Hey everyone! I just wanted to give a little context about my Of Mice and Men review. You’ll notice it’s not my most articulate video (I’m a bit of a hot mess) and that’s because I was capturing my raw, unfiltered reactions to the book. Honestly, I struggled with this one. I didn’t enjoy it, but I found it hard to fully articulate why at the time. Since posting, I’ve learned quite a bit about some aspects I missed, particularly the importance of the time period. I went into Of Mice and Men cold, and I think that did me-and the reading of the work-a bit of a disservice. Reflecting on it now, I can confidently say I didn’t like the book. One major issue for me was how Steinbeck created certain characters, like Slim, who seemed significant but ultimately didn’t go anywhere. The overall tone of the read was incredibly bleak, which didn’t sit well with me. I also genuinely didn’t like the character of George, despite many of you pointing out the nuance in his character. Your comments have been enlightening, but I’m sticking with my gut feelings on this one. Thanks for engaging in such thoughtful discussions and sharing your perspectives-it really adds depth to our conversations!
I don't think he was trying to write a book you were supposed to enjoy. It's not a work that implores you to see humanity in people. You're supposed to see all the ugliness. How each character uses their place in the plot to leverage against other characters and how the only person that is uniquely absolved of that politic is lenny. It's a tragedy on purpose, not on accident. Try Tortilla flat... it might shine some light on this idea. George may be the main character, but I think by the end of the book, you're supposed to see the juxtaposition. You're not supposed to align with this person. You're supposed to see the reality and feel something. What that something is isn't nailed down. It's up to you to point to the meaning. I just imagined reading this in 1940. To a God unknown is also interesting. I just had a thought: How would you write the Jordan Neeley story? Who would be the protagonist and who the antagonist in that story, if it was just supposed to be a perspective held by one of the people who agree it was OK...
George was "in" the politics of the time. He was not good. He used lenny just as much as he helped him. But mostly for his own gain. Was he sad because lenny didn't deserve it. Or was he mad because he was going to lose his crutch....
I have read this book for school (as a teacher) and emphasized the time period and the personal qualities or failures of the characters. I think the stress of the 30s is depicted in this book brilliantly.
These characters have to be understood in the context of the period. Steinbeck's books are set in the Depression, and the characters are often in situations of desperation, barely making it through life. George has doubtlessly been saddled with Lenny but has accepted this responsibility. That doesn't make it easy, and as someone previously stated, he probably had extreme caretaker's fatigue. He ends up having to make a heartbreaking decision about Lenny's fate. As someone also said earlier, Steinbeck's characters are often deeply flawed but very complex and often with their own version of nobility. Please read Cannery Row! It is hilariously funny but perfectly illustrates this point with its wonderfully quirky characters and plot. I really enjoy your book discussions and would like to see more in-depth reviews like this!
Wow! I read this book in high school in the 70s. And have reread/and listened to it many times since. Never once have I ever thought that George was abusive to Lenny! Never. I think however that George has what we now call caretaker or compassion fatigue. Those things are depicted as dreams of what would be if only things were different. And we all have those thoughts. I also think that this book is a perfect example of how our society/people has changed now that we have become more affluent. There's a word for it, but I can't remember it. I am sorry you did not like the book, because it obviously affected you, and it looks like this book will remain with you for a long time. To me that is the definition of a good book. And just to let you know, the well developed character that plays dumb, but knows a lot more than he lets on, is a common theme in Steinbeck's books. You hit the nail on the head there. Sorry this is so long Karla
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the book and George's character! I'm absolutely okay with being wrong or changing my mind with the book. Having thought about the book further, I realize that I was disappointed that Steinbeck didn't do more with certain characters like Slim. The whole thing made me so sad, but in a bleak way...
Oh my, this book can change your life. I love Steinbeck, just finished East of Eden and wow, couldn’t put it down. Love grapes of wrath. Steinbeck tells it like it is and so much history to be learned in his novels. I felt that George loved Lenny
I'm so sorry you didn't like Of Mice and Men. It's certainly not easy content, and the characters have moral failings that make it hard to root for/like them. I saw it less as a message about being lucky/grateful for the connections we have and more a message about injustice, the world's impact on dreams, and the complexity of connection and compassion. The dual nature of George, a man who honestly was pretty selfish but also had some feeling of loyalty or at least sense of duty towards Lennie, was something I found interesting...and human. Not that I condone much of what happened in this book, but I think grappling with dreams and the way some things or people may hold us back from reaching them is a very human experience. It's been a long time since I read this one, so I for sure need to reread and see if I feel differently as an adult. Thanks for sharing your experience and perspective! Isn't it so interesting how we all can pull different themes and ideas from the same books?
