Product Description
A work of antic political satire from an American master

In The Short Reign of Pippin IV, John Steinbeck turns the French Revolution upside down as amateur astronomer Pippin Héristal is drafted to rule the unruly French. Steinbeck creates around the infamous Pippin the most hilarious royal court ever: Pippin’s wife, Queen Marie, who "might have taken her place at the bar of a very good restaurant"; his uncle, a man of dubious virtue; his glamour-struck daughter and her beau, the son of the so-called "egg king" of Petaluma, California; and a motley crew of courtiers and politicians, guards and gardeners. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

amusing satire is subpar Steinbeck
The Short Reign of King Pippin IVis an amusing satire but subpar SteinbeckIt takes place in contemporary France and mocks the factionalism and the ability of the French of that era to put together a stable government because of there were so many parties. Acommon joke among diplomats in Paris at that time was if you didnt like the French ubiquitiouser of wait a few months and it would change. In the scenario Steinbeck creats the parliament decides to bring the royalty back and they pickthe bookkeeper of one of the former nobility to do the job. The satire is hit and miss some of it is over the top and even somewhat of cheap shots at the French .He mocks America as well At the end of the day it is Pippins characterization that is moreo three because of S than the satire and the book is lighter than air it is subpar Steinbeck . I would give this book 3 and a half stars if Ihad the option I lower it to three because of Steinbecks talent. Conversely if it was a lesser writer I might have raised it to 4 stars

Funny Steinbeck
Pippin is a lark of a novel.It has the combination af subtle wordplay and broad humor of the best of Monty Python.What it lacks is the dark intensity of some of Steinbeck's greatest work.I say this not as a critism, but more so that you can know what to expect.The descriptions of the myriad political parties fighting around the coronation of Pippin are particularly funny and Kafkaesque (albeit a hell of a lot funnier).Definitely recommended if you are in the mood for something light and pleasant.

Clever
John Steinbeck again proves to be one of the great writers of the 20th century with the political satire "The Short Reign of Pippin IV".The synopsis on the back cover of the book accurately describes it as a "dazzling, effervescent satire on practically everything."

When the political factions of France can not decide in which direction the country's leadership should go, they decide the only way to unite the country is unite them behind the mutual dislike of a king.Enter the illegitimate son of the former king and amateur astronomer, Pippin.The factions of the government make a reluctant king of Pippin.As the title suggests, Pippin's reign is short.When he realizes the factions of the government have crowned him to be a patsy, he tries to fix the system of government.Of course, this leads to Pippin's depose.While keenly aware of the consequences of speaking his mind, Pippin did it anyway.

This satire reveals a side of Steinbeck not seen in his other works.While Steinbeck is critical of government, he never blantantly mocks a system.Many of the surprises of this book are best discovered by the reader.Satire is best discovered by yourself.

Probably his most disappointing work
I have read all but two of the books by Steinbeck that were published.The Short Reign of Pippin IV is by far my least favorite.There is, in my opinion, a decided stylistic shift in Steinbeck's writing following the war, and his books became increasingly bourgeois.This book is the pinnacle of this shift.I had a very difficult time reading this book, and actually had to put it aside at one point out of disappointment and frustration.

What a surprise
Someone once said "I cannot read more than ten pages of Steinbeck without throwing up." It is a feeling that I share wholeheartedly. I've found the novels of his that I've read to be bleak, depressing, and punctuated with lovingly rendered depictions of disease and gore.

However, this book (as well as "The Deeds of King Arthur"), to some degree redeems Steinbeck in my eyes.

I found it in a used bookstore, and I was so intrigued by the idea of John Steinbeck writing a comedy, that I bought it immediately.

Its a farcical tale of a French Astronomer who, by some twist of fate, is briefly appointed King of France. In its style, it is reminiscent of novels by other famous authors, such as Dumas and Voltaire. It did not have me rolling in the aisles with mirth, but there were so many beautifully turned comic phrases and situations, that I was just in awe that this was the same man who had written the book "The Black Pearl" (in my mind, one of the most utterly disgusting books I have ever read). If he had added a bit more of the comic touches he used in this book, to his other novels, such as "East of Eden," I believe he would have humanized them, and would have better succeeded in conveying his message.

"Pippin IV" is a true little gem as full of mirth and humor as his other works are full of misery and despair. I highly reccomend it, especially if you are not fond of Steinbeck's works. If nothing else, it will give you an appreciation of his technical abilities as a writer. ... Read more

Product Description
A collection of Steinbeck's work containing: "Of Mice and Men"; The Red Pony"; "The Long Valley", "The Pastures of Heaven", "Tortilla Flat", "Indubious Battle", "The Grapes of Wrath", "Sea of Cortez", "Cannery Row", "The Winter of Our Discontent", and other selections. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A quality survey of a master's work
A great introduction to the quality of John Steinbeck's masterful writing.This is simply meant to be a broad survey of his work, not intended to be complete, yet is thorough nonetheless. Herein you will find representative short stories from The Long Valley and Pastures of Heaven, the complete versions of The Red Pony and Of Mice and Men, and excerpts from all his major novels.Novel excerpts are often tricky to present out of context, and often fall flat, but these selections, especially from The Grapes of Wrath, Tortilla Flat, and East of Eden are powerful pieces of literature, booming with the resonance of Steinbeck's voice. A book such as this is ideal for the traveler, casual reader, or initiate to John Steinbeck, and will most likely be the stepping stone for some to his complete works.A special bonus to this book is Steinbeck's Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech, discussing the responsibilities of a writer--one more testimony to his depth and brilliance.

