home of the roommate's parents. Later, we drove by the Steinbeck house.
What impressed me about the two houses was that they reminded me of houses — Victorians. — that one sees in San Francisco, except they are sitting on lots surrounded by fields of artichokes and broccoli.
Teri - thanks so much for your kind words. No worries about reading along, Simon is going to keep us busy! I read The Grapes of Wrath in high school but don't remember much of it so I am looking forward to that one. I would love to go to Salinas someday and see all of the Steinbeck sights. I am sure it is fascinating.
John Steinbeck's life and literary journey. It's fascinating to see how his early experiences and interests shaped the themes and characters in his novels. Thank you for sharing this detailed exploration Matthew.
I read that one but it has been years ago so I am looking forward to reading it again. Next Steinbeck newsletter will be out mid January and will cover the next three books. Hope you have a great new year Troy!
Fascinating. I hadn't read about Steinbeck's childhood before. Makes me think that the fictional Doc was more John than Ed!
There was so much about him that I didn't know either. I haven't read Cannery Row yet so haven't been introduced to the character Doc. I do know that Ed was quite the wild man himself based on the little information that was provided in this biography. It would not surprise me if there is some crossover. They had quite the friendship and shared some interesting adventures.
I read John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men in the eighth grade and didn’t think much of it. I was more interested in Kafka and HS Thompson at the time, all of whom seemed more substantial and just plain cooler. I don't apologize for being so precious and a little self-absorbed because it doesn't matter to anyone, but I was.
Luckily over Thanksgiving I still had the book lying around and read it in one day, mostly on the airplane back to Seattle.
I recall an interview of Franzen where inside Jon's office, "Aside from a laptop, the only personal items in the room were six books, arranged in a single pile: a study of William Faulkner, Friedrich Nietzsche’s Thus Spake Zarathustra, and four works by John Steinbeck."
Max - Surprisingly I haven't read Of Mice and Men but I am looking forward to it. Did you enjoy it more the second time around?
It is interesting to me which books we encounter and which we don't. I never read anything by Kafka or Thompson but would be interested to see what all the fuss is about.
Oklahoma gets most of the attention for Dust Bowl suffering, but Kansas and Nebraska were far worse off because they depended mainly on agriculture. The oil-based central part of Oklahoma wasn't affected as badly. My ancestors lived in that area and their memories of the Depression were fairly ordinary.
http://polistrasmill.com/2022/03/07/wpa-2-5-oklahoma/
Yes, I think that is an interesting dynamic as well. I think they got a lot of attention because the label "Okies" stuck and was applied to anyone coming west regardless of where they came from but the agricultural regions were definitely impacted more. My family was mostly from Missouri and while there was some impact it was limited.
Hi Matthew! This was a fantastic overview of Steinbeck's career and personal life. Also, very timely. I'm trying to develop a weekly habit of reading articles on the lives and careers of authors I admire (Orson Scott Card, Andy Weir, George Orwell--just to name a few) to learn from their experiences.
The first Steinbeck book I read in school was Of Mice and Men. I remember my teacher emphasizing how Steinbeck is especially known for his ability to realistically capture the milieu of the Salinas Valley at the time. I definitely felt that a certain degree of authenticity in every aspect of that book, from the character quirks to the setting description to the dialogue, like I'm right there alongside real people. (I can see the ending in 4K detail to this day).
On a sort of unrelated-related note, since I've been studying the lives of other beloved writers, I've noticed that one major disruptor to the publishing industry is, of course, the internet. Specifically, I'm thinking of Weir who got a major book deal and a movie deal at the same time after self-publishing The Martian online.
While I know we'll probably never get the answer to this question, it's interesting to try to ponder how the writing careers of the 20th-century "greats", such as Steinbeck, would have looked had the internet been around during their time. Would it have given more talented writers a chance to be discovered as another literary genius of the 20th century? Has the internet made it easier for writers to become discovered or harder by adding to the volume of competition that was already out there? Just food for thought.
Macy - that is an interesting project you have taken on and I am glad that I could be a part of it. I love all three of those authors you mentioned. Card is one of my all time favorites.
I definitely think that was Steinbeck's niche - capturing the valley, its people, geography, sounds, and smells. He really brought it to life, good and bad. It as stuck in his psyche.
