Simply put, this is a great book, a literary treasure. The very first sentence is sublime: “Cannery Row in Monterey .. is a poem, a stink, a grating noise, a quality of light, a tone, a nostalgia, a dream”. And later: “The corrugated iron of the cannery glows with the pearly lucence of platinum or old pewter”. And there are the characters and activities: the escapades of Mack and the boys to capture frogs for Doc at the Western Biological Laboratory, Doc’s epic trip to La Jolla to collect octopi, the repair of a Model T truck. Overall, this 1945 novel is both humorous and poignant, a must read. Thanks, Erin, for the impetus to re-read this classic.
Tag: John Steinbeck
Travels With Charley – John Steinbeck
In 1960 at the age of 58 and after his last novel, Steinbeck sets out on a road trip with his faithful dog Charley, in search of America. After 10,000 miles over 4 months, this epic trip comes to an end. No surprise: the writing is superb. Steinbeck is a keen observer of geography, and long periods of time in a camper truck provide frequent opportunities for reminiscing. One of the best sections is California: the giant redwoods, the magic of the desert, revisiting his Salinas home. There is also a melancholy, a palpable disenchantment with the world culminating with a disastrous exposure to racial tension in the South. Overall, this is a stunning portrait of American complexity.
What David Read 