A John Steinbeck reader must see
If you enjoy reading Steinbeck stories this is a must... Great short stories and portions of all the greats... plus his biography... it was great ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

The Pearl Review By: Michael Boden
One morning, Kino and his wife Juana were eating breakfast, as a small movement caught their eye.It was a scorpion moving down a rope that held their son's box.Coyotito, their baby infant, inside the box, saw the scorpion and began to laugh and reach his hand up toward it. When Kino was almost in reach of the box and the scorpion Coyotito jerked the rope and the scorpion fell. Kino tried to catch it, but was too late. It fell onto the baby's shoulders and struck.Kino then grabbed it, threw it to the ground, and smashed it. Juana immediately went to suck the poison out of the baby's shoulder.So begins the journey of The Pearl.
The Pearl, by John Steinbeck, is a parable novel. The story takes place in the late nineteenth or early twentieth century, in a Mexican Coastal Village named La Paz, which is most likely on the Baja Peninsula.The story is about a poor Mexican family, whose son gets stung by a scorpion and needs medical attention. However, because they are poor and have no money to their name, the doctor will not treat their son. Therefore, Kino and Juana take Kino's grandfathers canoe that had been passed down to Kino, out to go pearl diving.They find a great pearl, a pearl that has never been seen before. Kino shouts when he find this great pearl, which makes everyone around him aware that he has found this magnificent pearl.
Kino believes that this pearl has brought him great luck and that because of it, he will own a rifle, and Coyotito will go to school and learn. Meanwhile, the whole village watches as he makes these statements, or plans. Soon, the doctor arrives and treats Coyotito, and says that he will return in an hour; when every leaves, Kino buries the pearl in a corner inside his house. When the doctor returns, he gives Coyotito a potion to make him strop vomiting. The doctor asks about the pearl and Kino glances where he buried it. Later that night, Kino and Juana are awakened by someone who is inside their house. It was someone trying to steal the pearl. However, Kino had moved it to a new hole under his sleeping mat. Kino stabbed the attacker, but the attacker got away.
Kino realizes he must sell the pearl the next day. However, the pearl buyers try to cheat him and don't offer anything close to what Kino believes is the value. He turns down all of the offers and goes away.The next night Kino wakes up as his wife steals the pearl and goes down to the beach to throw it into the sea. Just before she releases the pearl, Kino tackles her. He then beats her and returns to their house.However, on his way back a group of men try to steal the pearl. Kino manages to kill one man and the others run off. He had dropped the pearl during the fight. Juana finds the pearl and Kino on the ground with the dead man next to him. She tells Kino that he will be called a murderer and that they must leave. He agrees, but little does he know that vandals had put a hole in his canoe.As Kino heads back to his house, he finds it up in smoke. Kino, Juana and Coyotito go to Kino's brother's house, where they hide for the day.
At night, Kino, Juana, and Coyotito begin their journey; their destination is the capital. They travel north, being careful about their tracks.As the sun begins to rise, they find a "covert shelter" by the side of the road. Juana and Kino take short naps. As Kino is taking his nap, he suddenly awakens. He leaves the shelter and discovers that three trackers are following them looking for the pearl.Kino decides to go up the mountain in an attempt to lead the trackers in another direction by making false trails. Kino, Juana, and Coyotito hide in a cave by a water source, as they wait for the right time to try to head back down the mountain.The trackers finally catch up with them but still do not know where they are.That night, Kino decides that he will attack the trackers. As Kino is about to attack, Coyotito lets out a small cry, which makes one of the trackers fire his rifle in the direction of Coyotito. Kino then attacks the trackers and kills them.Sadly, the shot that one of the trackers fired hit and killed Coyotito. The next day, Juana and Kino make their way back to the village. They go to the shore and Kino throws the pearl into the sea and watches it as it floats to the bottom.
The main conflict in this story is that Kino finds a magnificent pearl and intends to sell it so that he can better his life by owning a rifle and giving his son a good education.But when Kino tries to sell the pearl, he claims that he has been cheated because of other people's greed.The joy around discovering the pearl turns to fear and misfortune as people try to steal the pearl. Kino and his wife believe that the pearl is cursed and no longer know what to do with it. The conflict is resolved by Kino killing the trackers and throwing the great pearl into the ocean.The lesson learned in this novel is that greed can lead to death, sorrow, and misfortune.I give this book four out of five stars, because it is a good thrilling novel. I took one star away because it was too slow in the beginning.

Wonderful writing
This might have been the most well written book I have ever read. The amount of detail Steinbeck puts into such a short book is wondrous. It is about a poor man named Kino who finds the perfect pearl, and the troubles that seem to follow him after he finds it. It is set in La Paz, in fairly recent times. The ending, while saddening, perfectly finishes the idea of the story, that jealousy, greed, and misfortune tend to follow the fortunate. I would recommend this book to anyone that reads on a high enough level, and would gladly read it again.