Yes! Absolutely. And it’s your comment and the comments many others that have made me think my position on the book. I still didn’t like it, but Steinbeck is writing about a time when work and friendships were scarce. Thanks again.
Oh dear! I love Steinbeck precisely because of his accurate depiction of times and people. I grew up in the 50s and 60s with people just like all of the characters in OM&M. I did meet most of those in public school and then worked with many of them as an adult. Maybe you missed those experiences since you were home schooled and have worked mostly in private schools? I'm sorry the book was disturbing for you, though. 😕 Thank you for the review.
Maybe you're right. I've worked with people like our characters in this book, but I tend to be a Pollyanna about, well, everything. I also felt tremendously sad about the bleakness of the story which is weird because I read Ethan Frome which is bleak and I loved it. Hm. I'll have to chew it over a bit more.
I really enjoy this deep dive format Shelly! There are so many books recommended online that I know I'll never get to but am interested in knowing about so this is a fun way to "read it" without having to read it!
Oh my goodness, I saw the thumbnail and had to click. I just relived my experience with this book through watching yours. You are definitely not alone. So many people talk of their love for this book and I absolutely hated it. I have even thought about revisiting it because I wonder what I missed but you just reaffirmed my feelings. Sorry you had such a terrible experience but you are not alone.
I always thought that the ugliness that occurs in this book is connected to the oppressive systemic unrootedness for lower class single men at the time. When you're treated like an animal without honor, you become an animal without honor.
@Shellyish moreover, when a job lasts only a short term and cand disappear at the snap of a finger, you don't make connections because what would be the use. There are some classics that transcend the period they were written like Austen. But Steinbeck is tied to the 30s and doesn't often transcend the period. If anything, it being taught may not show students themes applicable to their lives today but demonstrate a time capsule of the bleakness of the Depression. Though I think that if schools should do this effectively they should pair it with Spencer's Mountain by Earl Hamner, Jr. This shows a rooted and loving family that has such beautiful depictions of sacrifices and love. But no high school has time in their curriculum for such comparative reading.
@ I love that you’re sharing this! I was so confused by the overwhelming bleakness Steinbeck had to offer. Makes sense that his work isn’t as transcendent as other popular authors. Maybe I’ll do some of that comparative reading!! 😌😌
@Shellyish I think you're in for a treat with Spencer's Mountain. And if I know your tastes, you prefer the more transcendent classic than the cultural/temporal artifact classic. So Of Mice and Men would never work for you. But I think East of Eden will. It's transcendent even though a lot of the characters are sort of terrible.
I have this on my tbr as I’ve never read any Steinbeck and it’s such a well-loved book (and small!) so thought I’d start with this. Coming back to this once I’ve read it!
You poor thing. Steinbeck is traumatizing you! I loved that book, but probably because I felt it was about lost opportunities in friendship. To me this book is the opposite of today's popular found family. It's lost family and missed opportunities for friendship. I felt it was more about how easy it is to miss out on better friendships because we get caught up in the wrong things (race, power, work, even dreaming). Almost everyone had the opportunity to be a better person and make friends but they frequently ended up in silos or in poor excuses of friendship. Even the choice at the end was against true friendship. Bleak indeed!
Steinbeck is dark. It's another author that would be perfect for Misery May reading. It's not a feel good "I love reading this' book but I truly appreciated how much it did make me think about the implications of human nature and how we can either be stuck in that or make other choices. I'm reading a ton of his books right now. I'm not sure you should read any more. Even East of Eden is still very tragic and dark- though lots of interesting plot twists. We do not have to love all authors- even famous ones. I'm actually not a Hemingway or Dickens fan.
I read this story decades ago, but I distinctly remember feeling that George really loved Lenny even though he was mean to him at times. Steinbeck was a real champion of social justice & that period of history was very bleak. People were starving & many were just looking out for themselves. In other words, he told it like it was. I loved Grapes of Wrath & especially loved East of Eden which is a book that I rank as one of the best books I've ever read. I think you should try reading East of Eden.
