Critical Companion to John Steinbeck: A Literary Reference to His Life and Work

John Steinbeck (1902‐1968) produced works of fiction celebrated for their social relevancy, compassion, and humor. His classics include Of Mice and Men (1937), The Red Pony (1938), The Grapes of Wrath (1939) and East of Eden (1952). Much of his most notable work, written during the Great Depression of the 1930s, focuses on the ordinary lives and economic struggles of migrant laborers. Rural California, particularly the Salinas Valley, serves as the setting for the majority of his stories. Commonly viewed as the quintessential American writer and extensively read, Steinbeck's novels continue to sell more than two million copies a year....