The Pearl, by John Steinbeck
The Pearl, by John Steinbeck is a parable novel that takes place in a Mexican coastal village called La Paz during the late nineteenth or early twentieth century. The story is about a poor man namesd Kino, his wife Juana, and their son Coyotito, who find a great Pearl in the sea, but are cursed with horrendous luck because of it.kino first thinks that the Pearl has given him great furtune but it has cursed him. All the poeple in his town are now watching his every move and they are planning how to steal it.He tries to sell it, bot nobody offers anyhwere close to a good enough deal so Kino rejects them and goes home. One night, a person attempts to steal the Pearl, but Kino follows him outside.But, unfortunately, he kills the man.Kino how realizes that he is not safe and he must leave.He then hides out with his brother for one night and he escapes the next. Little does he know, peole are searching for him and he has to stay ahead of them if he wants to live.After a long time hiking, Kino has had enough and he attacks the searchers at night and kills them.Unfortunately, he kills his son as well.Finally, he and his wife would return to La Paz and Kino would throw the Pearl deep into the Ocean. The main conflict is that Kino finds a pearl and wishes to sell it to gain wealth and to give his son an education, but he meets resistance of peoples' greed and he doesn't know what to do with the Pearl.He thinks he is cursed and this conflict is resolved by Kino resorting to violence and to throwing the Pearl into the Ocean.After reading thisnovel, I've learned that greed can lead to danger and violence and should be avoided at all costs.The Pearl by John Steinbeck is a good, suspensful novel and I encourage you to read it as well. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A classic that everyone should read and reread
This is one of the classics that should be read and reread every few years. In only a few pages Steinbeck captures the role of good and evil in the world, the cycle of grinding poverty, the consequences of colonial domination and how sudden riches can be more destructive than the poverty it may alleviate.
Like his ancestors, Kino is a poor pearl fisherman; his boat is his prized possession and has been handed down from his father. With his wife Juana and son Coyotito, he lives in the poorest section of the village and they barely manage to eke out a living. All this changes when Kino finds a glorious pearl of great value. The evil forces conspire to give him a low price for the pearl, people try to steal it and in order to defend himself and his family, Kino is forced to kill several attackers. Unfortunately, this is after one of the thieves kills his son so in the end, Kino throws the pearl back into the ocean in the hope that the evil goes with it.
Although everything is so intertwined that the story moves smoothly, there is a great deal about life embedded in this story. It is a literary classic that should be required reading in all high schools.
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AS REAL AS IT GETS
This is a great book to read if you're looking for plot, style, story and structure. John Steinbeck is obviously the best in all three categories. After all, the man did win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1962. I was in the navy way back then, and we were right in the middle of the Cuban Missile Crisis, so literature was the farthest thing from my mind. But, after all these years, I've finally gotten around to reading this masterpiece and, I assure you, it is well worth the six hundred pages. Plus, the Penguin book format is so easy to manage.

East of Eden is all about a man named Adam Trask who, after being discharged from the army and inheriting a small fortune from his deceased father, settled in rural Salinas Valley, California around the turn of the century. He bought a farm and, over the course of his life he survived a fatal love attraction, a horrid marriage, reared two sons, met some life-long friends and wonderfully colorful characters, and even tried his had at business. For the most part, heartache and sorrow were his rewards. Such is life. But that's just the storyline. To me, this book was more about style than story. The way Steinbeck constructed his story, developed his characters, twisted his plot, and the beautiful descriptions he used made this book a joy to read, as well as an enlightening literary experience. I thought it was great.

I recommend East of Eden to anybody who is interested in reading his or her way through the American classics.

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Customer Reviews (1)

Another return of the king
John Steinbeck is noted for many things - The Grapes of Wrath, Of Mice and Men, East of Eden, The Pearl, Cannery Row; he won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962 - most are not familiar with (or are unaware of) his literary life beyond novels. Steinbeck was an avid reader, reviewer, and turned the occasional time to translation. That is where this text comes in - Steinbeck had a long passion for the Arthurian legends. In 1958-59, he began the (still unfinished) task of reworking the tales of Arthur and his knights, spending time in England with the famous Winchester manuscripts of Mallory's 'Le Morte d'Arthur', and continuing his work in various stops and starts until his death in 1968. The text here is unfinished, and for some part unedited by Steinbeck; his literary heirs have kept the project more or less as Steinbeck left it. Hence, only part of the tales of Arthur are included here.

Steinbeck began with primary tales that come from the first section of Mallory's text, entitled 'The Tale of King Arthur'. This tale in fact only covers the early part of Arthur's life - the search for the Holy Grail and the final battle of the death of Arthur are not included here, as they were in separate sections of Mallory's text, from which Steinbeck did not live to complete translations.

This story includes the tale of Merlin, including Merlin's 'death', Uther Pendragon and the birth of Arthur, the sword-in-the-stone event, the wedding of Arthur and Guinevere, the advent and plotting of Morgan Le Fay, and tales of three knights - Gawain, Ewain, and Marhalt. From another text of Mallory's comes 'The Noble Tale of Sir Lancelot of the Lake', including the beginning part of the love affair of Lancelot and Guinevere.

Steinbeck's translation is interesting and full; many renditions of Mallory's text (including the popular standard by Baines) eliminate a lot of the material to make the narrative speed along - Steinbeck does not do this. He keeps to the original in substance while recreating the world of Arthur. Steinbeck said that it was not his intention to out-do Mallory - 'I believe the stories are great enough to survive my tampering'. Choosing the Winchester manuscript over the more common Caxton one also provides a key difference between Steinbeck and Baines.

A rare treat for those who enjoy the process of literary production is the appendix to this volume, compiled by his friend Chase Horton, which consists of letters to Horton and to Elizabeth Otis, Steinbeck's literary agent, from late 1956 to 1965, as Steinbeck continued this project (almost 70 pages of the correspondence is printed, including the wonderful final entry in which Steinbeck says that, even though he is excited by the Arthur project, he isn't going to show it to anyone, lest it be badly done, and he might want to destroy it!).

Hail Arthur! Hail Mallory! Hail Steinbeck!

... Read more

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Recently listed in the Top 100 List of the Century's Best American Journalism

Gathered in this important volume are seven newspaper articles on migrant farm workers that John Steinbeck wrote for "The San Francisco News" in 1936, three years before _The Grapes of Wrath_. With the inquisitiveness of an investigative reporter and the emotional power of a novelist in his prime, Steinbeck toured the squatters' camps and Hoovervilles of California. Here he found once strong, independent farmers—the backbone of rural America—so reduced in dignity, beaten in spirit, sick, sullen, and defeated that they had been "cast down to a kind of subhumanity." He contrasts their misery with the hope offered by government resettlement camps, where self-help committees, child nurseries, quilting and sewing projects, and decent sanitation were restoring dignity and indeed saving lives.

