Customer Reviews
NOT BRAND NEW 
2008-03-28
I generally love ordering bookd from Amazon however, this book arrived with a ripped cover. was not BRAND NEW, as advertised.
Steinbeck at his Best 
2008-03-18
This is by far my favorite Steinbeck novel. This is, in my opinion, one of the finest pieces of American literature. I enjoyed every word. I read it over and over again to enjoy Steinbeck's world.
It moved me in my spirit. 2008-03-03
I am reading this masterpiece for the 2nd time; and the messages in the readings, are really remarkable; because even though the characters live in a simple time; it's that purity and simpleness in the wording, that helped me grasp a spectrum of human thoughts and ideals. I find myself just stopping to think and digest sentences and paragraphs, because I felt really moved in my spirit; and delighted by unexpected epiphanies revealed throughout.
It is timeless, it could be a 1100 years from now, and still one could relate. I feel the time period, although long past into history, is still fresh and alive because of the timeless concepts that make humans, humans.
A Good Read 2008-01-28
This is among Steinbeck's best novels, and it is usually ranked among his top three or four, but not quite as good as "Grapes of Wrath." I have read most of his works including the present, which is a must read for Steinbeck fans. It has excellent prose and good drama but the story becomes a bit predictable for the last 100 pages of the 600 pages. That is the primary difference in terms of literary merit or being a good read. It is a pre-World war I novel set in northern California, and it is set partly in a small town and partly in a rural settings. The story is about family interactions, especially parent child relations, and uses three generations of characters from two families. There is less politics than in some of his other novels.
John Steinbeck (1902 - 1968) was among the best known American writers of the 20th century. He won the 1962 Nobel Prize for literature. His 1939 Pulitzer Prize winning novel, "Grapes of Wrath" has over ten million copies in print.
Steinbeck was born in rural California, went to Stanford, and spent most of his life in California. He has been associated with the plight of farm workers and others. His books have been very popular and many were made into movies and stage productions. He won an Academy Award nomination for best story in 1944.
I have read a number of his novels and am still surprised with the quality of his work - especially his short stories and short novels. The present work is a longer novel, 600 pages, which covers three generations of two families split between Connecticut and the Salinas area of northern California. It is a long and descriptive story but not as descriptive or as intricate as "The Grapes of Wrath." That Pulitzer novel tends to spiral down emotionally. Here in "East of Eden" we have a few peaks and valleys and a number of emotional hooks. Steinbeck manages to work in some clever literary ideas and names by using references to biblical passages. The characters are interesting. However, because of the similarity in the families, generation to generation, the story becomes a bit predictable towards the end, more predictable than his other works, and many readers will be able to guess the end by page 500 or 530.
This is a good book and it has good characters including the mother Cathy, and it has a number of interesting secondary characters. Also, the subplots, the overall structure, and the prose are good.
It is not a heavy read and takes a few evenings to read. The middle part of the book is very compelling, almost a page turner. I liked the book and recommend it.
An Amazing Novel 2008-01-22
Steinbeck's novel is truly a masterpiece as he weaves the stories of two unique American families and exposes the character's deepest, darkest thoughts, particularly those of Cathy and Cal. Each character is carefully constructed and the personalities are told in great detail. The story begins when Steinbeck describes the serene land in the Salinas Valley. I felt mesmerized by the beauty of his language, for he describes things extensively- from appearance to scent. I could imagine the wild flowers in spring and the tiny Victorian houses right before me. From the complexity of the characters to the meticulousness of the setting, this novel is simply beautiful.
Even the structure is unique and it is evident that Steinbeck took a lot of time to perfect the order in which his story would be told. In Part 1 of the novel, Steinbeck alternates between the Trask family and the Hamilton family each chapter. The families are on different parts of the country and have no relationship whatsoever. It is not until part 2, where the two families merge in Salinas, California. I found this method very clever because I was able to differentiate the families in their respective environments. It was interesting to read the characters' pasts because it would certainly affect their futures. For example, the fact that Adam Trask's father lied to him as a child accounts for Adam's determination to be a good father for his own children; Cathy's poor childhood and the lack of parental love account for her horrible actions towards her children. As the story progresses, I learned that Adam's tough character is a result of serving in the army. Away from his family, Adam had to be independent and strong- both physically and emotionally.
In an attempt to start a new life, Adam bought a piece of farmland from Samuel Hamilton. However, the story immediately turns dark and somber as Cathy, Adam's new wife, abandons her twin boys. Cathy is a dark character and she is the epitome of evil. She is a selfish woman who blames her wrongdoings on other people. Every word Cathy said made me despise her, for this woman neglected her children to run a brothel. Cathy's dialogue in conversations with other characters made me develop only disgust for her. Steinbeck was careful in his writing because after depicting the evil Cathy, he would switch to men of wisdom: Lee and Samuel Hamilton. These characters offered relief from the tense drama occurring by offering peace. Lee and Samuel, firm believers in God, spoke straight from the Bible to convey a sense of goodness. Unlike Cathy, these characters care for the twin boys and are proof that there is still good in the world. Cathy's ruthless nature is passed on to her son Cal, as he struggles to form his own identity. Cal feels trapped between good and evil, until the wise character Lee offers him profound advice. He learns that he is his own person and is not doomed to be evil like his mother. Cal is a human being (whereas his mother is a "monster") and thus is subject to make mistakes. I developed so many emotions from reading this, such as joy, relief, sadness, pity, and utter disgust. Even though I found some parts to be predictable, I felt that the entire novel was filled with suspense. There was not a single moment that I wanted to stop reading. This novel is so intriguing because it explores the dark side of the human mind, including such concepts such as revenge, sin, and evil.
