Steinbeck

I've watched parts of The Grapes of Wrath, and we read The Pearl and Of Mice and Men in class, but I never really got into any of them.

However, I just finished the 600-pages of godliness known as East of Eden, and the entire thing was pretty amazing to me. It's very similar to the way I felt after reading Anna Karenina except without so much of the America vs. Russia culture shock. It's not just that both are huge books, but both of them provide so much to think about. I might have to read it again (it took less than a week, that is, it was hard to put down and I feel sorrowful that I can't immediately take it up again)

Of Mice and Men is, to date, the only book that has made me cry.

I just read mice and men for English. It was sad and maybe a bit cringe-worthy, but I didn't cry over it. I'm currently reading The Red Pony and I'm snoooooring.

I've only read Of Mice and Men, but that was fantastic.

I've read The Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men. The latter made me teary-eyed and Grapes of Wrath was pretty well written, imho. I seem to be more of a Fountainhead fan though, written by Ayn Rand.

I got half way through The Grapes of Wrath. Mind numbingly boring.

Of Mice and Men and The Grapes of Wrath are two books that have been on my to-read list for ages. I plan on reading them eventually because they sound utterly brilliant. In school, the top two sets for English read To Kill a Mockingbird while the rest read Of Mice and Men, so I missed out on it in school.

The Pearl absolutely ruined Steinbeck for me. I think that was the first book I really and fully hated. And it didn't help that I wasn't a huge fan of the film of The Grapes of Wrath I watched.

However, I did enjoy reading Of Mice and Men (though it resulted in the second worst mock trial I've ever participated in).

I've also heard some good stuff about his King Arthur book. He seems pretty love it/hate it for most of his books.

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Originally Posted by Kes

The Pearl absolutely ruined Steinbeck for me. I think that was the first book I really and fully hated. And it didn't help that I wasn't a huge fan of the film of The Grapes of Wrath I watched.

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No kidding. I've been adverse to Steinbeck ever since we had to read The Pearl in seventh grade. I think that was the only time I've been in an English class in which the whole class hated the book we were reading.

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However, I did enjoy reading Of Mice and Men (though it resulted in the second worst mock trial I've ever participated in).

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The witnesses changed their testimonies once they got to the stand! Everything they told us they were going to say got warped by the time they got up there and the entire case the rest of the prosecution and I had built was ruined!

Hated The Pearl. Loved Of Mice and Men. Loved Tortilla Flat.

I really enjoyed the Writing in Grapes of Wrath and The Pearl. Of Mice and Men was a fun story, but I never really got into his descriptions of the scenery in each chapter. I much more enjoyed the random intervals of unknown characters talking in Grapes of Wrath (Like the car dealership owner) and the imagery used to describe things in The Pearl.

Now am I a big fan of any of the stories overall? Not really, I find them a bit boring. It is however refreshing to read Tragedies every once in awhile that really draw out the true meaning of the American Dream. A meaning that still applies much to modern America, as far as capitalism goes. Its become more about every man for himself than working together to create a society that benefits us all. Until that is fixed without the band-aid of communism or socialism to just fall off exposing the cut to the bacteria of the world, not much will improve.

For this reason I find it important for kids to be exposed to Steinbeck, even if I don't like him much. And I know a friend of mine absolutely despises his writing. In an effort to not come off like I'm copy pasting my English Teacher's lecture I'll stop now. :snowman:

I liked The Pearl.

Heath, you should just pick up Of Mice and Men. It's very short.