_The Harvest Gypsies_ gives us an eyewitness account of the horrendous Dust Bowl migration, a major event in California history, and provides the factual foundation for Steinbeck's masterpiece, _The Grapes of Wrath_. Included are twenty-two photographs by Dorothea Lange and others, many of which accompanied Steinbeck's original articles. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Best American Stock
The Harvest Gypsies turns out to be a collection of articles that John Steinbeck published in the San Francisco News during one week in October, 1936.The photographer Dorothea Lange was assigned to do the photos that accompany these articles.It was a strange time for America, and many writers and artists were hard pressed to address the indescribable social realities newly blooming in a climate of economic depression and concomitant social activism; you can see Steinbeck try out several different postures and attitudes, sort of flexing his muscles for the great labor to come of The Grapes of Wrath.

Steinbeck estimated that about 150,000 migrant workers were on the march and that thousands more were on their way from Oklahoma and the other dust bowl states.It was an unusual time, since in previous years the "harvest gypsies" of California had been drawn largely from Mexican and Filipino work pools; now that the vast majority of workers were white, the Mexican nationals and Filipino farmers were the victims of a cruel and casual racism, for the newly disenfranchised white workers forced them out and burned down their houses and settlement camps.Steinbeck, no prophet, claims in his hard hitting journalistic series that the future of migrant labor is white--the "best American stock, intelligent, resourceful, and, if given a chance, socially responsible."This must be in contrast with the lazy, drunken and shiftless yet loveable Mexican and Latin stereotypes of his earlier Tortilla Flat.

Even calling these poor white people "harvest Gypsies" sounds a little suspect in our modern age.I don't know what part actual Gypsies played in the migrant workers struggle of the 1930s, but Steinbeck seems to be using the word as a metaphor, as ïn the entomological term "Gypsy moths," to describe a pattern of flitting here and there without root or purpose--an existential band of nomads.

A selection of seven articles that Steinbeck wrote in 1936
Readers seeking a full experience of John Steinbeck's literary style won't want to miss Harvest Gypsies, a selection of seven articles that Steinbeck wrote in 1936 about the plight of migrant farmworkers during the Dust Bowl migration. Black and white photos accompany his report on conditions and experiences, weaving a masterful selection of insights which go beyond history into personal observation.

Was It Really A Novel?
Were the "Grapes of Wrath" published today, it may like other recent books, have been classified as historical fiction as opposed to a novel. I am thinking specifically of "Artemisia" that was published as both in different countries. How the work is classified is not critical, as either way it is one of the finest pieces of literature that has been written, and for many people, Steinbeck's finest work.

"The Harvest Gypsies" is a collection of 7 articles that Mr. Steinbeck wrote as a journalist. All were concerned with the issues he dealt with in the resulting book. This small volume is greatly enhanced by the photographs of Dorothea Lange, and the introduction of Charles Wollenberg.

One of the people the book was dedicated to was "Tom", actually Tom Collins, who was a manager of a federal migrant labor camp in California. The lines of fact and fiction are eventually blurred with him, as Tom Collins was the model for the character of "Jim Rawley" manager of "The Wheatpatch Camp" in "The Grapes Of Wrath". Ms. Lange's photographs could have been illustrations for Mr. Steinbeck's book, for when viewing them you can pick out the faces that could have accounted for the members of Steinbeck's epic.

This is a very brief book, but it portrays the migratory farm workers lives, as being even worse, if that can be imagined. A novel always offers the ultimate refuge of being fiction; these 7 articles and their photographs take away that solace. The brutality, random murder, and disease that was rampant, and the State of California that allowed the behaviors, are atrocious. In the context of one of the writings, one of the large growers who sanctioned the killing and starvation that was part of the agriculture industry stated that, "without a peon population the economy of California could not function". Steinbeck takes this statement of arrogance and ignorance, that is routinely spoken by any exploiter, and logically demonstrates that were this indeed the case, the state could no longer exist. For were it to continue to exist with its fascist policies, the most basic of Democratic rights would have to be absented.

Milk, that played so prominent a role in the book is spoken of extensively in the articles. Many of the most painful parts of the book were so common in reality, that the book may seem mild at times.

No matter how many times you have read the book, once this collection of articles are read, the experience of the book will not only change, I believe it will be enhanced.

. . .a prerequisite to In Dubious Battle. . .
Three of Steinbeck's social novels--In Dubious Battle, The Grapes of Wrath, and Of Mice and Men--are enhanced after reading this work.This work is the prelude to three of Steinbeck's most socially poweful novels.To fully understand what Steinbeck is striving to accomplish with Battleand Wrath, and to fully round out your history/literature lesson, it isessential to understand something about the socialist movement--birth ofcommunisim--and the general exploitation of the fruit-pickers ofCalifornia. The big businesses of that day, not much different from variousbig businesses of today, treated employees like machines--replacing them asneeded--after being hurt on unsafe equipment, etc.--without regarding theirwell-being, or considering the hungry mouths of their families.TheHarvest Gypsies is a crutial text in the study of California before uniounsbegan revolting against the machine. ... Read more

Product Description
More than three decades after his death, John Steinbeck remains one of the nation's most beloved authors. Yet few know of his career as a journalist who covered world events from the Great Depression to Vietnam. Now, this original collection offers a portrait of the artist as citizen, deeply engaged in the world around him. In addition to the complete text of Steinbeck's last published book, America and Americans, this volume brings together for the first time more than fifty of Steinbeck's finest essays and jouralistic pieces.Amazon.com Review
America and Americans is a representative, noteworthy collection of John Steinbeck's journalism, including the title piece, actually his last book. Editors Susan Shillinglaw and Jackson J. Benson, who provide an able, informative introduction as well as succinct sectional prefaces, have wisely organized the book thematically rather than chronologically. There are travel pieces (including the hilariously bittersweet "The Making of a New Yorker"); political reflections (including three articles on California migrant workers, written before the last draft of The Grapes of Wrath, and a short screed on the spiritual oppression of communism, in which he writes, "Communists of our day are about as revolutionary as the Daughters of the American Revolution"); correspondence from both World War II and Vietnam; and snapshots of Ernie Pyle, Henry Fonda, and other friends. Not all the pieces are timeless, but most are sprinkled with bright gems--"Writers are taken seriously in Italy and are accorded the same respect that Lana Turner's legs get in our country"--and everywhere girded by deep concern and anger about social injustices. --H. O'Billovich ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

