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The Long Valley Audiobook
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(3.01) - 1,796 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
A Penguin Classic First published in 1938, this volume of stories collected with the encouragement of his longtime editor Pascal Covici serves as a wonderful introduction to the work of Nobel Prize winner John Steinbeck. Set in the beautiful Salinas Valley of California, where simple people farm the land and struggle to find a place for themselves in the world, these stories reflect Steinbeck’s characteristic interests: the tensions between town and country, laborers and owners, past and present. Included here are the O. Henry Prize-winning story “The Murder”; “The Chrysanthemums,” perhaps Steinbeck’s most challenging story, both personally and artistically; “Flight,” “The Snake,” “The White Quail,” and the classic tales of “The Red Pony.” With an introduction and notes by John H. Timmerman. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
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"A compilation of Steinbeck's short stories. Simple, beautifully woven stories. Set in California's Salinas Valley, the stories reflect Steinbeck's themes of struggle, history and people. Classic stories such as "The Murder", The Chrysanthemums" and the "Red Pony" are all great introductions to Steinbeck's work. But don't overlook little gems like "Breakfast". This was my third or fourth re-reading of this collection. It never grows cold."
— Mike (5 out of 5 stars)
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“All [these stories] have one rare, creative thing: a directness of impression that makes them glow with life.”
— New York Times -
“One of the bright and shining lights in our literary horizon…Each story is a gem…Short stories at their best.”
— Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
The Long Valley Listener Reviews
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Colder68, 6/14/2024
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" Grim, but really good. "
— Anne, 2/18/2014 -
" A perfect collection of short stories to read while travelling through central California. Not all of the stories are great - some are better than others. But reading it gives you the sense that you are watching Steinbeck grow up as a writer. Many of the writing styles and character descriptions are those you see perfected in some of his best novels. "
— Liz, 2/1/2014 -
" A nice short story collection, but a little uneven. Some stories were amazing and others were a bit boring or aimless. Still, I do enjoy Steinbeck's writing style. "
— meliss, 1/18/2014 -
" good steinbeck short stories. the last one is the red pony. i've read this one a few times before, so i skipped it. sometimes it's nice to read a bunch of short depressing stories rather than one long depressing story. "
— Russell, 1/16/2014 -
" Great as always, Steinbeck tells the stories of several families and people. This book is 4 stories condensed. "
— Cora, 1/3/2014 -
" This book taught me the best way to enjoy a collection of short stories...not all at once. It's best to read these stories one at a time with other reading mixed in between. Why? Each one has a really good message that needs to be considered before moving on to the next completely different message. While some stories were better than others, as a whole the collection was typically thought provoking as has been my experience with other Steinbeck works. "
— Kyle, 1/3/2014 -
" Early Steinbeck. "
— Kara, 1/2/2014 -
" similar to steinbecks pastures of heaven, but lacking the charm that at least some of those tales hold. "
— Frank, 12/31/2013 -
" "The Chrysanthemums" will draw a portrait of passion. "Breakfast" will show you the simplicity of the human condition. "
— Jody, 12/13/2013 -
" Two of the best short stories ever- The Chrysanthemums and The White Quail. "
— Matthew, 12/5/2013 -
" I freaking love Steinbeck "
— Jake, 11/26/2013 -
" This is a book of short stories and though I am not a short story kind of girl, Steinbeck is a genius and I thoroughly enjoyed them. "
— Marcy, 11/26/2013 -
" Steinbeck describes the world of each story in words I always enjoy & appreciated. This collection of short stories was worthwhile companionship. "
— Greta, 9/22/2013 -
" A collection of short stories, with the only connection between them being the Californian setting. "
— JubJub, 5/14/2013 -
" I like John Steinbeck, and I love short stories. So it's no suprise I liked this collection of Steinbeck's short stories. "
— Amanda, 5/4/2013 -
" Very good read..some weak stories ..but well worth it for the short story the Red Pony. "
— Srinath, 3/29/2013 -
" An interesting sketch of characters but I think calling these short stories is a bit of a stretch "
— Rebecca, 2/22/2013 -
" I LOVED these stories! "Chrysanthemums" and "The White Quail" were my favorites... It probably helps that I went on a Long Valley "field trip" during the Steinbeck institute. :) "
— Stephanie, 12/20/2012 -
" a collection of short stories; some are really good, others are a bit average. but there are only like ten or twelve i think, so pretty light reading. if you're into steinbeck you might want to check out his short stuff. "
— Bryce, 12/12/2012 -
" "Johnny Bear" and "The Harness" rank with the top twenty short stories ever written. "
— Jim, 10/19/2012 -
" Steinbeck is a great story teller, but he leaves nothing to the imagination. If you're a fan of Hemingway's sparse prose, you may not like Steinbeck's style. But if you like a good story told around a campfire, Steinbeck's your man. "
— Kristin, 10/3/2012
About John Steinbeck
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.
About Holter Graham
Holter Graham, winner of three of AudioFile magazine’s Best Voice of the Year awards, is a stage, television, and screen actor. He has recorded numerous audiobooks and earned multiple AudioFile Earphones Awards. As an actor, his film credits include Fly Away Home, Maximum Overdrive, Hairspray, and The Diversion, a short film which he acted in and produced. On television, he has appeared in Army Wives, Damages, As the World Turns, Rescue Me, Law & Order, and New York Undercover. He received a BA degree from Skidmore College and an MFA from Vermont College.