# What is John Steinbeck’s best novel?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-john-steinbeck-s-best-novel/510281
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [September 16, 2009, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-john-steinbeck-s-best-novel/510281 "2009-09-16T04:37:58Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@FlippyFly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlippyFly)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2009, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-john-steinbeck-s-best-novel/510281/1 "2009-09-16T04:37:58Z")
I just finished Cannery Row and I really enjoyed John Steinbeck’s writing style. I am interested in reading more of his work. What is generally regarded as his best novel? I’m not a huge reader, so in the event of a tie shorter novel wins (‘cause I know he has some loooong ones).
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### Author:  [@poker\_in\_the\_rear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/poker_in_the_rear)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2009, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-john-steinbeck-s-best-novel/510281/2 "2009-09-16T04:40:22Z")
Don’t know about best but if you liked Cannery Row Sweet Thursday is the logical next choice.
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### Author:  [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2009, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-john-steinbeck-s-best-novel/510281/3 "2009-09-16T04:41:13Z")
Generally regarded as? _Grapes of Wrath_
Actual best? _Tortilla Flat_
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### Author:  [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2009, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-john-steinbeck-s-best-novel/510281/4 "2009-09-16T04:46:52Z")
Haven’t read enough of his stuff to answer this question but The Red Pony and Of Mice and Men were both great when I read them in middle school.
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### Author:  [@Hrududu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hrududu)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2009, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-john-steinbeck-s-best-novel/510281/5 "2009-09-16T08:24:18Z")
The Grapes of Wrath is probably considered his best. My favourite is East of Eden.
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### Author:  [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2009, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-john-steinbeck-s-best-novel/510281/6 "2009-09-16T08:39:06Z")
Well if you are looking for short reads, try _Of Mice and Men_ and _The Red Pony_. Both are terrific.
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### Author:  [@Dave\_Hartwick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dave_Hartwick)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2009, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-john-steinbeck-s-best-novel/510281/7 "2009-09-16T09:31:50Z")
_The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights_ is Steinbeck’s retelling of the legend. I’ve only read _Wrath_, _Red Pony_, _Winter of Our Discontent_ (a stinker, IMO), _Cannery Row_, and _The Pearl_, but I remember enjoying _King Arthur_ the most. As I remember it, it was short and ended abruptly as Steinbeck died before he could finish it.
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### Author:  [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2009, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-john-steinbeck-s-best-novel/510281/8 "2009-09-16T12:32:48Z")
I prefer _East of Eden_. \*The Wayward Bus \*is underrated.
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### Author:  [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2009, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-john-steinbeck-s-best-novel/510281/9 "2009-09-16T14:08:22Z")
I love _Of Mice and Men_.
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### Author:  [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2009, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-john-steinbeck-s-best-novel/510281/10 "2009-09-16T14:11:56Z")
If you’re not a big reader, _Of Mice and Men_ is a great, swift punch in the gut.
My favorite of his is _East of Eden_, but I haven’t read Cannery Row or some of his less well-known novels.
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### Author:  [@ShelliBean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShelliBean)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2009, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-john-steinbeck-s-best-novel/510281/11 "2009-09-16T14:57:07Z")
_East of Eden_ is my favorite of Steinbeck and on the top ten of all time. I like _Of Mice and Men_ but haven’t read it in a long time. I have a well worn copy of EoE that I am always trying to give to people to read to share the joy.
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### Author:  [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2009, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-john-steinbeck-s-best-novel/510281/12 "2009-09-16T15:00:46Z")
I’ve only read a few of his books. I guess _Grapes of Wrath_ is generally regarded to be his best. The only one that I’ve read more than once, though, is _The Moon Is Down_. I really like the lyrical and eerie use of language. It’s quite short, so if you don’t like it, you’re not wasting much time.
_Grapes of Wrath_ does have one of my all-time-favorite descriptions, though. I loved the comparison of farm equipment to monstrous insects. That really stuck with me for some reason.
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### Author:  [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2009, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-john-steinbeck-s-best-novel/510281/13 "2009-09-16T15:23:44Z")
_Travels with Charlie_, if you’re a dog lover.
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### Author:  [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2009, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-john-steinbeck-s-best-novel/510281/14 "2009-09-16T15:49:49Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#):
>
> _Travels with Charlie_, if you’re a dog lover.
Or _Travels with Charley_, if you’re a spelling nazi. 😛
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### Author:  [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2009, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-john-steinbeck-s-best-novel/510281/15 "2009-09-16T16:01:19Z")
My favorite is _East of Eden_. I find _Grapes_ a little ponderous and gloomy, and I’ve never thought the ending worked at all. I find the final image more grotesque than inspirational.
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### Author:  [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2009, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-john-steinbeck-s-best-novel/510281/16 "2009-09-16T16:20:23Z")
> [@Rebo](#):
>
> I love _Of Mice and Men_.
I second that, I’m just stupid about this book.
It’s the only book that I finished as a high school assignment, then bought and read again (and again) years later on my own.
It doesn’t hurt that I keep thinking of the Warner Brothers cartoons with the Abominable Snowman who wants a bunny rabbit of his very own, does it?
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### Author:  [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2009, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-john-steinbeck-s-best-novel/510281/17 "2009-09-16T17:17:39Z")
Of Mice and Men is probably my favorite book.
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### Author:  [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2009, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-john-steinbeck-s-best-novel/510281/18 "2009-09-16T17:20:35Z")
> [@lissener](#):
>
> Or _Travels with Charley_, if you’re a spelling nazi. 😛
That one’s good, too.
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### Author:  [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2009, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-john-steinbeck-s-best-novel/510281/19 "2009-09-16T17:25:17Z")
_Grapes of Wrath_ seems to be regarded as his best, but I don’t care for it. My favorite is _East of Eden_, which seems to me to be the more thoughtful and mature book. It’s a very contemplative read, and it’s the one that Steinbeck himself thought was his best work. If you want short, though, _Of Mice And Men_ isn’t more than a hundred pages, if memory serves, and it’s quite good.
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### Author:  [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)
#### Post date: [September 16, 2009, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-john-steinbeck-s-best-novel/510281/20 "2009-09-16T18:02:45Z")
Since a lot of posters are buzzing in to vote for _East of Eden_ over _Grapes of Wrath_, I’ll plug _Grapes of Wrath_.
As usual though, I’m relying on very faint memories of things I read decades ago.
_Eden_ had some symbolism that struck me as pretty silly (the tree is Dad) and there was a sex scene that seemed more glib than honest.
_Wrath_ had a few Norman Rockwell moments, but plenty of toughness to make up for them. It was an entertaining book that dealt with real social issues in a fair but uncompromising manner.
I liked it a lot. I didn’t expect much from it in the beginning, but it made my list of 10 favorite novels (back when I still kinda had a list.)
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