America and Americans is a collection of non-fiction works by Nobel Prize Winner John Steinbeck
Penguin has published this delightful book of articles, essays and correspondent reports from the pen of John Steinbeck who won the Nobel Prize for Literature. Steinbeck who died in 1968 is best known for his fiction including such great novels as "The Grapes of Wrath"; "The Winter of our Discontent"; "East of Eden" Tortilla Flat"
and many others.
Included in this book are Steinbeck's thoughts on such diverse subjects as:
a. Migrant workers in California.
b. Articles on his friends including Ed Ricketts, Henry Fonda, Woody Guthrie, Robert Capa and Adlai Stevenson.
c. Several late life ruminations on America culutre and the decline in morality in the national character.
d. Travel reports from his time in Paris and London. We learn about his life in New York and he shares memories of his youth in Salinas, California the source of much of his best fiction.
e. World War II and Vietnam combat correspondent reports.
f. A good article on his life in Sag Harbor as he interacts with his two sons; fights with Ospreys in the tree and discuss suburban life in the 1950s.
g. Several literary articles are inculded on the art of writing and dealing with critics.
Some of the articles were dull but others caught my interest. This is a good resource on the life and character of one of America's greatest authors. The articles are the American way of life are the best ones in the book. A good read for fans of Steinbeck, students of American literature and general readers.

An American Writer's View of his Home Country
Its present lackluster era notwithstanding, America still commands the world's attention and arouses curiosity. No matter how much we read about the country, how frequently we visit there, even live there for years, we have the nagging feeling that we do not understand its true essence. And that is not for want of pertinent information. The mass of available statistical data is beyond imagination. So is the daily, weekly and monthly output by journalists. There is no lack of in-depth analyses by eminent economists, sociologists and political scientists. And yet, it is hard to distill from all of the above an essence that speaks to me, the common everyday man. I am a native of Germany who spent most of his life in Brazil. I have always had a deep interest in American literature and have done my best to get a good glimpse of it, but even that is not an easy job. Whereas the name of John Steinbeck is fully familiar, I had always associated him with his California novels. Only recently did I take an opportunity to look at his postwar production and felt immediately attracted by the title 'America and Americans'. I certainly was not disappointed. The book offers in rich measure what is so hard to come by, the human aspect, offered in understandable, indeed beautiful language, by an unusually lucid observer. Even though the country and its society have changed dramatically over the forty years since the date it was published, the book looses nothing of its informative value. It provides a picture of a point in time, and tells of the values of that time. That is an excellent backdrop to contemplate the present moment and reflect on future options.

John Steinbeck and His Connection With People and Place
AMERICA AND AMERICANS AND SELECTED NONFICTION is a compilation of articles that John Steinbeck wrote during his journalism days from 1936-1966 and one of his last novels, AMERICA AND AMERICANS.With Susan Shillinglaw and Jackson J. Benson's helpful introductions for each short essay, readers can see how his real life observations and experiences resonate within his fictional works.

Steinbeck's writings are distinct and unique as a result of the deep connection he had with the people he encountered and the respective landscape in which they lived.The most compelling aspect about thesearticles and essays are the periods in which they were written -- from Great Depression to the War in Vietnam.These previously published nonfiction articles possess a part of Steinbeck's personal life that was poignant at times:"Indeed, the "Steinbeck" tone and "unmistakably American" approach could be the stamp on all his writing, whether about growing up in a California town or about French fishing habits in Paris -- it was American in spirit" (xv).

AMERICA AND AMERICANS AND SELECTED NONFICTION is a treasure to own.This is a great example of John Steinbeck's versatile style of writing that was historical and political as well as ironic.And with this in mind, Steinbeck aficionados or curious readers will find this book insightful.

He's the Man
This is only essential for hardcore Steinbeck fans, but his insight and singular turns of phrase pervade this prolific collection.Of particular note is his homage to his three best teachers, less than two pages long, called "...like captured fireflies."America and Americans is dated in parts, but his takes on corporations and America's obsession with children are prescient, and his indefatigable optimism essential.A different resonance than the novels, but of the same calibur.

Not Steinbeck's best, but worthy of big fans' attention
Although overall this book is clearly inferior to some of Steinbeck's other works of nonfiction, it has its high points and is worthwhile for big fans.If you are not already familiar with Steinbeck's nonfiction, I suggest you read A Russian Journal, Travels with Charley in Search of America and Once There Was A War before buying this book.

Among the best pieces in this book are "I Am A Revolutionary," "The Soul and Guts of France" and "Terrorism."Aside from these three pieces - and a paragraph or two scattered here and there among some of the others - this book consists of fairly slow, relatively uninteresting and disappointingly uninsightful text.Still, it's Steinbeck, and if you've a big fan, then reading even his mediocre work is more fun than most things you could be doing with your time.Otherwise though, if you have a mere passing interest in Steinbeck or have not read the other works mentioned above, then either read his other material first or just forget about this book altogether. ... Read more

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As the son of a celebrated literary icon, John Steinbeck IV grew up in a privileged world peopled by the literati and the intellectual elite. Sadly, it was also a world of alcoholism, bitter divorce, estrangement, and abuse, on the part of both his mother and father. In this fascinating memoir, the late son and namesake of John Steinbeck writes with great insight and a gift for lyrical expression about his often painful youth. Left unfinished at his untimely death, this testament to his life is here reconstructed by his wife of twelve years. Interweaving her own reminiscences of her life with John Steinbeck IV, Nancy Steinbeck has created an engrossing account from two perspectives: her husband's memories of his chaotic and adventurous upbringing and her own thoughts on their journey together to make a new life apart from the long shadow of a famous father and a troubled past.

