Yesterday’s Sally Forth made me laugh out loud. While I have long gotten a good Tom Joad reference, after my discussion about John Steinbeck earlier this year the fabulous (and how come neither of us is any older even though we’ve known each other for over 20 years?) Tatiana (the nickname comes from the same French class where I got Mimi as a nickname, actually) recommended that I read The Grapes of Wrath. I read it over the Thanskgiving weekend (in fact, I think Dh actually took a photo of me reading it – I should find that) and greatly enjoyed it. While it is heartbreaking story I found that it really resonated. Not only because I enjoy Steinbeck’s writing and the way he alternates chapters between the Joad story and the entire Dust Bowl experience, but because both of my grandfathers came to California as part of that migration. I could see my family history in the stories, and hear the cadence and pronunciation of the words (and I give thanks daily that my grandmother, who was not of Dust Bowl extraction, put her foot down on our naming traditions).
I still will go with Cannery Row as my favorite Steinbeck, but I really can see his brilliance and genius. Any other recommendations – I’ve heard good things about Travels with Charley but, I am sure I’ll steer clear of The Red Pony
posted by Mimi @ 12/16/2008 02:43:00 PM
14 Comments
14 Comments:
good cartoon.
And, I am glad you liked The Grapes of Wrath. It is such a deep, heartbreaking, yet, somehow, hopeful at the same time story. It is one that I will continue to read, time and time again
Tatiana
Grapes is the only Steinbeck I've ever read, and it was years ago...I'll have to re-read it and maybe pick up something else by him to try. How neat that your family history is reflected in the story!
That's a funny cartoon; Todd and I have been making some Great Depression jokes ourselves lately, mostly about getting our giant balls of string and tin foil started!
yay for good comics!
I should really read this book again...
and I should really finish reading _Travels with Charley_
LOL -- that was a cute cartoon!
I read The Grapes of Wrath the summer before my junior year of high school (we were required to have read it by the start of school for my Honors English class). We then also read Of Mice and Men just after the school year started. Good books!
I had a hard time with Grapes, 'cos of the breastfeeding bit . . . I tried to read it twice in high school. Twenty years later, I may just be mature enough to get past that section of the book. :-)
I think Grapes is my favorite Steinbeck, though I may have to reread Cannery Row. Somehow the movie kind of ruined that one for me.
Tatiana – I totally agree that there is a sense of hope at the end – maybe because I know how the story ends in history, even though Steinbeck was much closer to the time it was happening.
Janelle – I’d totally recommend “Cannery Row” as your next Steinbeck – it is not very long and is a quick read.
Elizabeth – Do you like “Travels With Charley”
Angie – I agree, those would have been a good intro to Steinbeck. I have no idea what teachers were thinking by starting me off with “The Pearl” and “Red Pony” Ugh.
JOT – (spoiler alert) well, firstly it is the very, very end – you can just stop right before that scene. But, I also thought it was an amazing scene – it not only was a way that Rose of Sharon could help, but it showed incredible growth for her (since she was pretty spoiled at the beginning) and also I think has a shadowing of the Theotokos.
Marsha – I think that Doc was miscast in the movie – too young. Plus the storyline is really the sequel, “Sweet Thursday” and not “Cannery Row”
I love Sally Forth. It's been years since I read any Steinbeck.
My favorite is Grapes, although Cannery Row is a close second. Ive read, and reread all his books.
My dad made several trips across from Pennsylvania to LA in his youth. It so reminds me of him and his family, although his family were immigrants. I bet that was even harder.
My mom was from Texas, but they stayed put.
The movie doesnt do it justice.
Hello...Do you think Steinbeck is easier for Americans to read than the English? I tried to 'get into' "Grapes of Wrath" and couldn't but I feel I ought to try again and reading here how many people love his work, I have the incentive to do that!
This is a really interesting blog :-) - thanks.
Most Beautiful Princess
Hey Mimi!
I love Sally Forth (along with Get Fuzzy, ha).
You're obviously a big reader, and there's a site you might be interested in:
http://www.librarything.com
You can catalog and organize your books here, find people who have the same books you have, and even have discussions about specific books. It's really neat, especially if you have a ton of books like I do.
Mimi,
I never miss a "Sally Forth" cartoon--some of the most subtle humor around.
I have to confess that I have never read Steinbeck--any of it (though I have visited his grave in the Salinas Cemetery). My mom came of age during the Great Depression and it never left her. She would save the liner from cereal boxes to use as wax paper. She would fold a paper towel in half and carefully tear each sheet into 2 sections to make it last longer. When we were going through her stuff after her death in 1999, we found Cool-Whip bowls filled with the twist-ties she had saved for years from bread wrappers--for exactly what, we have no idea. Maybe this is why I could never bring myself to read Steinbeck, or anything, really, about the Depression.
Christina - that's a good question. Admittedly, I grew up in California, so that certainly colors my opinion, but I'd say that while his settings and some of his references are American, I think the overarching story would be accessable to the English. Sort of like Jane Austen.
John - I often think of my grandparents' habits that came from the Depression.
KW - I'm on Shelfari, but don't do anything with it, I've heard of Good Reads, but not expored Library Thing. Thanks!
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