America and Americans and Selected Nonfiction by John Steinbeck

Jul 10, 2010 Rick rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

It’s only the last 80 pages of this collection that is America and Americans, one of Steinbeck’s last published books (originally published with a series of photographs as well), so the weight of the title is a little off. America and Americans is a sardonic, not always convincing but fairly provocative series of essays on America at midcentury and its infatuation with material things and the impact of this infatuation on our national character. If you are sold that there was a national characte...more It’s only the last 80 pages of this collection that is America and Americans, one of Steinbeck’s last published books (originally published with a series of photographs as well), so the weight of the title is a little off. America and Americans is a sardonic, not always convincing but fairly provocative series of essays on America at midcentury and its infatuation with material things and the impact of this infatuation on our national character. If you are sold that there was a national character that once upon a time looked like this (resourceful, chivalrous, contrary, independent, and self-critical) but not looks like this (greedy, self-centered, whiney, despairing) it's a compelling call to quit our whining and get at it. If not, it's one man looking back unhappily.

But the overall mix of pieces is a fine representation of Steinbeck’s perspective and interests over the length of his career and gives a fair reading of his character—inquisitive, compassionate, independent, direct, uncompromising, fond of the individual, wary of the extreme, self-deprecating, loyal American (but suspicious of those who demand conformity or seek to bully, and resistant to any individual or institution that denies others their freedoms so he pissed off the right for his opposition to McCarthy, the right for being supportive of civil rights at all and the center for being so with less patience than they preferred, and the left for being a moderate hawk on Vietnam), and as regular a guy as a Nobel Prize winning writer can be. He writes about places, people (friends, colleagues, and politicians), family, travels, issues and interests. There are charming essays on his relationship with his children and the ospreys near his Sag Harbor house—didn’t know Steinbeck was as much a New Yorker (and a Met fan) as he was a Californian. Supportive essays of his friends—a defense of Arthur Miller in his battles with HUAC, praise for Adlai Stevenson, Henry Fonda, Ed Ricketts, Woody Guthrie, and others. Advocacy essays in support of migrant workers, Civil Rights workers, and others who seek to better themselves or America. You will certainly recognize the writing and the sensibility behind the novels and perhaps better understand what animates him. It’s a fine collection, harmed only a little by some redundancy (same anecdote appears three times; same seminal story twice), and a good way to pass morning and evening commutes on the subway or late evenings before bed. Thoughtful, intelligent, and quietly provocative.(less)

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Jun 29, 2011 Elise rated it 4 of 5 stars

I first started reading this on our 8th grade year-end trip to San Francisco, as I wanted to take a California author with me. As one can imagine, between all the sight-seeing, teenage drama, and yes, a trip to the ER, I had very little free time for reading, which is why, over a month later, I've just finished America and Americans - just as the school year wraps up.

As somebody whose background knowledge on Steinbeck consisted of having read only two of his books (The Grapes of Wrath and Travel...more I first started reading this on our 8th grade year-end trip to San Francisco, as I wanted to take a California author with me. As one can imagine, between all the sight-seeing, teenage drama, and yes, a trip to the ER, I had very little free time for reading, which is why, over a month later, I've just finished America and Americans - just as the school year wraps up.

As somebody whose background knowledge on Steinbeck consisted of having read only two of his books (The Grapes of Wrath and Travels with Charley), I appreciated how well "edited" this volume was - the essays were separated by topic, and there was a separate introduction for each topic. In this way, I learned a bit more about Steinbeck as a Californian, Steinbeck as a journalist, etc, before continuing on to read his essays on California or his journalism.

There were certainly many gems in this volume. My favorites include his tale of battling ospreys in Sag Harbor, his narrative on his good friend Ed Ricketts (who loved worms so much that he once called a woman he loved "Wormy"), and his essay on taking his young sons out for an extended weekend adventure.

The last section of the book was "America and Americans," Steinbeck's last published book, also a collection of essays. Not surprisingly, Steinbeck's writing on Americans is a mixture of criticism, fascination, and fondness. Americans are huge consumers, unkind to the land, hypocritical, and above all, greatly ambitious and realistic. It's harder to write about a massive topic like America and Americans than about a good friend or a weekend trip with the kids, which is perhaps why Steinbeck is a bit more circuitous at arriving at his main points in the former essays. They read a bit like impromptu speeches given by an extremely intelligent, articulate, but verbose orator.