Though laboring under the burden of being the son of a 20th-century legend, the younger Steinbeck established himself as a respected journalist in his own right, mainly through his writing on wartime Vietnam, which had a profound impact on his life. The Other Side of Eden contains many thoughts on Vietnam, including a memorable scene of his father's visit to the war-torn country while the younger Steinbeck was in the army. There are also vivid recollections of his mother's abusive, alcoholic rages; his lonely years in boarding school; his long battle with drug addiction; his strained relationship with his remote, conflicted father; and the connection of East of Eden to Steinbeck's real-life family.

Nancy Steinbeck adds important perspective as an outsider getting to know this complex family through her husband, and in the end helping him to put his life on a sound footing. Both Nancy and John, in their search for spiritual identity, were drawn to Tibetan Buddhism. Along the way they befriended a strange and fascinating collection of characters, from the Dalai Lama to William Burroughs and Abbie Hoffman. Their tale of triumph in the struggle against parental abuse, drug addiction, and the seductive trap of guru worship is a must read for all Steinbeck fans, as well as anyone who survived the sixties. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Mean-Spirited Settling of Scores...
I felt soiled after reading this book, but even beneath Nancy Harper's mean-spirited confabulations, John's intelligence and good heart shine through. Make no mistake, this is not at all John's book, but Nancy's attempt to settle scores with the many people in John's circle toward whom she held grudges, nearly all of whom are women. You might want to pass on this one.

interesting book
This is a great book about Steinbeck IV.I found his account of his father's visit to Vietnam fascinating - truly moving account of father and son while the VC are [perhaps] stealthily moving in the night.Steinbeck IV served with AFNN in Vietnam - though not at the Saigon HQ where Airman Adrian Cronauer [played by Robin Williams in the movie Good Morning Vietnam] was.Bob Morecook AFVN News 72/73

This book is a saga...NOT BORING!!!
I'm reading this book in conjuction with Oprah's book club choice, East of Eden.I just had to respond to the person below who called the book boring, because I cannot put it down!People who drink alcholically are not weak minded, as the poster states.If self control could stop an addict, there would be no need for treatment centers and 12 Step programs.I found the story of recovery which weaves its way through John and Nancy Steinbeck's marriage to be tremendously inspiring and uplifting.
And I'm glad there's more to the book than an expose of Steinbeck's shadow side.This is an epic page turner which runs the gamut from the Steinbecks involvement with Beatniks, Hippies, Tibetan Buddhism, Viet Nam Vets, Anti-war protests,
Recovery, New Age gurus; it's truly a chronical for any baby boomer to find something that resonates in their own mythology.
The book has also helped readers on the Oprah Book Club board understand the psychological dynamics amongst the characters of East of Eden, as played out in the real lives of Steinbeck's sons.I love this book.

boring...very little about John Steinbeck
I checked this out of the library during one of my research 'attacks'. I was actually researching the life of Ed Ricketts and got dragged back into a Cannery Row-John Steinbeck 'binge'. I thought it would be interesting to read about John Steinbeck through the eyes of a son. However, the is very very little in this book about John Steinbeck and way too much about a weak-minded son. Boring. If you are interested in reading about someone who spends his life trying to find meaning in life via others (ie. cult life) and who cannot find strength within himself....who is too weak to deal with life without chemicals....this may be interesting to you. But there wasn't anything insightful here for me. Be warned....

Haunting and revealing
This biography of life with John Steinbeck is written by his son, who grew up in a privileged world of the intellectual elite, but one laden with abuse and estrangement. His memoir ended with his life and here is reconstructed by his wife of twelve years who adds her own insights to full out the life of John Steinbeck. Haunting and revealing. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Gripping and powerful
This is one of the most powerful, well written books in print.Don't miss it if you love a good story. ... Read more

Product Description
The collaboration of two friends-one a novelist, one a novelist, one a marine biologist-produced a volume in which fascinating popular science is woven into a narrative of man's dreams, his ideals, and his accomplishments through the centuries. Sea of Cortez is one of those rare books that are all things to all readers. Actually the record of a brief collecting expedition in the lonely GUlf of California, it will be science to the scientist, philosophy to the philosopher, and to the average man an adventure in living and thinking.

Sea of Cortez is a book to be read and remembered on two levels. It is a journey through a remote and beautiful corner of the world, a diary filled with the daily excitements and triumphs of skillful and energetic men. It is also an invitation to see the world anew from a fresh vantage point and perhaps with a broader and more understanding spirit. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Non-Fiction Steinbeck ...with Ricketts
If you intend to read Steinbeck's Sea of Cortez you can do it two ways. You can order this book, Sea of Cortez, and get the full benefit of Steinbeck and Rickett's exploration of the Gulf of California (Sea of Cortez), or you can order the Log, which only contains Steinbeck's observations and color commentary, leaving out Rickett's technical information. If you are a fan of Steinbeck, the log is both entertaining and informative and pure Steinbeck in that he exhibits that meandering curiosity that began here (1941) but was still evident in Travels with Charley twenty years later. To get the full effect of the voyage, however, this is the book you want. This is non-fiction Steinbeck, so don't expect Mice and Men or Grapes of Wrath. Still, I read the whole Sea of Cortez more than two decades ago and had to come back and order both the Log and the entire Sea of Cortez, just to be sure I have it on my shelf again.

The Sea of Cortez
This book is a narrative account of a 1930's marine life collecting voyage from Cabo San Lucas north, and includes both John Steinbeck's recollections and the marine biology appendices prepared by Ed Ricketts dscribing the marine life collected and preserved. The book is an excellent introduction to the east coast of the south baja peninsula, and is an helpful preparation for a current day cruise in the same locale. I was fortunate on such a cruise taken in January 2010 to have on board an interpreter who compared current day marine life in a given collecting area with that presented in this book. While some harbors, such as Cabo San Lucas, no longer support the specimens described in the book, many of the collecting sites still have a considerable diversity of marine life...and the bay north of Cabo supported the largest number of whale sightings of our week long trip. Once north of Cabo, population density decreases and the offshore islands - which are largely protected wildlife zones - provide a landscape very similiar to that seen in the 1930s. This book coupled with a cruise of this coast are a marvelous way to get a break from winter cold in the USA.

