John Steinbeck

John Steinbcck (1902—1968), an American author, won the 1962 Nobel Prize for literature. Steinbeck's best-known fiction sym­pathetically explores the struggles of poor people. His most famous novel, «The Grapes of Wrath» (1939), won the 1940 Pulitzer Prize. The novel tells the story of the Joads, a poor Oklahoma farming family, who migrate to California in search of a better life during the Great Depression of the 1930's. Steinbeck effectively demonstrated how the struggles of one family mirrored the hardship of the entire nation. Through the inspiration of the labor organizer Jim Casy, the Joads learn that the poor must work together in order to survive.

Steinbcck set much of his fiction in and around his birthplace of Salinas, Calif. His first novel, «Cup of Gold» (1929), is based on the life of Sir Henry Morgan, a famous English pirate of the 1600's. Steinbeck's next work, «The Pastures of Heaven» (1932), is a col­lection of stories about the people of a farm community near Sali­nas. In this work, Steinbcck focused on the struggle between hu­man beings and nature. «Tortilla Flat» (1935) deals with migrant workers and poor farmers. «In Dubious Battle» (1936) realistically portrays labor strife in California during the 1930's. «Of Mice and Men» (1937) is a short novel that Steinbeck adapted into a popular play in 1937. It is a tragic story about a physically powerful but mentally retarded farm worker and his best friend and protector.

Steinbeck's most ambitious novel is «East of Eden» (1952). It follows three generations of a California family from the 1860's to

World War I (1914—1918). The title refers to the family's strife, which parallels the conflict between the Biblical figures of Cain and Abel. Steinbeck's last novel was «The Winter of Our Discon­tent» (1961). It is a modern story of moral failure set in New York.

Steinbcck wrote the humorous novels «Cannery Row» (1945), «The Wayward Bus» (1947), «Sweet Thursday» (1954), and «The Short Reign of Pippin IV» (1957). In his nonfiction work «Travels with Charley» (1962), Steinbcck described a cross-country trip with his pet poodle. He also wrote screen plays for several films, notably «Viva Zapata!» (1952).