Having read this collection, I'm more inclined to read other works by Steinbeck, especially since many of the topics he writes about in his nonfiction served as inspiration for his fiction. (less)

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May 09, 2012 Nelly rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I absolutely loved this, John Steinbeck has a very special place in my heart. Even though I always enjoyed reading, it wasn't until I read "Of Mice and Men" when I was 15 that I realized that a book can be something other than just a story. It was the literary version of getting punched in the stomach. I still remember how I felt each time I read a Steinbeck novel.
This was my first time reading any of his non-fiction, however. It covers everything from his life in California, his travels to Pari...more

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Apr 08, 2010 Sam rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

This should be MANDITORY reading for right before you go into "the real world". Its a well written book, like most of Steinbecks, and it takes a hard look at the American way of life and lets on understand certain aspects of ourselves that may not be enjoyable to read about, but definetly nessicary. If you havent read it, YOU SHOULD.

Also a great quote from the book that I will remember for always,
"If you want to read what a group of people did you read non-fiction, if you want to know why they d...more

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Jan 14, 2011 Kai rated it 4 of 5 stars

“Poi la gente smise di fare investimenti […] Ricordo che venivano intervistati i Big Boys - i banchieri e gli industriali - quelli che sapevano. Alcuni acquistarono spazi per rassicurare i milionari in rovina: ‘È solo un ribasso fisiologico. ‘Non temete: comprate, continuate a comprare’. Intanto i Big Boys vendevano e il mercato implose.”

Cronaca di questi giorni? Il tempo è ciclico, le sacre scritture indiane, Budda, Giambattista Vico, Friedrich Nietzsche, ci avevano avvertito. Questione di erme...more “Poi la gente smise di fare investimenti […] Ricordo che venivano intervistati i Big Boys - i banchieri e gli industriali - quelli che sapevano. Alcuni acquistarono spazi per rassicurare i milionari in rovina: ‘È solo un ribasso fisiologico. ‘Non temete: comprate, continuate a comprare’. Intanto i Big Boys vendevano e il mercato implose.”

Cronaca di questi giorni? Il tempo è ciclico, le sacre scritture indiane, Budda, Giambattista Vico, Friedrich Nietzsche, ci avevano avvertito. Questione di ermeneutica, di esegesi, abbiamo sempre pensato. Eppure leggendo L’America e gli americani (pp. 320, € 19,50), la raccolta di scritti, di John Steinbeck curata da Bruno Osimo per Alet, sembra che la ciclicità del tempo non sia solo una questione teoretica o allegorico-simbolica. Nel giugno 1960, Steinbeck scriveva per Esquire, un articolo sugli anni ‘30, sui suoi anni ‘30, quelli vissuti sulla sua pelle di scrittore, poco incline agli intellettualismi e molto incline a sporcarsi le mani e a spezzarsi la schiena per guadagnarsi il pane con quel suo fisico da bracciante agricolo. Steinbeck conscio del potere della parola e della forza etica delle storie è ancora, incredibilmente, terribilmente attuale. E questa antologia, fatta di frammenti, di articoli che sembrano lampi a ciel sereno, ci restituisce come un manrovescio un’immagine del passato così spietatamente identica al presente da rendere il concetto di Saṃsāra, di ciclo di vita, morte e rinascita nitido, preciso e per niente metaforico.