I read Of Mice and Men in the spring of '95, my freshwoman year of high school (taught at the tenth grade honors level). I liked it, being that weird kid who almost always enjoyed required readings in English class and often finished them well ahead of the rest of the class. It's very true to the brutal realities of the historical era, and as someone from a family with deep proletarian roots, I appreciate books that accurately reflect the poor and working-class world. If you like classic cinema, I recommend the 1939 film version with Burgess Meredith and Lon Chaney, Jr.
Whilst Of Mice and Men isn't my favorite Steinbeck (that is East of Eden), it is a memorable tale from a dark period in American history (The Depression). It was interesting to hear your take of the book, I think it is a book we want to have read but it isn't pleasant to read.
Don't give up on Steinbeck. I haven't read The Red Pony yet because I've heard about the animal cruelty. Choose one that is his best like East of Eden, The Pearl, Grapes of Wrath.
I remember this book from high school - and that was a long time ago. I think any book that makes that kind of impression is worth reading. A few years ago I read Kristin Hannah's The Four Winds. I was surprised with all the rave reviews, thinking at the time that Steinbeck did the dustbowl exodus so much better.
I haven’t read Steinbeck since high school when we read Grapes of Wrath. I remember not being a huge fan of it but not the reason why 😂 I do it put me off trying any others though
Reviewing a book after 15 pages is a little odd. Yes, george was saying mean things to Lenny, but you have to react to it in a historical context, if george was really evil, he could have abandoned him at any time. The book is short but brilliant. It's about loneliness and a need for connection. The loneliness creates anger. What about curly, his wife , Crooks, the old man, all the other farm workers? Read the whole thing. George loved Lennie. George needed Lennieas much as Lonnie needed george. Steinbeck was a straight up genius.
Literature doesn't have to be feel good, it got you asking questions, and its not a long book. It's why its on so many school syllabuses. There's probably a male/female divide here too, it's accessable and relatable to teenage boy's, a demographic that doesn't like to read.
Absolutely! I completely agree. Because of the polarizing nature of the year, I think it'd make an amazing discussion book especially for high school students.
Shelly, I follow you and several other book influencers. I have missed Steve Donaghue tremendously and have been concerned about him. He hasnt been posting and I don’t know how to find out…Although I don’t know him personally, I do love his content and know you do as well. Any word on Steve?
Steve has been posting on Substack - so he's alive and well! I wonder if he's just taking some time to get back to youtube. He's great at getting back to his emails if you'd like to email him.
@ thank you for your kind response! I would love to do that! I’m just a wife, mom. Nobody really, in the scheme of things. But I really enjoy your content and Steve’s. Have a great day!
I just finished East of Eden by Steinbeck and fully expected to love it. I didn’t. I had similar issues with the characters. They did not feel real; their dialogue served as opportunities for Steinbeck to philosophize and felt very unnatural to me. I wanted more subtlety with the themes, but he hammers them home.
Yes! For such a short book, I was wondering why some of the characters were even introduced like Slim (what purpose did he serve in the book?). Definitely a book that's driving a point home.
My vote would have been for Tender is the Flesh. It is so good if you can handle the disturbing content. I will warn you there is a scene of animal cruelty involving some dogs/puppies.
Green eyed People. I knew the smile would leave ya and I just wanted to say, "Maybe stop reading now." I think the message of Steinbeck, McCarthy et al, is that life is a train you get on and you can't say, " I want off." Because you won't get off...until you do. Possibly the most astounding literary experiences I've had was the Audible versions of The Passenger and the follow on Stella Maris by Cormac McCarthy a year or so ago (Just before he died). Anyway, in answer, Siloed, yes;. Answers, yes, but they are very hard to find, and maybe these Guys shouldn't just be putting this stuff out there.
Oooh i haven't read this one and after listening to you and reading through the comments, I'm not feeling like i need to, either. East of Eden i do want to try.
I just finished this last night. You are not alone in disliking this book. I felt the same way about George, treatment of animals, etc... it is ok to not like it. I sure didn't.
2:38 "...from the highway in the evening to jungle up near water in front of the low horizon limb..." jungle up? I had to check the closed captioning to see if the word was jumble. The entire passage is just a jungle of words for me. I'm not a Steinbeck fan & remeber this book from high school. I don't like its overall message either. Out of those book choices you def should'a chose Hitchhiker's Guide to The Galaxy. It's a joyous romp of language & the author's voice and story is so much fun. Have you read The Sea Wolf by Jack London? I just re-read it after 40 years (read in high school) and it was interesting.
