united states

I'm german, but I spent a year in America and I had to write an essay about the book. I didn't know what it was about when I started reading, but after a few pages Steinbeck caught my attention with his way of writing. I was really impressed how he described his feelings towards the journey. After reading "Of mice and men" I had to correct the view I had of John Steinbeck. The way he describes people is just amazing. I mainly read the book to compare the characters I meet during my year in Kansas with those in the book. But not just the people intested me, also how much the society has changed in 40 years. And I was surprised. Steinbeck previewed several themes that are of importance nowadays. for example the enviromental pronlems we have. Also the lack of interest in political matters. But without Charley the book would never be what it is. One laughs about him(yellostone national Park) but one the other hand one suffers when Charley feel bad. I liked to read the book, because it is written in an easy to understad language. That' why I rated the book 5.

I first read this book when I was 12. At the time I thought it an entertaining book about a man I had never heard of an his journey across America. 4 years later I reread and rediscovered the book. The years have given me a new perspective on this book. Unlike Kerouc's solopsistic and dated "On the Road", Steinbeck writes with a genuine love of this country. He chronicles details with a writers flair but without the subtle arrogance of a book like "Making of the President, 1960". Steinbeck is distinguished in his eye for detail, he movingly tells of a small black girl being walked to school, her tiny, gloved, hand clutched inside that of a burly officer. Charley provides a light tone to the book amid telling commentary on the nature of America and such social trends as our migration to the suburbs. In summary, a compelling tale told in a loving fashion about idiosyncratic, genuinely decent people.

I recently bought the library binding so that I could loan this book to my friends and students and not worry about it falling apart from use. However, I'm more than slightly disappointed with the quality. The library binding is nothing more than the mass market paperback in a hard cover. The paper is thin, dark, and of the poorest quality; the binding is of questionable stability and I doubt it will last as long as I had expected, and the overall feel and look of the book are poor.

The content of the book, however, is fantastic. Steinbeck shows the reader a side of America which, even in the early sixties, seemed extinct. What the book still offers is a glimpse of America's core: Steinbeck sought out and found the small and quiet remains of the foundation of what makes America such a unique country. Most striking of all is that this is a book that could have been written just five or ten years ago -- it is incredibly timeless.

This book is a book to be read, not displayed, and Penguin's editions reflect this in their pure non-displayability. I suggest that when you go to buy this book you buy it used. Save yourself some money and buy copies which are just as good (my used copies are actually much nicer) and far cheaper than the library binding or the paperback version.