John Steinbeck

I read a lot of Steinbeck early on in my youth and I always appreciated his matter of fact, minimalist style.

After reading Grapes of Wrath and then watching the 1940 film adaptation directed by John Ford, I was hooked.

Published Works:

1927: “Cup of Gold”—A historical fiction based loosely on the life of the 17th-century pirate Henry Morgan.
1932: “The Pastures of Heaven”—Twelve interconnected stories about the people in a valley in Monterrey, California, a place that would become central in many of his later works.
1933: “To a God Unknown”—Four brothers who move to California to work a ranch and struggle when drought takes away all they have grown.
1935: “Tortilla Flat”—A small band of Hispanic paisanos in Monterrey enjoy life in Monterrey (Steinbeck’s first big success).
1936: “In Dubious Battle”—A labor activist struggles to organize fruit workers in California.
1937: “Of Mice and Men”—Two displaced migrants seek work in California during the Great Depression. The book was often a target of censorship for its vulgarity and offensive language.
1937: “The Red Pony Stories”—Episodic novel appearing in magazines between 1933 and 1936, first published together in 1937, about a boy and his life on a California ranch.
1938: “The Long Valley”—A collection of 12 short stories, written over several years and set in the Salinas Valley of California (includes the first Red Pony story).
1939: “The Grapes of Wrath”—A poor migrant family from Oklahoma and their struggles to find a place in California. Steinbeck’s best-known novel and winner of the Pulitzer and other literary prizes.
1941: “The Forgotten Village”—A documentary film written by Steinbeck and narrated by Burgess Meredith, about a Mexican village grappling with modernization.
1942: “The Moon Is Down”—A story of a small coastal town in northern Europe that is overrun by an unnamed army (thought to be a fictionalization of the occupation of Norway by the Nazis in World War II).
1942: “Bombs Away: The Story of a Bomber Team”—A nonfiction account of Steinbeck’s experiences with several World War II American Army Air bomber crews.
1945—”Cannery Row”—A story of a disastrous party thrown by the inhabitants of a small town in California for their friend Doc.
1947: “The Wayward Bus”—Interactions of a cross-section of people at a crossroads bus stop in California.
1947: “The Pearl”—An immense pearl brings ill effects to an oyster fisherman’s family.
1948: “A Russian Journal”—A report from Steinbeck on his travels through the Soviet Union during Joseph Stalin’s rule.
1950: “Burning Bright”—A morality story meant to be produced as a play, during which an aging man goes to great lengths to have a child.
1951: “The Log from the Sea of Cortez”—Steinbeck’s personal log of a six-week expedition in the Gulf of California he made with marine biologist Ed Ricketts. Written in 1941, published in 1951.
1952: “East of Eden”—A novel about two Salinas Valley families in the first two decades of the 20th century, based on the story of Steinbeck’s own ancestors.
1954: “Sweet Thursday”—A revisit of the people in “Cannery Row,” taking place after the main character Doc returns at the end of World War II.
1957: “The Short Reign of Pippin IV: A Fabrication”—A political satire, exploring what might happen if an ordinary fellow was selected to be the King of France.
1958: “Once There Was A War”—A collection of articles written for the New York Herald Tribune while Steinbeck was a foreign correspondent during World War II.
1961: “The Winter of Our Discontent”—The struggles of a Long Island man whose family has fallen from an aristocratic level to a middle-class existence. Steinbeck’s last novel.
1962: “Travels with Charley: In Search of America”—A travelogue of Steinbeck’s road trip across the U.S. in a hand-built camper with his dog Charley.
1966: “America and Americans”—A collection of articles from Steinbeck’s career as a journalist.
1969: “Journal of a Novel: The East of Eden Letters”—A series of letters written by Steinbeck to his editor during the writing of East of Eden. Published posthumously (Steinbeck died in 1968).
1975: “Viva Zapata!”—A screenplay written by Steinbeck was used to produce this biographical film about the Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata.
1976: “The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights”—An adaptation of the legend of King Arthur, started in 1956, and unfinished at his death.
1989: “Working Days: The Journals of The Grapes of Wrath”—Edited and annotated version of Steinbeck’s personal journal written while he was working on “The Grapes of Wrath.”

