Goodreads Ireland discussion

Wow, I guess no one is reading this. I just did a buddy read on Tortilla Flats and Cannery Row and was not read to dig into another Steinbeck yet.

Goes back to the nominator and seconding member who should take the lead on books they put forward.

I read it and enjoyed it but didn't think it was anything special.

Donna wrote: "I read it and enjoyed it but didn't think it was anything special."

Donna, did you read it in high school like I did?

I didn't Susan, this was the first time for me.

Paul wrote: "Goes back to the nominator and seconding member who should take the lead on books they put forward."

I nominated and posted a couple of comments on the original thread but only had one comment, so assumed no-one was reading it. As a result I'm afraid I've only just looked at the spoiler thread. Sorry.

Paul can be a little abrupt at times, Charlie. Don't take it to heart. I just was surprised that there wasn't more discussion. I have no room to talk as I didn't re-read it. I do love Steinbeck though and am always glad to expand our horizons.

Susan, I haven't read Cannery Row, would you recommend?

Apologies Charlie , I do see your input in the other thread.
It dies however leave a seconder and s number if voters who just havent bothered to read the book.
I dont understand those who will take part in these polls then dissapear when there books win.
Apologies again Charlieas my inititial comment was 100% unfair on you .
It came from frustration that a lot of people are voting in polls with no intention of taking part.

No problem Paul, I didn't take offence, was just clarifying. I share your frustration because I was looking forward to a discussion on the novel.

No worries Charlie. Its a shame .

Emma wrote: "Surely a number of members in the group had to read this in school and wouldn't need to read it again to participate in the discussion."
Ten voted for it anyway.
Sadly not one of the Steinbeck books I read , not an author I enjoyed hugely, quality writing but not a style I enjoy.

Yes, Charlie, I would recommend Cannery Row. It is really one of his most amazing.

I find his classics are not always my favorites. This was an important book as it depicted such a horrific time in our history. It's not often than authors write about ordinary people but Steinbeck does it exceedingly well.

I love Steinbeck but maybe because he lived in my neck of the woods and I am quite familiar with the places he writes about. It always takes me by surprise how Monterrey is depicted in his books and how it is now, a playground for the rich. Still Monterrey does a good job in keeping in touch with its roots. I go there about every 18 months as I love their aquarium.

The times are poignant to me because they remind me so much of my grandfather's stories as he wandered Calif. as an oil worker, a rancher and even painting the Golden Gate Bridge which is a full-time job. It takes 3 years to paint it and when you get done, you start right back over.

It is interesting in these current tjmes to reflect on the mass displacement of families at the behest of big business. Also, how, like in response to the terrible events in England in recent weeks, people help each other in adversity, despite their differences.

I had never thought of that, Emma. It may be an American connection although I know Allan loves Steinbeck.

Charlie, it has been my experience that those with the least are usually those with the least. These are the people Steinbeck usually writes about. In Cannery Row they are sleeping in the outdoors and when one gets a house they all move in together. Everybody contributes everything they have The rich, on the other hand, contribute pennies.

My grandfather had a rough time in the Depression. My uncles would take off school to go deer hunting for food. Yet, his two younger brothers moved in to finish high school. They had nothing and took in two more. Of course, then the brothers were the ones who took off school to hunt.

I just got this link from a friend and thought it was perfect for this discussion:


https://www.newyorker.com/humor/daily...

I think my favourite character is the preacher, Casy. Initially seeming like a figure of fun then, as his back-story unfolds, he emerges as a very troubled individual, struggling with his urges and his beliefs - the human dilemma I guess. Casy desperately wants to be good but is consumed by guilt so has cast off his mantle of preacher. As a result he actually becomes a more effective preacher and after his final sacrifice it ensures his message will be carried on. Good analysis of the character at https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literatur....

What an interesting piece, Charlie. Steinbeck often has characters that are struggling with their faith. To a God Unknown and East of Eden both deal with this struggle. It's a theme he uses often and well.

Having looked through the rest of those study notes, Susan, it suggests Casy is actually an embodiment of Steinbeck's philosophical beliefs, so perhaps it's not surprising that it turns up in other works.

Hi Cphe. Personally I thought the writing in East of Eden was excellent and enjoyed it a lot, although I wouldn't rate it above Grapes of Wrath. I'd certainly recommend reading it though.

Cphe wrote: "I've been recommended East of Eden many times over the years (it's sitting in my TBR mountain)

Would either of you recommend it as the best Steinbeck - how would you rate it?"

Cphe, I think East of Eden is my favorite. It's hard to beat a good Cain and Abel story (again the Biblical reference), I read it when Oprah picked it for her book club and was instantly drawn in.

Looks like we're in a new month and there's a new book, so thanks to those who joined in the discussion. Shame there weren't a few more. I picked up a couple of suggestions on other Steinbeck novels so it was worth it anyway.

Steinbeck is always worthwhile, Charlie. Thanks for nominating it.

Sorry, I voted in this poll but I didn't get a chance to read it. I had a bad eye infection during a good part of June and wasn't able to read as much. I hope to read this at some stage soon.

You never have to apologize. This isn't a job. It's a place to have fun. Hope your eye is better.

i finally finished this book! it took my awhile because it made me feel like I was back in highschool. lol
I loved of mice and men but the grapes of Wrath I just couldn't read as fast.

