John Steinbeck: America's Author(People to Know)

This window into the life of Nobel Prize-winner John Steinbeck reads like one of his stories, -filled with struggle, pathos, love, and adventure. Out of his travels and experiences, Steinbeck created an astounding range of work. Author Donne Florence uncovers the stories behind Steinbeck's works, including such favorites as Of Mice and Men, The Pearl, The Red Pony, and his Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece, The Grapes of Wrath, all of which have become American classics for their wit, insight, and searing portraits of society.

Review :
These titles in the People to Know series offer readers an understanding of how formative events in each writers life have influenced his work. The series format imposes a similar structure and treatment for each writer. Opening chapters describe a pivotal episode in each writer's career. Readers learn how Steinbeck desperately sought the seclusion he needed to write Of Mice and Men, a story that encompassed his encounters of working alongside migrant workers. London's 'hobo' experience and imprisonment influenced his views and writing, and King's stay in the deserted Stanley Hotel in the Colorado Rockies led to the writing of his novel The Shining (Signet, 1981). Details about early childhood, family history, and the important role that books and reading played in their development follow. Florence points out, for example, the long-lasting influence of Malory's Morte d'Arthur on Steinbeck's writing. A chronological and candid account of each writer's personal life is well integrated with the evolution of his writing career. The biographies offer detailed information about each writer's approach to the writing process, including the rejections and successes, royalties and awards, and the reception of each writer's work by critics and readers. Attention is given to lesser works, and better-known writings are highlighted as well. The Steinbeck and King biographies include accounts of the writing and production of movies based on their novels.With helpful source notes and further readings that include Internet addresses and nonprint sources, these biographies are ideal for research projects. The Steinbeck and London books contain quotes from novels and other sources, which might spark a student's interest in reading the writers' works. The format of this series, clearly designed to convey information in a lucid and accessible manner, however, acts as a constraint, producing a writing style that is stilted at times. The black-and-white photographs are adequate, but the overall design of these books is not visually exciting. Nevertheless they provide a solid introduction to Steinbeck, London, and King for middle school and junior high students., VOYA October 2000