On this Day in History: John Steinbeck is Born

John Steinbeck

I read a lot of Steinbeck early on in my youth and I always appreciated his matter of fact, minimalist style.

After reading Grapes of Wrath and then watching the 1940 film adaptation directed by John Ford, I was hooked.

Published Works:

1927: “Cup of Gold”—A historical fiction based loosely on the life of the 17th-century pirate Henry Morgan.

1932: “The Pastures of Heaven”—Twelve interconnected stories about the people in a valley in Monterrey, California, a place that would become central in many of his later works.

1933: “To a God Unknown”—Four brothers who move to California to work a ranch and struggle when drought takes away all they have grown.

1935: “Tortilla Flat”—A small band of Hispanic paisanos in Monterrey enjoy life in Monterrey (Steinbeck’s first big success).

1936: “In Dubious Battle”—A labor activist struggles to organize fruit workers in California.

1937: “Of Mice and Men”—Two displaced migrants seek work in California during the Great Depression. The book was often a target of censorship for its vulgarity and offensive language.

1937: “The Red Pony Stories”—Episodic novel appearing in magazines between 1933 and 1936, first published together in 1937, about a boy and his life on a California ranch.

1938: “The Long Valley”—A collection of 12 short stories, written over several years and set in the Salinas Valley of California (includes the first Red Pony story).

1939: “The Grapes of Wrath”—A poor migrant family from Oklahoma and their struggles to find a place in California. Steinbeck’s best-known novel and winner of the Pulitzer and other literary prizes.

1941: “The Forgotten Village”—A documentary film written by Steinbeck and narrated by Burgess Meredith, about a Mexican village grappling with modernization.

1942: “The Moon Is Down”—A story of a small coastal town in northern Europe that is overrun by an unnamed army (thought to be a fictionalization of the occupation of Norway by the Nazis in World War II).

1942: “Bombs Away: The Story of a Bomber Team”—A nonfiction account of Steinbeck’s experiences with several World War II American Army Air bomber crews.

1945—”Cannery Row”—A story of a disastrous party thrown by the inhabitants of a small town in California for their friend Doc.

1947: “The Wayward Bus”—Interactions of a cross-section of people at a crossroads bus stop in California.

1947: “The Pearl”—An immense pearl brings ill effects to an oyster fisherman’s family.

1948: “A Russian Journal”—A report from Steinbeck on his travels through the Soviet Union during Joseph Stalin’s rule.

1950: “Burning Bright”—A morality story meant to be produced as a play, during which an aging man goes to great lengths to have a child.

1951: “The Log from the Sea of Cortez”—Steinbeck’s personal log of a six-week expedition in the Gulf of California he made with marine biologist Ed Ricketts. Written in 1941, published in 1951.

1952: “East of Eden”—A novel about two Salinas Valley families in the first two decades of the 20th century, based on the story of Steinbeck’s own ancestors.

1954: “Sweet Thursday”—A revisit of the people in “Cannery Row,” taking place after the main character Doc returns at the end of World War II.

1957: “The Short Reign of Pippin IV: A Fabrication”—A political satire, exploring what might happen if an ordinary fellow was selected to be the King of France.

1958: “Once There Was A War”—A collection of articles written for the New York Herald Tribune while Steinbeck was a foreign correspondent during World War II.

1961: “The Winter of Our Discontent”—The struggles of a Long Island man whose family has fallen from an aristocratic level to a middle-class existence. Steinbeck’s last novel.

1962: “Travels with Charley: In Search of America”—A travelogue of Steinbeck’s road trip across the U.S. in a hand-built camper with his dog Charley.

1966: “America and Americans”—A collection of articles from Steinbeck’s career as a journalist.

1969: “Journal of a Novel: The East of Eden Letters”—A series of letters written by Steinbeck to his editor during the writing of East of Eden. Published posthumously (Steinbeck died in 1968).

1975: “Viva Zapata!”—A screenplay written by Steinbeck was used to produce this biographical film about the Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata.

1976: “The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights”—An adaptation of the legend of King Arthur, started in 1956, and unfinished at his death.

1989: “Working Days: The Journals of The Grapes of Wrath”—Edited and annotated version of Steinbeck’s personal journal written while he was working on “The Grapes of Wrath.”