Of Mice and Men was memorable but in the worst way possible. I absolutely hated the story. I'm glad it was short because I will never get that time back.
Yuck. Of Mice and Men, Grapes of Wrath and Catcher in the Rye are amongst my most loathed books. Thank you for your thoughtful perspectives on Of Mice and Men.
Hey everyone! I just wanted to give a little context about my Of Mice and Men review. You’ll notice it’s not my most articulate video (I’m a bit of a hot mess) and that’s because I was capturing my raw, unfiltered reactions to the book. Honestly, I struggled with this one. I didn’t enjoy it, but I found it hard to fully articulate why at the time. Since posting, I’ve learned quite a bit about some aspects I missed, particularly the importance of the time period. I went into Of Mice and Men cold, and I think that did me-and the reading of the work-a bit of a disservice.
Reflecting on it now, I can confidently say I didn’t like the book. One major issue for me was how Steinbeck created certain characters, like Slim, who seemed significant but ultimately didn’t go anywhere. The overall tone of the read was incredibly bleak, which didn’t sit well with me. I also genuinely didn’t like the character of George, despite many of you pointing out the nuance in his character. Your comments have been enlightening, but I’m sticking with my gut feelings on this one. Thanks for engaging in such thoughtful discussions and sharing your perspectives-it really adds depth to our conversations!
I don't think he was trying to write a book you were supposed to enjoy. It's not a work that implores you to see humanity in people. You're supposed to see all the ugliness. How each character uses their place in the plot to leverage against other characters and how the only person that is uniquely absolved of that politic is lenny. It's a tragedy on purpose, not on accident. Try Tortilla flat... it might shine some light on this idea. George may be the main character, but I think by the end of the book, you're supposed to see the juxtaposition. You're not supposed to align with this person. You're supposed to see the reality and feel something. What that something is isn't nailed down. It's up to you to point to the meaning. I just imagined reading this in 1940. To a God unknown is also interesting.
I just had a thought: How would you write the Jordan Neeley story? Who would be the protagonist and who the antagonist in that story, if it was just supposed to be a perspective held by one of the people who agree it was OK...
George was "in" the politics of the time. He was not good. He used lenny just as much as he helped him. But mostly for his own gain. Was he sad because lenny didn't deserve it. Or was he mad because he was going to lose his crutch....
I have read this book for school (as a teacher) and emphasized the time period and the personal qualities or failures of the characters. I think the stress of the 30s is depicted in this book brilliantly.
That's so helpful, Kami! Thank you!
These characters have to be understood in the context of the period. Steinbeck's books are set in the Depression, and the characters are often in situations of desperation, barely making it through life. George has doubtlessly been saddled with Lenny but has accepted this responsibility. That doesn't make it easy, and as someone previously stated, he probably had extreme caretaker's fatigue. He ends up having to make a heartbreaking decision about Lenny's fate. As someone also said earlier, Steinbeck's characters are often deeply flawed but very complex and often with their own version of nobility. Please read Cannery Row! It is hilariously funny but perfectly illustrates this point with its wonderfully quirky characters and plot.
I really enjoy your book discussions and would like to see more in-depth reviews like this!
Thank you for this kind and enlightening comment. You’ve given me a lot to chew on!
Wow! I read this book in high school in the 70s.
And have reread/and listened to it many times since. Never once have I ever thought that George was abusive to Lenny! Never. I think however that George has what we now call caretaker or compassion fatigue. Those things are depicted
as dreams of what would be if only things were different. And we all have those thoughts.
I also think that this book is a perfect example of how our society/people has changed now that we have become more affluent. There's a word for it, but I can't remember it.
I am sorry you did not like the book, because it obviously affected you, and it looks like this book will remain with you for a long time. To me that is the definition of a good book. And just to let you know, the well developed character that plays dumb, but knows a lot more than he lets on, is a common theme in Steinbeck's books. You hit the nail on the head there.
Sorry this is so long
Karla
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the book and George's character! I'm absolutely okay with being wrong or changing my mind with the book. Having thought about the book further, I realize that I was disappointed that Steinbeck didn't do more with certain characters like Slim. The whole thing made me so sad, but in a bleak way...
Oh my, this book can change your life. I love Steinbeck, just finished East of Eden and wow, couldn’t put it down. Love grapes of wrath.