A must have book for true Steinbeck fans.
A marvelous insight into John Steinbeck and his mentor/pal, Ed Ricketts ("Doc" of Cannery Row fame.).Their obvious affection and respect for the other threads throughout the text.Contains wonderful lines such as," ...in six weeks in Baja, we collected about 3000 specimens of beer.", and of course there is the Hansen Sea Cow. Their musings about a world going crazy (Hitler is on the rise in Europe during the time of the voyage)are superb. The science and biology at the back of the volume is just the icing on a most delectable cake. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Social justice, revolution, heroism, leadership - Steinbeck territory
This book contains two screenplays. One is a screenplay that John Steinbeck worked on for 20 years on the revolutionary career of Emiliano Zapata.The other screenplay is a more styled and streamlined screenplay written in 2 months for the film Viva Zapata. They are fascinating to read for one offers a great deal of background information on Mexican history and social customs whereas the other is a more simplified and dramatic interpretation. They both are powerful. The book is further enriched by an informative essay by Robert Morsberger on the fascination Steinbeck had for Zapata as well as an essay on the screenwriting career and products of Steinbeck.
The character and history of Emiliano Zapata was of such great interest to Steinbeck that he worked on the first screenplay for 20 years, made multiple trips to Mexico to interview as many people as possible who may have known Zapata or knew information handed down through the Mexican oral tradition. Emiliano Zapata is a legendary hero of the Mexican Revolution. He fought against oppression and believed in a political philosophy of democratic self determination of the common people. Steinbeck found that Zapata was often called the Little Tiger in his home state of Morelos in Southern Mexico.Zapata rose to action during the dictatorship of President Diaz during a period of time when large portions of indigenous peasant land was sold by the state to the wealthy aristocratic landowners. This is a very feudal system of land distribution, for those forces loyal to the central governing authority are rewarded with large gifts of land, regardless of the centuries of inhabitants on the land of common indigenous peasant stock. If the peasants went to work for these land owners, they soon were caught in debt slavery and could never work off the dept and thus leave the land. If they resisted, they were often killed.Mexico had become a police state with the use of the military to suppress the peasant population. Steinbeck does an excellent job of briefly explaining to the readers the history of Mexico and the economic and political conditions that brought about considerable oppression to the indigenous peasant people. Zapata led the revolution against this oppression. The peasants and indigenous peoples began to support him and assist him in the rebellion. He acted for the good of the people rather than to gain power for himself. In this regard he is almost unique in history. He could not read or write but he did have a strong sense of justice and injustice.
The Mexican revolution has many characters and twists and turns of plot and allegiance. Steinbeck helps us navigate that history with the short essays he wrote between scenes of the screenplay. Zapata joined with Venustiano Carranza and Pancho Villa in a rebellion of national scope to overthrow President Porfirio Diaz. Diaz eventually leaves the country. Unfortunately, Carranza became corrupt upon taking over the central government, requiring Villa and Zapata to continue armed rebellion to over throw yet another corrupt leader. Zapata is eventually assassinated in 1919. He quickly became a legend.
Steinbeck offers a fully realized heroic character in Zapata for we see him as rebel and also as young love struck husband. We see him as wise leader and strategist but we also see him as highly loyal to a brother who is morally weak and self indulgent while also being brave with a tendency toward violence. There is much here that rings of myth for Zapata was illiterate and taught to read by his wife. He is at first rejected by the father of his chosen wife He eventually marries this woman of higher social status who stands by him through many years of struggle.
Even though both screenplays are about Zapata, they are also about Steinbeck and his strong commitment to social justice and human rights. Steinbeck is a literary giant, for like Sinclair Lewis, he was able to bend his art to social justice without losing the art.

Fascinating Insight on the Transmogrification of History into Film
Zapata contains two versions of a screenplay which was nominated for an Academy Award in 1952. In both versions the main character is the Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata, who fought for the rights of peasants against the wealthy Mexican aristocracy in the early 1900's. Steinbeck spent years conducting research on Zapata in Mexico, and the first version of his story is rich with historical detail. The second version is the actual screenplay, where the reality has been parsed and tweaked to make a better story. It was fascinating to see this process of creation, the art involved in making a simple, compelling movie script from a convoluted history. The first version was also fascinating to read, full as it was of small details about peasant life in Mexico. The overarching theme of both is the eternal fight of humanity against the powerful, always a worthwhile subject, and presented here in a historical and literary context that makes these screenplays worth reading.

"Viva Zapata " movie sketch
This is the actual script Steinbeck wrote for themovie "Viva Zapata. " Actually, the book is broken up into two parts; part one is complete with John Steinbeck's observations of the Mexican Revolution, the culture and the existing system that allowed Zapata to rise and become a leader. This narrative of Steinbeck's is interspersed throughout the rough initial script.The foundation for the book is featured in part one whereas part two is the actual script. Steinbeck's personal narrative is very interesting and I found his recomendation on who to play the part of the legendary Zapata insightful and accurate in suggestion. He did not recommend Marlon Brando , who was Zapata in the classic movie, but rather wanted a Mexcian actor. He felt that none other than Pedro Armendariz should take the lead. He would have made a great Zapata. Anyway Steinbeck makes many astute observations and demonstrates his affinity for scholarship, as well as his understanding of the Mexican psyche during the turbulent times of the Porfirio Diaz regime. Steinbeck illustrates his scenes with an authentic cinematic brush reflected in his mastery of language. He details the nuances of individuals in the larger scope of an epic historical event, tying all the elements together as only a master story teller can do. Zapata, known as "El Tigre," is a man of immense stature in Mexcian history and Steinbeck understands this. Zapata comes to life, the illiterate peasant who marries a woman of a higher social status and testifies to his own human frailities.His mythical yetfactual life is accentuated by stories of a currandera who "sees" his life unfolding.The relationship with his brother Eufemio also shows the respectZapata has for family. Zapata the reluctantbut sure leader feels a sense of purpose in destiny alongside other great men who shaped history. Zapata becomes bigger than life; rising to legendary status thoughout the book with anecdotal information based on research, Zapata the man and myth become one indistinguishable person. An excellent book for students to use for research, this book serves as a general guide to the life of Emiliano Zapata. For more in depth analysisfor research,I would recommendthe outstanding book by John Womack and the equally compelling, if not better work , by Enrique Krauze , which is available in Spanish,has well as English. If you ever wonder how do classic movies develop check out this book.

