این کتاب برام یاد آور چندتا چیز خیلی مهم تو زندگی بود که فراموششون کرده بودم. خیلی وقت پیش ها یه کتابی خوندم که الان اسمش رو فراموش کردم اما تو یه بخشی از کتاب چیز جالبی نوشته بود که هنوز خیلی خوب یادم مونده. نوشته بود : ما آدم ها صاحب تمام اون چیزهایی هستیم که بهشون نگاه میکنیم. کافیه سرت و رو برگردونی و به خونه ی بزرگ و زیبای اونور جاده نگاه کنی و بعد توی ذهنت تصور کنی که صاحب اون خونه هستی .اونوقت چه کسی می تونه جلوت رو بگیره و بگه که داری اشتباه میکنی.همم...؟

گاهی اوقات خوبه که بی خیالِ این دنیا و همه ی خبرهای بد و غم انگیزش بشیم و فقط زندگی کنیم. خوبه که برای خودمون یه فنجون چای بریزیم و راحت و آسوده کنار پنجره بشینیم و چای مون رو سر بکشیم و بگیم اصلا بی خیال این دنیا، بی خیال اینکه نتوستم دور دنیا سفر کنم، بی خیال اینکه نشد تو خونه ی رویاییم زندگی کنم، بی خیال اینکه نتوستم به خیلی چیزها تو زندگیم برسم. عوضش چشم هام رو که می بندم صاحب قشنگ ترین و دوست داشتنی ترین خونه ی دنیا هستم، صاحب تمام اون چیزهایی که همیشه دلم می خواست داشته باشم و نشد، هستم . توی رویا به همه جای دنیا سفر می کنم بدون اینکه دیگه نیازی به پول و ویزا و اجازه ی کسی داشته باشم و دائم بخوام غصه ی بالا و پایین رفتن قیمت ارز و دلار رو بخورم
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اصلا یه وقت هایی خوبه که آدم خودش رو به نفهمیدن بزنه و بگذره . یه وقتایی اونایی که هیچی از دور و برشون نمی فهمن، اونایی که اتفاقات بد زندگی زود یادشون میره، اونایی که تمام زندگیشون خلاصه میشه تو دوست داشتن یه گلوله ی پشمالوی پنبه ای، همونا خوشبخت ترین و خوشحال ترین آدم های این دنیای خاکی هستن. خوبه که گاهی اوقات به حال این آدم ها غبطه بخوریم و بدونیم که همیشه بیشتر دونستن نمی تونه ما رو خوشحال تر کنه، که اصلا خیلی وقت ها با خبر بودن از همه ی خبرهای دنیا، درد و رنج بیشتری برامون داره تا بی خبر بودن ازشون

خلاصه که توی سخت ترین و بدترین شرایط زندگی هم میشه صاحب رویاهای قشنگ باشیم و در عین نداشتنِ همه چیز، مالک همه ی این دنیای پهناور باشیم
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یادگاری از کتاب

آدم واسه اینکه خوب باشه شعور نمی خواد، گاهی به نظر من میاد که آدم شعور نداشته باشه بهتره. یه آدمی که واقعا باهوش باشه خیلی کم اتفاق میافته که خوب هم باشه

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ترجمه ی آقای "داریوش" رو اصلا به کسی توصیه نمیکنم. گویش روستایی وقتی شنیده میشه قشنگه اما وقتی نوشته میشه ، موقع خوندن به یه فاجعه تبدیل میشه.ای کاش آقای "داریوش" کتاب رو اینجوری ترجمه نکرده بود، اونوقت راحت تر می شد با داستان و شخصیت ها ارتباط برقرار کرد

Over the past year, I have rediscovered John Steinbeck as a master American story teller. Having read Cannery Row and its follow up Sweet Thursday, I realized what a prolific author Steinbeck was and hope to continue my reading with a number of his novels this year. One novella I did read while in school but have a fuzzy memory of is Of Mice and Men. With a square on this year's classic bingo board being read a group read that you haven't read yet, I decided that it was as good a time as any to revisit this work of Steinbeck's through adult eyes.

Near the Salinas River and Soledad, California, two nomadic farm hands named George and Lennie stake out their existence in life. George dreams of having his own farm house and acreage but it is during the depression and he has little money saved. He also promised Aunt Clara, really a family friend, that he would take care of her nephew Lennie, a dimwitted yet strong man. Steinbeck portrays George as an average man during his era who attempts to find work in order to make ends meet, yet he has the added burden of caring for and providing for Lennie's well being. Had this been written in contemporary times, Lennie would have been characterized as developmentally disabled or autistic, yet in the 1930s society could not pinpoint what ailed people like Lennie. They were dismissed as dimwitted with little future, preventing those caring for them in having many prospects for bettering themselves either.

The reader finds out that Lennie loves animals although with his limited mental capacity he does not have success in caring for them, killing one mouse, rabbit, or puppy after another. Steinbeck alludes to the fact that the reason that George and Lennie are in between jobs is because Lennie had felt a woman's dress meaning no harm, yet the act alarmed other members of their work team, forcing the duo to flee the premises. As the pair approaches yet another farm, George makes Lennie promise to keep his mouth shut, to do whatever George asks him to, and to please stay out of trouble. Despite the best of intentions, with Lennie's condition being what it is, he does not always remember to do what George asks of him, putting both of their futures in jeopardy.

As in past jobs, George quickly becomes friendly with the rest of the work crew, attempting to distance himself from Lennie. Lennie ends up attempting a friendship with the rest of the outcasts on the farm, including a Negro horseshoe hand, yet even this relationship ends in tragedy. When Lennie's actions result in tragic proportions, George must choose between protecting Lennie and thinking of himself and his own future, with the denouement coming to a upsetting climax. I could not help but thinking that if George and Lennie lived today with society's awareness of degrees of developmental delays, that both George and Lennie would have enjoyed a happier existence. The burden of caring for Lennie would not have been placed on George, and Lennie himself would have been taught the rudimentary aspects of self care and perhaps even been placed in a basic job. Yet, placing George and Lennie in modern times is hearsay and their relationship ended in tragedy with Steinbeck placing George in a precarious situation which he would have to dwell upon for the rest of his life.

In reading Steinbeck I have seen how he has done a masterful job in painting his characters as archetypes of the era in which they lived, usually depression era California. George and Lennie are two men looking to better themselves in a decade when one had little to be happy about. While rereading this tragic novella, I could not help but think if like other books I read for school if this is above most teenagers heads. Perhaps, teachers could discuss George and Lennie's relationship and where Lennie would be if he lived today, much as I did while reading. Yet, like other books I read at the time, Of Mice and Men gains a deeper appreciation while reading it through adult eyes. Another bingo square checked off, yet definitely not the last Steinbeck novel I will devour this year.

4.5 stars

Have read this a second time for book Club and just as good second time around.

I just love Of Mice and Men and am delighted to have read my second Steinbeck book and enjoyed it so much. This is the story of two friends George and his large simple minded friend Lennie who are both drifters with nothing in the world except each other and a dream of owning land and settling down raising rabbits and "liven of the fatta da lan" and having peace in their lives. I love the characters of this book and how Steinbeck describes them, they get right inside your head. The plot of this novel is so simple yet very sharp and well written and the reader is drawn very quickly into the story. While reading this book I could see other book that I have read came from the characters and plot of this novel. This is a very small book just over a 100 pages but a wonderful read that leaves you wanting more of Steinbecks wonderful story telling. A 5 Star read.