Steinbeck tells it like it is and so much history to be learned in his novels. I felt that George loved Lenny
Thank you, Vicki!
I'm so sorry you didn't like Of Mice and Men. It's certainly not easy content, and the characters have moral failings that make it hard to root for/like them. I saw it less as a message about being lucky/grateful for the connections we have and more a message about injustice, the world's impact on dreams, and the complexity of connection and compassion. The dual nature of George, a man who honestly was pretty selfish but also had some feeling of loyalty or at least sense of duty towards Lennie, was something I found interesting...and human. Not that I condone much of what happened in this book, but I think grappling with dreams and the way some things or people may hold us back from reaching them is a very human experience. It's been a long time since I read this one, so I for sure need to reread and see if I feel differently as an adult. Thanks for sharing your experience and perspective! Isn't it so interesting how we all can pull different themes and ideas from the same books?
Yes! Absolutely. And it’s your comment and the comments many others that have made me think my position on the book. I still didn’t like it, but Steinbeck is writing about a time when work and friendships were scarce. Thanks again.
Oh dear! I love Steinbeck precisely because of his accurate depiction of times and people. I grew up in the 50s and 60s with people just like all of the characters in OM&M. I did meet most of those in public school and then worked with many of them as an adult. Maybe you missed those experiences since you were home schooled and have worked mostly in private schools? I'm sorry the book was disturbing for you, though. 😕 Thank you for the review.
Maybe you're right. I've worked with people like our characters in this book, but I tend to be a Pollyanna about, well, everything. I also felt tremendously sad about the bleakness of the story which is weird because I read Ethan Frome which is bleak and I loved it. Hm. I'll have to chew it over a bit more.
I really enjoy this deep dive format Shelly! There are so many books recommended online that I know I'll never get to but am interested in knowing about so this is a fun way to "read it" without having to read it!
Awe! THANK YOU!! :)
Oh my goodness, I saw the thumbnail and had to click. I just relived my experience with this book through watching yours. You are definitely not alone. So many people talk of their love for this book and I absolutely hated it. I have even thought about revisiting it because I wonder what I missed but you just reaffirmed my feelings. Sorry you had such a terrible experience but you are not alone.
It was so painful to get through!
I always thought that the ugliness that occurs in this book is connected to the oppressive systemic unrootedness for lower class single men at the time. When you're treated like an animal without honor, you become an animal without honor.
Oh, I love this!!
@Shellyish moreover, when a job lasts only a short term and cand disappear at the snap of a finger, you don't make connections because what would be the use.
There are some classics that transcend the period they were written like Austen. But Steinbeck is tied to the 30s and doesn't often transcend the period. If anything, it being taught may not show students themes applicable to their lives today but demonstrate a time capsule of the bleakness of the Depression. Though I think that if schools should do this effectively they should pair it with Spencer's Mountain by Earl Hamner, Jr. This shows a rooted and loving family that has such beautiful depictions of sacrifices and love. But no high school has time in their curriculum for such comparative reading.
@ I love that you’re sharing this! I was so confused by the overwhelming bleakness Steinbeck had to offer. Makes sense that his work isn’t as transcendent as other popular authors. Maybe I’ll do some of that comparative reading!! 😌😌
@Shellyish I think you're in for a treat with Spencer's Mountain.
And if I know your tastes, you prefer the more transcendent classic than the cultural/temporal artifact classic. So Of Mice and Men would never work for you. But I think East of Eden will. It's transcendent even though a lot of the characters are sort of terrible.
@ you know me better than I know myself.
I have this on my tbr as I’ve never read any Steinbeck and it’s such a well-loved book (and small!) so thought I’d start with this. Coming back to this once I’ve read it!
I would love to know what you think!
You poor thing. Steinbeck is traumatizing you! I loved that book, but probably because I felt it was about lost opportunities in friendship. To me this book is the opposite of today's popular found family. It's lost family and missed opportunities for friendship. I felt it was more about how easy it is to miss out on better friendships because we get caught up in the wrong things (race, power, work, even dreaming). Almost everyone had the opportunity to be a better person and make friends but they frequently ended up in silos or in poor excuses of friendship. Even the choice at the end was against true friendship. Bleak indeed!
I loved it too so I'm not sure i want to listen to the review 😅
@Thecatladybooknook_PennyD lol. It can be hard to do!