Your question about the internet is intriguing and difficult. I struggle with this a lot as I ponder the pros and cons of technological advancement in general. There have been so many good things brought about by technology and our lives are improved in ways because of that. However, there is a lot of bad as well.
When it comes to art (which I consider writing to be a part of) it has been amazing to me because I have been able to experience so many talented people I probably would never have known. Spotify is my favorite thing ever because for $12/month my entire family can have a profile and listen to an endless supply of music. I discover new musicians all the time that I would never have known if we were still in the vinyl or CD eras.
Substack has been amazing to discover a lot of great writing talent (like yourself!) but there is also a lot of noise out there. Sometimes it is challenging to shift through all the noise to find the great stuff. Also, just because someone has a lot of followers doesn't mean they have the best stuff. Some of the greats from the past became so because they were discovered and promoted by others. It seems like some, not all, success today comes about through self-promotion. That is something I struggle with as I don't enjoy that part of it.
Great thoughts to ponder. Thanks for bringing those ideas to the discussion.
Looking forward to your take on To a God Unknown, which I found quite underrated.
Robert - thanks for reading and commenting. I have never read that one yet but it sounded very intriguing when I was reading the biography which went into the process of how it was written. I expect to get to that one later this month or early January so hopefully it will be in next month's update.
This is excellent! Thanks for sharing it with us.
Joel - thanks, that means a lot. I admire your book reviews quite a bit so was keeping you in the back of my mind while writing. Needed to make sure I was maintaining a high standard of writing! Glad you enjoyed it and you should definitely consider adding some Steinbeck to your reading list next year. East of Eden is my favorite but it is lengthy.
An excellent book.
Thanks for reading and commenting Stirling. It was a much different read than the others of his that I have read but it was interesting and I enjoyed it. Glad you liked it. I am looking forward to seeing how his writing develops with time.
I do love Steinbeck and I lived in Pacific Grove for a bit. I have read “Cup of Gold” and I liked it, but I agree with you that he needed to get it out of his system. I can’t pick, but some favorites are “The winter of Our Discontent”, “East of Eden”, and “Travels with Charley”. Thanks for this excellent article, I’ll be interested to read more of your thoughts on Steinbeck.
Thanks Jenn! I am sure there are many Steinbeck related things in that area. I grew up near Hannibal, MO and everything is Mark Twain themed. My favorite that I have read is East of Eden but I also loved Travels with Charley. It will be interesting to see how this project impacts my opinions on his works. Thanks for tagging along!
Oh, that’s really cool that you grew up near Hannibal, in the land of Twain. I am so excited to be tagging along.
I thought your essay was excellent. I am tempted to read along, but I think I am maxed out with Simon’s two books.
I was in high school in the early ‘70s, and I think the first Steinbeck I read was In Dubious Battle. Later, we read The Grapes of Wrath, and I remember getting a lot of praise for my essay about it.
After high school, I casually dated a guy who was going to college in Colorado who had been in my high school graduating class. His roommate at college was from Watsonville, which is the Salinas Valley.
On one of their breaks from school, my friend and I drove down and had lunch at the home of the roommate's parents. Later, we drove by the Steinbeck house.
What impressed me about the two houses was that they reminded me of houses — Victorians. — that one sees in San Francisco, except they are sitting on lots surrounded by fields of artichokes and broccoli.
Great essay!
Teri - thanks so much for your kind words. No worries about reading along, Simon is going to keep us busy! I read The Grapes of Wrath in high school but don't remember much of it so I am looking forward to that one. I would love to go to Salinas someday and see all of the Steinbeck sights. I am sure it is fascinating.
John Steinbeck's life and literary journey. It's fascinating to see how his early experiences and interests shaped the themes and characters in his novels. Thank you for sharing this detailed exploration Matthew.
Thanks for reading and commenting Winston. Glad that you enjoyed it.
A story inspired by this: https://stirlingnewberry.substack.com/p/pas-robles
I really enjoyed the story Stirling. Thank you for sharing!
I’ve admittedly only read Of Mice and Men, and loved it. I feel inspired to dive deeper after reading this.
I read that one but it has been years ago so I am looking forward to reading it again. Next Steinbeck newsletter will be out mid January and will cover the next three books. Hope you have a great new year Troy!
And to you!