I love Steinbeck. He draws characters that are simply passionate. Common and anomalous.

Immerse yourself in the simple, comedic, tragic lives of these people.

ps- doesn't he look dreamy in this picture?

IN DUBIOUS BATTLE (dec 24 - jan 8)

'All the time at home we were fighting, fighting something - hunger mostly. My old man was fighting the bosses. I was fighting the school. But always we lost. And after a long time I guess, it got to be part of our mind-stuff that we always would lose. ... can you see the hopelessness in that?' (page 549)

OF MICE AND MEN (jul 23 - aug 5)

'George's voice became deeper. He repeated his words rhythmically as though he had said them many times before. "Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don't belong no place. They come to a ranch an' work up a stake, and the first thing you know they're poundin' their tail on some other ranch. They ain't got nothing to look ahead to."
Lennie was delighted. "That's it - that's it. Now tell how it is with us."
George went on. "Whit us it ain't like that. We got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us. ..."
Lennie broke in. "But not us! An' why? Because ... because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that's why." ...

"Go on now, George!"

...

"we're gonna have a little house and a couple of acres an' a cow and some pigs and -"

...

Lennie shouted. "And have rabbits. Go on George! ... (pages 806-7)

Five stories, gritty and gristly, pure Steinbeck. Great, great, reading.

Okay... really I've only read two of the inclusions in this book: In Dubious battle, which I give 3 stars to cause it's just not Steinbeck's best and Of Mice and Men which I loved as a kid so lets say 4 stars.

Pastures of Heaven and To a God Unknown are one of the greatest stories I have read. In pure Steinbeck form they take the reader to a place completely unknown to anyone in this day and age. His descriptions of the CA geography and farm life are incredible. If you love the outdoors and have a special place in your heart for the earth those 2 books will move you to another place.

I cannot recommend them enough

I read "Of Mice and Men" and "In Dubious Battle" from this book before I returned it to the library. The second novel was a suggestion from my brother. Both books immerse you in the life of travelling workers in the depression era US. Everyone knows "OF Mice and Men", and it was suprisingly short, but so poingniently told the story of struggle and hope. "In Dubious Battle" was a suprise. It presents the disfunction and cruelty of a labor strike during the depression. Dissects communism, socialism, and capitalism while never calling one or the other by its name, and all through the story of men and women trying to survive and ultimately do what is "best" for themselves and others. Amazing.

I consider it quite a strange experience to read Steinbeck, it is not that he has an awkward style or is difficult to read; it is rather the opposite, as qua language use he is sober, the depth he achieves though is tantalizing and as such when reading these works we are offered clever constructs of social realism that show both the world and the individual as mutually wrapped up in one another.
Especially outstanding here are “In a dubious battle” and “Of mice and men”. The former deals with a communist group trying to fight for the rights of apple pickers in California and immediately we are confronted with a world that cannot hold revolution. It is not so much that the farm-lords are doing everything possible to quell rebellion, much rather it is the workers themselves who cannot hold the revolution within their own self and as such the battle is not so much against the system, but more importantly against the working-group itself.
“Of mice and men” is also about a battle but of a very different kind; and though there is an obvious worker-setting, the story is not as much a work of Social Realism, but much rather something that may be called ‘Socio-Metaphysical Realism’ as it does not deal with the standard fare of social issues and interactions. The beauty of the story is that in so short a number of pages and so simple a tale, Steinbeck really manages to go deep into the human psyche and deliver an emotional punch that is much different than an operatic apotheosis, but works more like a slow fading, like the dying embers of a fire.

The Pastures of Heaven - interesting compilation of fable-like stories - harsh reality mixed with serendipity - irony between beauty of environs and ugliness of human occupation, framed in the social structure of an early rural town in California. Easily digestible as separate themes, but challenging to fit into a unifying idea as a book.

To a God Unknown - very visceral descriptions of man's real or imagined relationship with nature - seems accessible to a wide range of audience, from appreciative of a sunset to tree-hugging paganistic naturalist - and by the end Steinbeck's ability to grip the reader with empathy sort of makes you want to walk off into the woods with Walden and a pocketknife to ponder your place with nature for a few weeks.

For the first time in one volume, the early California writings of one of America's greatest novelists have been collected, including the seminal works, Tortilla Flat and Of Mice and Men, tracing his early growth and evolution. 20,000 first printing.

I really enjoyed "to a God unknown" book. It tempts you to think more about people's interest and how nature makes an important role in a nature lovers' life. Every single sentence of the book is pensive. I recommend the book.

Steinbeck is a hard read for me, especially emotionally. He is not my favorte author and the ones I like usually die. But, I wanted to read this mostly for Of Mice and Men, because I couldn't stand that my husband had read it but I hadn't.

I have read through 'The Pastures of Heaven' and 'To a God Unknown'. To a God Unknown has stayed with me, haunting me for the few days since I finished it. The descriptions of landscapes and interior feelings had me rereading many passages.