A masterpiece of Biblical scope, and the magnum opus of one of America’s most enduring authors, in a commemorative hardcover edition In his journal, Nobel Prize winner John Steinbeck called East of Eden “the first book,” and indeed it has the primordial power and simplicity of myth. Set in the rich farmland of California’s Salinas Valley, this sprawling and often brutal novel follows the … novel follows the intertwined destinies of two families—the Trasks and the Hamiltons—whose generations helplessly reenact the fall of Adam and Eve and the poisonous rivalry of Cain and Abel.
The masterpiece of Steinbeck’s later years, East of Eden is a work in which Steinbeck created his most mesmerizing characters and explored his most enduring themes: the mystery of identity, the inexplicability of love, and the murderous consequences of love’s absence. Adapted for the 1955 film directed by Elia Kazan introducing James Dean, and read by thousands as the book that brought Oprah’s Book Club back, East of Eden has remained vitally present in American culture for over half a century.
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I’m finally going back and trying to read some of the classics I missed. This saga is as good as anything written today — truly enduring!
Well written.
I read this book years ago. I had forgotten a lot of it but I do remember it was a good read. I downloaded it and am currently reading it again. Love to get lost in a good book. I highly recommend this book.
Typical John Steinbeck. His writing is always good. I find it hard to put a book of his down once I’ve started reading.
Fantastic. I have read it more than once and I now feel that I know the
Main characters as people in my life.
Classic Steinbeck, wonderfully written rendition of the first chapters of Genesis, very loosely based and set in California’s Central Valley.
Wonderful take on the story of Cain and Abel.
East of Eden is one of those books you can read and read again and again. Very few authors create characters as vibrantly alive and multi-dimensional as he does. This book should be on everyone’s ‘must-read’ list.
Wonderful
Read it 17 times over the last 50 years
A great Steinbeck classic!
One of my all time favorites
Beautiful language and thought provoking.
It’s John Steinbeck, need I say more?
Love the classics. A must read.
One of my all time favorites
A. Classic
This is my favorite book of all time. Steinbeck is a masterful author. This story is a classic for good reason. It’s full of love, tragedy, cultural awakening, prejudice, evil, you name it. The characters he gave me have become a great part of my life. I believe this book is well worth the time you’ll spend reading and thinking about it.
Classic Steinbeck. Depressing. A lot of character development late into the novel. A bit rambling.
I consider this one of the best books I have ever read. No wonder it is considered one of the classics of American literature; it makes you feel like you are right there with the characters.