Thank you, kindly, for this wonderful comment. I felt like I was yelling at the characters at every turn. Missed opportunities indeed.
Steinbeck is dark. It's another author that would be perfect for Misery May reading. It's not a feel good "I love reading this' book but I truly appreciated how much it did make me think about the implications of human nature and how we can either be stuck in that or make other choices. I'm reading a ton of his books right now. I'm not sure you should read any more. Even East of Eden is still very tragic and dark- though lots of interesting plot twists. We do not have to love all authors- even famous ones. I'm actually not a Hemingway or Dickens fan.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I think I may just go for the 'big one' - East of Eden next.
I read this story decades ago, but I distinctly remember feeling that George really loved Lenny even though he was mean to him at times. Steinbeck was a real champion of social justice & that period of history was very bleak. People were starving & many were just looking out for themselves. In other words, he told it like it was. I loved Grapes of Wrath & especially loved East of Eden which is a book that I rank as one of the best books I've ever read. I think you should try reading East of Eden.
Hm. Thanks for providing a bit more historical context for me to chew over. I really appreciate it.
I read Of Mice and Men in the spring of '95, my freshwoman year of high school (taught at the tenth grade honors level). I liked it, being that weird kid who almost always enjoyed required readings in English class and often finished them well ahead of the rest of the class. It's very true to the brutal realities of the historical era, and as someone from a family with deep proletarian roots, I appreciate books that accurately reflect the poor and working-class world.
If you like classic cinema, I recommend the 1939 film version with Burgess Meredith and Lon Chaney, Jr.
Thank you for your insightful comment - I'm going to have to check out that film version!
Whilst Of Mice and Men isn't my favorite Steinbeck (that is East of Eden), it is a memorable tale from a dark period in American history (The Depression). It was interesting to hear your take of the book, I think it is a book we want to have read but it isn't pleasant to read.
Good thought, Jim! I appreciate you!
Don't give up on Steinbeck. I haven't read The Red Pony yet because I've heard about the animal cruelty. Choose one that is his best like East of Eden, The Pearl, Grapes of Wrath.
Definitely going with East of Eden next. I have hope.
I think that George really loved Lenny . The final scene bought tears to my eyes when I read the book.
Thanks for sharing!
Who is your favorite character/characters from OMAM? One of my favorite characters is Curley. He's an aggressive man, right?
I really like Lenny.
I remember this book from high school - and that was a long time ago. I think any book that makes that kind of impression is worth reading.
A few years ago I read Kristin Hannah's The Four Winds. I was surprised with all the rave reviews, thinking at the time that Steinbeck did the dustbowl exodus so much better.
Interesting! Thanks for sharing!
Steinbeck was a hard man for hard times. 1930's America was a different world than today. This book is realistic to that reality.
There are a few books I have been sorry to have read and this one was one of them.
I'm glad I'm not alone.
I haven’t read Steinbeck since high school when we read Grapes of Wrath. I remember not being a huge fan of it but not the reason why 😂 I do it put me off trying any others though
Stay far away!
Reviewing a book after 15 pages is a little odd. Yes, george was saying mean things to Lenny, but you have to react to it in a historical context, if george was really evil, he could have abandoned him at any time. The book is short but brilliant. It's about loneliness and a need for connection. The loneliness creates anger. What about curly, his wife , Crooks, the old man, all the other farm workers? Read the whole thing. George loved Lennie. George needed Lennieas much as Lonnie needed george. Steinbeck was a straight up genius.
You didn't watch my entire video. I did read the whole thing. I just checked-in throughout the way which is why I checked in after 15 pages.
Literature doesn't have to be feel good, it got you asking questions, and its not a long book. It's why its on so many school syllabuses.
There's probably a male/female divide here too, it's accessable and relatable to teenage boy's, a demographic that doesn't like to read.
Absolutely! I completely agree. Because of the polarizing nature of the year, I think it'd make an amazing discussion book especially for high school students.
I love Of Mice and Men but I would really like to know where you bought the cat cardigan in the thumbnail please. I LOVE it!
It was a gift from my sister when she was living in Ireland. So many people ask be about this sweater and I don't know where to point them.
@ I’m headed to Ireland at the end of March. I’ll have to be on the lookout for it. It’s adorable!
Shelly, I follow you and several other book influencers. I have missed Steve Donaghue tremendously and have been concerned about him. He hasnt been posting and I don’t know how to find out…Although I don’t know him personally, I do love his content and know you do as well. Any word on Steve?
