Steinbeck is huge favorite of mine, so I was excited when I learned that he would be the focus of this round of the Classics Circuit Tour. My first experience with Steinbeck was The Grapes of Wrath at 15 years old. I wasn't too excited about it either because I was required to read that behemoth of a book over my summer break for my Honors English class. I was surprised to find that I actually loved it (and I wasn't a big reader back then). Since then, I've enjoyed several of his other works, and he has yet to let me down.
Cannery Row has been on my list to read for a very long time. I've been wanting to read it since I discovered that I have a bit of a family connection to that area and time period. My great-great uncle Knut Hovden was the owner of one of the largest canneries in Monterey which has since been turned into the Monterey Bay Aquarium. In honor of the book, Monterey has changed the name of that street to Cannery Row. A few years ago my family visited Monterey and spent time on Cannery Row as well as visited the tide pools and the aquarium. While reading Cannery Row, it was interesting to see how it was described by Steinbeck at an earlier period in time, knowing how much it has changed.
After years of saying I was going to read it, I finally picked up my copy and read it on my train ride down to London last week. I read it in one day. Not surprising since it's short, but surprising in that I didn't want to put it down. Cannery Row doesn't have an overarching plot, but is more of a series of vignettes of the different characters in this town. Steinbeck characters are so well-drawn. Even the seemingly smallest of characters are given depth. Steinbeck's prose blows me away every time. The descriptions of the landscapes are so vivid and alive.
I love his focus on the community as a whole and their interactions with one another. The people in the town are an extremely diverse bunch. While the characters mean well, things don't always turn out as hoped for, but you can tell that they ultimately care about and look out for one another. Despite some of the awful things that happen in the book, there is a sense of optimism in the conclusion. Cannery Row is very different reading experience from Steinbeck's other novels, but equally as rewarding.
I've only read Steinbeck's nonfiction Travels with Charley but even there his descriptions are wonderful. My husband (who hasn't read anything in *years*) all of a sudden picked up Of Mice and Men a few weeks ago at the bookstore and devoured it. I've been meaning to pick it up off the coffee table but just haven't had the energy. I'm glad you liked this one, Kristi. Seems you don't hear as much about this one as others of his books.
ReplyDeleteI was also surprised to love this book. I was even more surprised to see the picture of the Madam in real life - she looked more like a kindly old lady you'd run into at the grocery store or something!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you loved it! It's such a gem. It's so cool that you have that personal connection to the Monterey canneries! You absolutely have to read Sweet Thursday now. These books give such a great contrast to some of his darker works.
ReplyDeleteWhat a cool connection. This is one of those books I always look at and say, "I know I'm gonna love that one." And yet I haven't read it yet.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to reading this at some point. Sounds wonderful!
ReplyDeleteI just bought a copy of this today. :)
ReplyDeleteI love that you have a connection to the book, and that you ended up liking it. :) And I agree with you, that Steinbeck really manages to give depth to all his characters. It is what I love most about his writing. I look forward to reading more of his work (I bought a total of 3 Steinbeck books today!)
I loved this book, I always recommend it to people who are a little afraid of his big works like Grapes of Wrath. It's a good introduction to Steinbeck. And I was surprised at how funny he is! The part with the frog-catching was just hilarious.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure the family connection helped this book to resonate more with you than it might have otherwise. I should read more Steinbeck. I've only read Grapes of Wrath.
ReplyDeleteTrish--I definitely want to get to Travels with Charley. How wonderful that your husband had such a great experience with Of Mice and Men. I hope if you get to it, you enjoy it just as much. It's a good one!
ReplyDeleterhapsodyinbooks--That's interesting about the Madam that inspired it. Steinbeck certainly wrote the Madam in Cannery Row very favorable.
Melissa--I will definitely be getting a copy of Sweet Thursday! I'm so excited that there is a sequel! Cannery Row really does have a lighter feel than his more traditional novels.
Shelley--I hope you get to it. It seems like you enjoy Steinbeck so I think it would be something you'd like.
Rebecca Reid--I hope you get a chance to read it. It's very different, but in a good way.
ReplyDeleteAllie--Yay for buying a copy! It's definitely one to own.
Karen K.--I loved the frog-catching part too! Poor Mack and the boys couldn't seem to catch a break for a while there.
Jenners--Cannery Row might be a good place to start for more Steinbeck. It's only about 200 pages. Not quite the time commitment of some of his others and a little of the lighter side as far as theme.
So interesting that you have a personal connection to Cannery Row, one of my favorite books.
ReplyDeleteWelcome back, Kristi! Nice to have you back after :) We have been waiting for your post-summer blog post for a while now :) Thanks for the wonderful review of 'Cannery Row'. I haven't read any of John Steinbeck's books, but I have 'Cannery Row' and 'Of Mice and Men' on my bookshelf. I need to get into them one of these days.
ReplyDeleteJaneGS--I'm glad to find so many people who have loved the book.
ReplyDeleteVishy--Thanks for the welcome back! I've been such an awful blogger! I'll have to try to get another post up soon. I hope you get a chance to read Steinbeck. He is a fantastic writer.
My only experience with Steinbeck was watching the movie version of Of Mice and Men when my 11th grade lit teacher realized, at the end of the year, that we were supposed to have covered the book but hadn't. I'd love to give him another chance, and your review makes me want to even more.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read nearly enough classics. Sad, especially for someone with a degree in English. I'm glad to have found your blog so I can get some great recommendations from you!
ReplyDeleteErin--I hope you get a chance to read some Steinbeck. I really think he's worth it.
ReplyDeleteSusan--Thanks for stopping by. I've been a bit of a blogging slacker lately, but I have quite a few books that I need to post on so hopefully I'll get some new reviews up soon. I bet as an English major you read some pretty great books in the process. I avoided all English classes in college and now I wish I hadn't. :)