East of Eden by Steinbeck

The Book: East of Eden

The Author: John Steinbeck

The Publisher: Penguin Books, 2002

The Acquiring: Bought at Chapters several years ago… I’m sure for full price since none of their pretty covered classics ever go on sale.

My Thoughts: It's the best book I've ever read.This is one of the best books ever written... ever.. through time.. through... the entire Universe.  

When I finished I said to myself " Self, why haven't you read more Steinbeck?.. What is wrong with you?"

The story is incredible. When I was done, I just sat back in amazement and let the story run through my head again and again. It is one of those novels that will stay with me for a long time. Definitely in my top 10 books I'm glad I decided to read. The imagery of the Salinas Valley makes me want to visit California and see it for myself. 

Steinbeck waives the story in such a way that it incorporates all the social and cultural issues in society of the time then puts a spin on them and flips them upside on their heads.

If you have never read any Steinbeck then it's probably not the best book to start with.. You should go through something a little less lengthy like Of Mice and Men. I may change my mind when I read The Grapes of Wrath but I can't see how it you top this book. 

It's a master piece. You should read it... seriously. I know it's long but well worth it.

Plus, seriously.. isn't this the best photo of an author you've ever seen on a book cover..

The Lowdown:  The story begins with the competition for love and affection of a father who plays favorites between two brothers and how they manage to not kill each other, only to have the same struggle reveal itself in the next generation of brothers.

It's a somewhat modern take (it would have been modern at the time of publishing), on the Biblical story of Cain and Abel... Obviously since it's called East of Eden it has some .. or a lot parallels to the story. The book explores the human need for love, for greatness, of the need for acceptance, of guilty and ones capacity for self-destruction in searching for all of this. It's essentially about the the freedom we have as humans in the competition of choices between good and evil.

It's starts off with relationship between the brother Charles and Adam and how the competition was passed down to Adam's two sons (one which may or may not be Charles) for the love and affection of their fathers was brilliant. situation. How wrong choices can cause the soul of a man when fall in love with the wrong woman. Then the love and hate between the sons Caleb and Aron.

The other characters in the novel, like old Hamilton and Lee the Chinese servant, are just as interesting and intriguing in the own right but I couldn't possibly start to explain since the review is getting too long as it is. It was very much a story of real life messy.

Steinbeck can write such a strong female character and also a weak male character without making them the stereotypical bitch or feminized male. I mean, to a point, Cathy is a cold hearted bitch but she doesn't need to be the wife of a rich man to assert her power as she typically would have to have been at the time. She really does find it in her own in her own way. I can appreciate that.

The Goodreads Rating: I bet you can already guess what I rated it... yes, 5 million stars.

Now I need to find the movie with James Dean... which I know I will enjoy.. cause who wouldn't enjoy watching James Dean..