Steinbeck's tough yet charming portrait of people on the margins of society, dependant on one another for both physical and emotional survivalPublished in 1945, Cannery Row focuses on the acceptance of life as it is: both the exuberance of community and the loneliness of the individual. Drawing on his memories of the real inhabitants of Monterey, California, including longtime friend Ed Ricketts, Steinbeck interweaves the stories of Doc, Dora, Mack and his boys, Lee Chong, and the other characters in this world where only the fittest survive, to create a novel that is at once one of his most humorous and poignant works. In her introduction, Susan Shillinglaw shows how the novel expresses, both in style and theme, much that is essentially Steinbeck: “scientific detachment, empathy toward the lonely and depressed…and, at the darkest level…the terror of isolation and nothingness.”
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"This was one of my favorite books, Steinbeck was one of the best ever, and this was a simple story about his trip across America with his dog. I would recommend it to anyone. " — Jon (5 out of 5 stars)
"This was one of my favorite books, Steinbeck was one of the best ever, and this was a simple story about his trip across America with his dog. I would recommend it to anyone. "
Winner of the 2012 Fifty Books/Fifty Covers show, organized by Design Observer in association with AIGA and Designers & Books
Winner of the 2014 Type Directors Club Communication Design Award
[Penguin Drop Caps] convey a sense of nostalgia for the tactility and aesthetic power of a physical book and for a centuries-old tradition of beautiful lettering.
Vibrant, minimalist new typographic covers…. Bonus points for the heartening gender balance of the initial selections.
The Penguin Drop Caps series is a great example of the power of design. Why buy these particular classics when there are less expensive, even free editions of Great Expectations? Because they’re beautiful objects. Paul Buckley and Jessica Hische’s fresh approach to the literary classics reduces the design down to typography and color. Each cover is foil-stamped with a cleverly illustrated letterform that reveals an element of the story. Jane Austen’s A (Pride and Prejudice) is formed by opulent peacock feathers and Charlotte Bronte’s B (Jane Eyre) is surrounded by flames. The complete set forms a rainbow spectrum prettier than anything else on your bookshelf.
Drool-inducing.
Classic reads in stunning covers—your book club will be dying.
" Wonderful book. I loved it! I had to read it for my US History class. Highly recommend. "
" I generally dislike Steinbeck's novels, but this book was so different than his other works. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed reading it. "
" I was really disappointed to learn that much of this book was fabricated. It's a shame that writers feel the need to deceive us. Even so, it's a lovely read about America. "
" This book was very entertaining overall, but it became very somber at the end as Steinbeck travels through the South. Excellent--a great read. "
" Great narrative written at a pivotal time in this country's history. Standard Poodles are almost always an automatic pass. "
" One of my all-time favorite books. Love the writing style especially. "
" So much controversy over this book! I found it to be a fun, short read and enjoyed the discussions in my Travel Writing class. "
" this book was cruising along as just another fun read but Steinbeck's writings on race made it absolutely brilliant. "
" I found the book very long, and not very exciting. Maybe it's because I'm from Europe, but the book didn't seem to have a story to tell me. Maybe it's outdated. "
" I find that this book speaks to the true American spirit. It is a favorite and a book one can find comfort in knowing that as time passes, some things never change. "
" A good solid travel book. The best parts are his honesty in how he sees America, and Americans, as he drives across the USA in 1960. "
" We read this aloud on our road trip last summer, which was a wonderful way to read it. "
" Part of my Steinbeck phase. Fantastic. "
John Steinbeck (1902–1968) remains one of the quintessential writers of American literature. Born in Salinas, California, Steinbeck attended Stanford University before working at a series of mostly blue-collar jobs and embarking on his literary career. Profoundly committed to social progress, he used his writing to raise issues of labor exploitation and the plight of the common man, penning some of the greatest American novels of the twentieth century and winning such prestigious awards as the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. He received the Nobel Prize in 1962, “for his realistic and imaginative writings, combining as they do sympathetic humor and keen social perception.” He wrote more than twenty-five novels during his lifetime.
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