Steve has been posting on Substack - so he's alive and well! I wonder if he's just taking some time to get back to youtube. He's great at getting back to his emails if you'd like to email him.
@ thank you for your kind response! I would love to do that! I’m just a wife, mom. Nobody really, in the scheme of things. But I really enjoy your content and Steve’s. Have a great day!
I just finished East of Eden by Steinbeck and fully expected to love it. I didn’t. I had similar issues with the characters. They did not feel real; their dialogue served as opportunities for Steinbeck to philosophize and felt very unnatural to me. I wanted more subtlety with the themes, but he hammers them home.
Yes! For such a short book, I was wondering why some of the characters were even introduced like Slim (what purpose did he serve in the book?). Definitely a book that's driving a point home.
My vote would have been for Tender is the Flesh. It is so good if you can handle the disturbing content. I will warn you there is a scene of animal cruelty involving some dogs/puppies.
Thanks for the warning!
Green eyed People. I knew the smile would leave ya and I just wanted to say, "Maybe stop reading now." I think the message of Steinbeck, McCarthy et al, is that life is a train you get on and you can't say, " I want off." Because you won't get off...until you do. Possibly the most astounding literary experiences I've had was the Audible versions of The Passenger and the follow on Stella Maris by Cormac McCarthy a year or so ago (Just before he died). Anyway, in answer, Siloed, yes;. Answers, yes, but they are very hard to find, and maybe these Guys shouldn't just be putting this stuff out there.
Thank you!!
Where did people vote on what they wanted you to read next? I missed it, but enjoyed your video. Hope to vote next time.
I posted it on my community tab! :)
Alfafa still traumatises me to this day. The ending is so sad.
Give Cannery Row a try, i think its one of his better short novels.
Yes, the ending was heartbreaking!
Shelly, read The Lion and The Unicorn or The Road To Wigan Pier🤦♀️
Thanks for the recommendation!
Oooh i haven't read this one and after listening to you and reading through the comments, I'm not feeling like i need to, either. East of Eden i do want to try.
Same! I'm just going to skip to his 'big one' - East of Eden!
I love your sweater, Shelly. Cats rule!
THANK YOU!
Try The Winter Of Our Discontent. Not such hard, brutal material.
by Steinbeck
Oh! I'll look into that!
Oh goodness. Yeah this is not for me (not that I was even entertaining it). FWIW I voted for Tender is the Flesh! 😂😂
I may read Tender next! :)
I read it for class in high school and didn't like it at all! So depressing.
A really depressing read.
I just finished this last night. You are not alone in disliking this book. I felt the same way about George, treatment of animals, etc... it is ok to not like it. I sure didn't.
Thank you! I really appreciate you!
I was just glad it wasn't shakespeare in school.
Fair, though I quite like Shakespeare.
2:38 "...from the highway in the evening to jungle up near water in front of the low horizon limb..." jungle up? I had to check the closed captioning to see if the word was jumble. The entire passage is just a jungle of words for me. I'm not a Steinbeck fan & remeber this book from high school. I don't like its overall message either. Out of those book choices you def should'a chose Hitchhiker's Guide to The Galaxy. It's a joyous romp of language & the author's voice and story is so much fun. Have you read The Sea Wolf by Jack London? I just re-read it after 40 years (read in high school) and it was interesting.
Definitely going to read Hitchhiker’s soon.
I haven’t read The Sea Wolf. I’ll look into that.
I wanted you to read Our Town. I don’t like of mice and men. The only Steinbeck I have liked/ loved is East of Eden.♥️
I don’t think East is easier to sit comfortably in, but it has a hope and grace about it that I don’t experience in his other works.
East of Eden may be my final book from Steinbeck.
I thought Grapes of Wrath had hope by the very end just as much as East of Eden. It won a Pulitzer too.
Of Mice and Men was memorable but in the worst way possible. I absolutely hated the story. I'm glad it was short because I will never get that time back.
I completely understand.
I didn't like this book when i read it for high school. I mean....the ableism... the ABLEISM. :)
YEEEEEEESSSS!
Yuck. Of Mice and Men, Grapes of Wrath and Catcher in the Rye are amongst my most loathed books. Thank you for your thoughtful perspectives on Of Mice and Men.
Ha! Seems like I'm in the minority by disliking this book...
Read East of Eden.
Might be my next Steinbeck.