Top Ten Favorite 2008-07-12
I read this book once a year and have for the last 20 years. Each time I read it I find something new. The characters are deep, the story is classic, good vs evil.
Steinbeck meets Dostoevsky in "East of Eden" 2008-06-19
Is is possible that Netflix may boost literacy? I just did a Netflix mini-retrospective look at James Dean's films: "Rebel Without a Cause," "Giant" and "East of Eden." Watching the complex story of "East of Eden," reminded me that I had never read the Steinbeck novel from which the film was adapted. This came as a surprise to me, since I am a huge fan of Steinbeck's writings and have long considered "The Grapes of Wrath" among my favorite novels. So, I embarked on reading the novel. I was expecting it to be good; I was unprepared for the depth of the writing and the brilliant insight into human nature that marked Steinbeck's writing at this stage of his career. In my opinion, if he had never written another novel besides "East of Eden," he would have been worthy of the Nobel Prize that he won in 1962.
The story is a complex and very moving modern setting of the Cain and Abel story told at multiple levels through several generations of the Trask family. Adam and Charles Trask lay the groundwork for the narrative by vying for the affection of their father, an ersatz Civil War hero who carved out a reputation and a fortune by misrepresenting the role that he played in key battles of the War Between the States. The saga continues into its main section with Adam's two sons - Cal and Aron - struggling to please him. Adam is raising them as a single father - with the not inconsiderable help from Lee, the live-in Chinese cook - after his wife abandoned the family shortly after giving birth to the twins.
The most profound musings that stand as the intellectual and spiritual center of the novel are found exactly halfway through the narrative. The setting is that Lee, the Chinese cook, is having a theological discussion with a neighbor, Samuel. The crux of the discussion bears on varying translations of Genesis 4:7, in which God addresses Cain and implores him to overcome the temptation to sin. Lee describes the result of two years' of study by elders in the Chinese community who had undertaken to understand the issue in all of its subtleties:
"After two years we felt we could approach your sixteen verses of the fourth chapter of Genesis. My old gentlemen felt that these words were very important too - 'Thou shalt not' and 'Do thou.' And this was the gold from our mining: 'Thou mayest.' 'Thou mayest rule over sin.' The old gentlemen smiled and nodded and felt the years were well spent. It brought them out of their Chinese shells, too, and right now they are studying Greek.
Samuel said: 'It is a fantastic story. And I've tried to follow and maybe I've missed somewhere. Why is this word so important?'
Lee's hand shook as he filled the delicate cups. He drank his down in one gulp. 'Don't you see?' he cried. 'The American Standard translation orders men to triumph over sin, and you can call sin ignorance. The King James translation makes a promise in "Thou shalt not." meaning that men will surely triumph over sin. But the Hebrew word, the word timshel -"Thou mayest" - that gives a choice. It might be the most important word in the world. That says the way is open. That throws it right back on a man. For if "Thou mayest" it is also true that "Thou mayest not."
"Yes, I see. I do see. But you do not believe this is divine law. Why do you feel its importance?"
"Ah!" said Lee. "I've wanted to tell you this for a long time. I even anticipated your questions and am well prepared. Any writing which has influenced the thinking and the lives of innumerable people is important. Now, there are many millions in their sects and churches who feel the order 'Do thou,' and throw their weight into obedience. And there are millions more who feel predestination in 'Thou shalt.' Nothing they may do can interfere with what will be. But 'Thou mayest'! Why, that makes a man great, then gives him stature with the gods, for in his weakness and his filth and his murder of his brother he still has the great choice. He can choose his course and fight it through and win." Lee's voice was a chant of triumph.
Adam said, "Do you believe that, Lee?"
"Yes, I do. Yes, I do. It is easy out of laziness, out of weakness, to throw oneself into the lap of deity, saying, 'I couldn't help it; the way was set.' But think of the glory of the choice! That makes a man a man. A cat has no choice, a bee must make honey. There's no godliness there. And do you know, those old gentlemen who were sliding gently down to death are too interested to die now?" (Pages 301-2)
Steinbeck's argument reminded me of the exquisite Grand Inquisitor passage in Dostoevsky's magnum opus, "The Brothers Karamazov." The Inquisitor confronts a Christ who has returned to earth during the Spanish Inquisition and excoriates him for having condemned mankind to freedom of choice. Both Steinbeck and Dostoevsky are delving into levels that represent the quantum physics of the soul. This is great literature - writing that combines story telling as an art form with profound examination of the human condition.
Even in the age of Netflix and Grand Theft Auto IV, there is still room for great writing - and great reading.
Enjoy!
Al
One of the best books I've ever read 2008-05-05
This was recommended to me by a friend because she thought I would enjoy the California scenery and history. This book totally exceeded my expectations. Steinbeck is an amazing story-teller. This novel is woven in such a complex, precise manner, with no excess details, that I marvel at his writing prowess. There is a reason it is a classic. I was bummed to come to the end of the book and I will definitely read more by this author. Why don't more modern writers write books of this quality? After reading this book, I feel like a lot of the more modern fiction I have read kind of sucks. In other words, this book is incredible and others should read it, especially people who intend to become professional fiction writers.
Amazing 2008-04-21
This is a MUST READ book! The story is something we can all relate to in our darkest places we hide inside.
An all time favorite 2008-04-04
Though it's been years since I read this book it still remains to be one of my favorites. A classic tale of good vs. evil... highly recommended.