I don't know if I liked the ending. it was just weird.

do yourself a big favour, read East of Eden as soon as you can. I only wish I could read it for the first time again. Some books stay with you forever.

I agree, John. Easily my favorite Steinbeck.

East of Eden is a wonderful book - though I still prefer Grapes of Wrath ha ha.

Great Declan. Let us know what you think.

Might be tempted to a reread myself in that case, Declan.

Having finished my reread of this, l have to say that, once again the book blew me away. I loved the way Steinbeck interspersed the story of the Joads with the chapters that gave the general narrative of the experiences of those forced West, as well as helping to explain the reasoning behind their treatment when they arrived in California.

What I couldn’t remember picking up on before was how the California farmers were being squeezed by the banks / corporations, and in some cases letting the fruit rot rather than picking it because they couldn’t afford to sell the fruit for as low a price as what the canneries were offering - canneries owned by the same banks / corporations. I’m assuming - and I’ll need to rely on Susan for info on this - that the farms in California are mainly larger affairs these days as a result of this time? The whole idea of letting the fruit rot while the people starved was almost reminiscent to me of the situation in Ireland during the famine.

Steinbeck’s sympathies toward the migrants and the organised labour movement were very much in evidence, as we know - I loved the govt camp vibe, rosy as the whole setup seemed to be. The whole ‘reds’ notion, driven as it was by the fear of the landowners having their land taken from them, in the same way that their ancestors had themselves taken the land as Steinbeck ironically points out, was something I found really interesting, predating the whole McCarthyism era as the book did.

Like someone mentioned above, I loved Ma as a character - in my view the bedrock of the family, working as she did to keep everything together. The whole notion of Al ‘tomcatting’ about the place entertained me, showing a very different reality to that possibly portrayed when looking back at the morals of the era - Casy’s own philandering after leading meetings seemed to back this up.

I’m not sure what I think of the way that the book ended, although the image was obviously amazingly powerful. I can’t help surmising what happened to the family - was there any sort of happy ending? I should really do a bit of research as to the fate of the migrants in real life. The fact that there was no relief or assistance for them beggars belief, but I suppose that’s me speaking from a country with a well established welfare system, which was itself only set up after the book was written.

I listened to this book on my way to work each morning, and it was amazing how many mornings I went in with the themes provoking thoughts for a good while after finishing my commute. It’s a book that I feel is still massively relevant today - I heard recently that some sort of dispute as to film rights may well have been resolved, so we might eventually see a modern interpretation of the story bringing the story to those who might not know it.

As my old history professor used to say, a real ‘tour de force’!

This book really touched me because it is the story in many ways of my paternal family. Yes, Allan, farms are now huge and it is almost impossible for a small farmer to eke out a living. That is easing now with the growth of the organic market which the small farmer can do and the large farmers rely on chemicals. So there may be a turn around on that.

My grandparents came from Sweden. My grandfather became an egg rancher, a term I am still unclear about to this day. My father rarely talked about his childhood other than to say he worked hard his whole life so I wouldn't have a childhood like his. He was the oldest of five. My grandmother and her sister worked in a peach cannery that was miserable work. They stood in water up to their knees. They gave my father a job in the cannery office on school breaks but my mother had the job of standing in water. She was so angry and only did it one summer. I guess the idea of women in the office wasn't quite acceptable yet.

You would be surprised how well many of the migrant families did, Allan. The parents worked hard all their lives and their children had that work ethic. Calif. did not have a good welfare system but it does have an amazing education system. Community colleges (2 year schools) are free to residents. Colleges and universities are reasonable to residents and there are lots of economic programs. Of course, there is a big row now as the schools are accepting more international and out of state students because they pay much higher tuition. It makes it harder for residents who have paid the taxes all their lives to get it in. Janet Napolitano, former Homeland Security Chief and Current UC University president, had come into a lot of flak for making policies like that. Sorry I digress.

Someday, when you have time I can tell you about my paternal grandparents. My grandfather came west in a wagon train and was one of 12. His sister kept a diary so we have a book about the journey and used to recreate the wagon train ride every 4 years. It has died out now but was an amazing adventure for a child. They settled in Idaho and in the winter the 4 oldest boys were sent out to stay with the sheep and the snow was so bad no one could get to them. When WWI was declared, they were drafted but no one could let know so they were declared AWOL. It took a while in the Spring to work it out but the government was happy to take them. My grandfather was an amazing man who worked with Jimmy Doolittle in the war as a mechanic, painted the Golden Gate bridge (it takes 4 years and then you start all over), backpacked a baby grand piano into the hills for Louis L'amour, chauffered for a sugar heir from Spreckles, worked the oil fields and was an almond rancher. What a man.

Thanks for the info, Susan! The whole issue of state residency and education entitlement came up in the book as well, where the migrants were purposely shifted from pillar to post so that they couldn't claim to be a resident and therefore claim any kind of rights that might be afforded - another reason for the hostility toward the govt camp.

It's hard to argue with the fact that our ancestors had both more varied and more difficult lives than we have today - despite all the adventure, I think that I prefer the 21st century life...

Me too.

Oh my gosh, could you imagine a world without libraries? I would shrivel up and die!