Good historical introduction
Ifound the extensive introductory material more informative than the script itself.

Zapata: Rebel vs. Legend
Zapata: Unsung Hero of the Mexican Revolution Another Steinbeckian Leader of the People by Robert F. Schambier, Ed.D.

"Any previously unpublished work of John Steinbeck is a welcome gift to Americanletters." --Budd Schulberg, as cited in Zapata

John Steinbeck'sZapata is a little known but well-crafted narrative about one of Mexico'slegendary heroes of the Mexican Revolution. The story--which the authorlater turned into the critically acclaimed screenplay Viva Zapata! --tellsof Emiliano Zapata's courageous efforts to halt political oppression. Known affectionately in his native southern state of Morelos as "theLittle Tiger," Zapata took up the cause of downtrodden peasants whenreform laws were totally flouted by the Establishment. The Diaz regime hadvirtually turned Mexico into a police state as the peasants grew hungrierand hungrier. Nearly single-handedly Zapata succeeded in empowering hisfellow countrymen. At length he was able to instigate a formidable armedrebellion.

As portrayed by Steinbeck, Emiliano Zapata was a young andpromising leader. He could neither read nor write, but he possessed anintuitive sense of justice and fair play. Often misguided--even deceived byhis own--and eventually betrayed, Zapata pushed relentlessly for social andagrarian reform. In the Camus tradition he was a true rebel fighting forhuman rights, never showing interest in acquiring power for its ownsake.

Initially Zapata joined forces with Venustiano Carranza and PanchoVilla to overthrow president/dictator Porfirio Diaz. But as soon asCarranza became president, he too turned into a power-hungryelitist.

Carranza's administration under a new Constitution quicklybecame counterproductive. He abused his presidential powers and, in effect,confiscated yet more land under the pretense of "nationalownership." When Villa and Zapata discovered that he was reneging onhis promises, they continued their armed resistance against the fledglingregime. Then Zapata was assassinated in 1919. And the young leader of thepeople grew into legend.

To give us a better portrait of EmilianoZapata--man versus myth--Steinbeck goes to some length in his"Introduction" to reveal the Zeitgeist or general climate. Mexicoat the time was plagued by outdated and disastrous land policies. By 1910,nearly 97% of the rural heads of families owned no real property. Violenceand suppression were rampant everywhere. To fully understand the underlyingcauses, one must review Mexican history beginning with the Spanishconquistadors. Suffice it to say that, traditionally, land had been issuedas payback to those who had fought for, or shown loyalty to, the state. Atlength, in a feudal system gone awry, haciendas (or estates) grew largerand larger at the expense of the peasantry. In spite of years of protestslasting into the 20th century, little could be achieved by way of effectiveagrarian reform.

Enter such folk heroes as Zapata. Although Steinbeck'saccount is episodic at times--as chronicles tend to be--the author doessucceed in capturing the essence of the young rebel. We see Emiliano Zapataas a husband, a family man, a lover, a faithful ally in war if not inlove--even a machiavellian leader. "A man of individualconscience," Elia Kazan nevertheless labels him. Although someaccounts may seem to conflict with history, together the vignettes (or filmscenes) reveal a man quite capable of taking care of himself and his own.But no one is infallible.

The ending is especially poignant,characteristic of Steinbeck's dramatic finales. Metaphor and symbolismprevail as Zapata's famous horse Blanco gallops riderless back into themountains. The horse remains a free spirit--haughty and untamable--defyingall attempts at capture. Its indomitable spirit emboldens the people,further cementing their patriotic zeal. They keep encountering one setbackafter another. But they persist, confident that sooner or later the voiceof freedom will ring out. In the meantime, Zapata lives. "VivaZapata!" ... Read more

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Product Description
First published in 1937, Of Mice and Men has been a staple of American literature ever since. Divided by decade, The Essential Criticism of John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men provides an overview of criticism over the 70 years the book has been in print. Michael J. Meyer has assembled significant articles and book excerpts from critics and reviewers, citing the early book reviews and highlighting some of the most significant essays.While not all critical studies are included, those assessments not present in the text are evaluated by summaries and their bibliographic citations are given. The essays express various critical approaches, including those that criticize the book and examine what some consider the book's flaws. Ideal for research work at all levels, this volume collects in one place the most significant contributions to the study of the novel, making it a welcome addition to the canon of Steinbeck criticism. ... Read more

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John Steinbeck consistently appears on class reading lists across the U.S., and his work has influenced generations. Steinbeck lived and wrote during some of the most eventful and controversial eras of twentieth-century America, including the struggles of California-s migrant workers during the 1930s, which led to his masterpiece, The Grapes of Wrath.

A complicated man whose personal life often took a backseat to his writing-he fought his way through three marriages, was a distant father, and battled with alcoholism-Steinbeck wrote because he was compelled to. Yet he always doubted his abilities, and lived in fear of never writing a decent book.

Milton Meltzer-s biography includes numerous excerpts of this iconic author-s writing, and is the latest addition to the Up Close series. ... Read more