The Grapes of Wrath

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
It took me a long time to read this book. I chose it for my book club's "American Classic" month. Although I found myself counting pages at times, plugging along at my own little turtle pace, and even getting frustrated and wanting to give up - I couldn't. So I think that says something about this book. If you are looking for a book that whisks you away and is full of action, this is not the book for you. However, the writing really is great. For a classic, the writing is quite modern, the dialect terrific, and the characterization phenomenal. The depth and range of the people you meet is, to me, what makes this book have staying power. I'm sure many people read this with a bleeding heart - much to my suprise, I didn't. The family in this book, the Joads, was not about self-pity, but more about strength. It showed a period in our country's history in a new light for me. On one side, you read about the Californians who were ruthless in wanting to exploit or drive out the migrant workers. On the other hand, you read about the migrant workers, who were extremely poor & hungry, yet still managed to be generous. What I will remember most about this book is Ma telling Rose of Sharon that "it isn't all about you, all the time." Touche'


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