A Thousand Curse Words to Paint a Picture

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	• The Grapes of Wrath (Centennial Edition) John Steinbeck Penguin (Non-Classics), 2002 - 464 pages average customer review:based on 588 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

A Masterpiece of American Literature

This novel follows the travails of the Joad family as they migrate from Oklahoma to California during the Great Depression. Because very little internal dialogue is presented, the Joads and other characters seem just plain stupid. However, by their actions one realizes they have a dignity and intelligence that is not obvious at first. They struggle against misfortune as best they can. In depicting the life of the Joads, the novel offers a vivid portrayal of the lives of many who suffered through the Great Depression. On a broader level this work also provides a commentary on government, religion, and politics. The climactic scene is meaningful but does not flow from the preceding chapters, and the ending is odd and will make you wonder what the message is.

By the end of the novel, one may realize that this story is not just about the Joads, but a story of all Americans, no matter what the background. This is truly one of the greatest novels of American literature.

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The Hobo Philosophr

My wife and I read this book while Hobo-ing around America picking fruits and vegetable in the 70's. We both really liked it. We saw the movie also.
I'm am one of those who considers this to be Steinbeck's best. I've read several others by the author and I feel that this was far and away the deepest and the most dramatic. The ending I'm sure some would consider more appropriate in an ancient Greek tragedy but he made his point - one that I have always found very traditional and very difficult to swallow. But it is fundamental.
This is without any doubt and American classic. In my opinion nothing that Mr. Steinbeck wrote after The Grapes Of Wrath is in the same class. I know that there are plenty out there who disagree but nevertheless that is my opinion.
In this novel, everything is centered on the characters. There is little blatent philosophizing - the story tells the tale. There is no Steinbeck filler material. He had a story he wanted to tell and he told it. It was great.

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A Thousand Curse Words to Paint a Picture

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Steinbeck will use a thousand words to paint a picture. He goes overboard with the detail, making it boring by modern standards, encouraging the reader to skip over entire paragraphs. It does, however, paint a very detailed picture of what life must have been like during the depression. His research was quite good. I can just see him wandering around Oklahoma and California with notebook in hand, jotting down endless details to give the book a realistic flavor. One time he used two full pages, and entire Chapter in this case, to describe a turtle crossing the road! The result is an often dull, but educational experience, if that's what you read it for. Most people buy novels for the suspense, because they are page turners. That's modern fiction, geared to readers that spend too much time watching car chases on TV. This book, however, is literary.

One big problem I have with this book is the profanity. Over and over, several times a page at times, Steinbeck take's the Lord's name in vain. I read Christian fiction most of the time so that was a real turnoff. Still, I gave it three stars because it was educational and it gave me a deep appreciation for the blessings God has given me, compared to the plight of the Joad family and so many like them. Maybe if they didn't take God's name in vain so much they would have had an easier time!

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Love Steinbeck, can't stand this book

I thoroughly enjoy many of John Steinbeck's books. I truly recommend East of Eden and Of Mice and Men to anyone who hasn't read them. This book however I found very tedious, slow, and overall quite boring. I know it's a classic and all but really had a tough time getting through it and after all that work I really felt the conclusion left me hanging.

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