La penna di Steinbeck ha qualcosa di magico, scorre sulla carta potente eppure semplice, evocativa eppure familiare, e quando indugia, senza falsi moralismi e senza piagnistei, sulla grande depressione, sui piccoli risparmiatori che ritirano i loro soldi perché le banche sono al fallimento, sugli operai che chiedono di lavorare anche se il prodotto non vende, sugli spregiudicati uomini d’affari che nascondono l’imminente recessione per profitto personale, sulla disoccupazione, la caduta del ceto medio, le migrazioni verso occidente per cercare qualcosa di meglio; ci si chiede dove siano finiti gli scrittori di cotanto calibro. Una scrittura, fluida e densa al tempo stesso, che è metro della miseria umana e che non teme di inimicarsi il potere, di destra e di sinistra (per Steinbeck la sinistra non sarebbe altro che una pseudodestra). Taccuino in tasca e sguardo lucido Steinbeck era consapevole del fatto che la scrittura, prima di ogni altra cosa, è un atto etico che non dice qualcosa ma fa qualcosa, con coraggio. Andare nel mondo, coglierne le connessioni, sporcarsi, raccontarlo, mettere a nudo il re. Fiction e cronaca si intrecciano, l’autore di Salinas vive quello che scrive e le torri d’avorio fatte di letteratura ombelicale al suo cospetto crollano, si perdono nel trascorre dei giorni. Lui invece è ancora qui con le sue parole potentissime ed entra a pieno titolo nel nuovo millennio come voce importante, importantissima, capace di essere testimone del presente anche dopo la morte. Se non è sfidare il tempo lineare e le sue leggi questo…

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Jan 09, 2011 J rated it 4 of 5 stars

“Poi la gente smise di fare investimenti […] Ricordo che venivano intervistati i Big Boys - i banchieri e gli industriali - quelli che sapevano. Alcuni acquistarono spazi per rassicurare i milionari in rovina: ‘È solo un ribasso fisiologico. ‘Non temete: comprate, continuate a comprare’. Intanto i Big Boys vendevano e il mercato implose.”

Cronaca di questi giorni? Il tempo è ciclico, le sacre scritture indiane, Budda, Giambattista Vico, Friedrich Nietzsche, ci avevano avvertito. Questione di erme...more “Poi la gente smise di fare investimenti […] Ricordo che venivano intervistati i Big Boys - i banchieri e gli industriali - quelli che sapevano. Alcuni acquistarono spazi per rassicurare i milionari in rovina: ‘È solo un ribasso fisiologico. ‘Non temete: comprate, continuate a comprare’. Intanto i Big Boys vendevano e il mercato implose.”

Cronaca di questi giorni? Il tempo è ciclico, le sacre scritture indiane, Budda, Giambattista Vico, Friedrich Nietzsche, ci avevano avvertito. Questione di ermeneutica, di esegesi, abbiamo sempre pensato. Eppure leggendo L’America e gli americani (pp. 320, € 19,50), la raccolta di scritti, di John Steinbeck curata da Bruno Osimo per Alet, sembra che la ciclicità del tempo non sia solo una questione teoretica o allegorico-simbolica. Nel giugno 1960, Steinbeck scriveva per Esquire, un articolo sugli anni ‘30, sui suoi anni ‘30, quelli vissuti sulla sua pelle di scrittore, poco incline agli intellettualismi e molto incline a sporcarsi le mani e a spezzarsi la schiena per guadagnarsi il pane con quel suo fisico da bracciante agricolo. Steinbeck conscio del potere della parola e della forza etica delle storie è ancora, incredibilmente, terribilmente attuale. E questa antologia, fatta di frammenti, di articoli che sembrano lampi a ciel sereno, ci restituisce come un manrovescio un’immagine del passato così spietatamente identica al presente da rendere il concetto di Saṃsāra, di ciclo di vita, morte e rinascita nitido, preciso e per niente metaforico.

La penna di Steinbeck ha qualcosa di magico, scorre sulla carta potente eppure semplice, evocativa eppure familiare, e quando indugia, senza falsi moralismi e senza piagnistei, sulla grande depressione, sui piccoli risparmiatori che ritirano i loro soldi perché le banche sono al fallimento, sugli operai che chiedono di lavorare anche se il prodotto non vende, sugli spregiudicati uomini d’affari che nascondono l’imminente recessione per profitto personale, sulla disoccupazione, la caduta del ceto medio, le migrazioni verso occidente per cercare qualcosa di meglio; ci si chiede dove siano finiti gli scrittori di cotanto calibro. Una scrittura, fluida e densa al tempo stesso, che è metro della miseria umana e che non teme di inimicarsi il potere, di destra e di sinistra (per Steinbeck la sinistra non sarebbe altro che una pseudodestra). Taccuino in tasca e sguardo lucido Steinbeck era consapevole del fatto che la scrittura, prima di ogni altra cosa, è un atto etico che non dice qualcosa ma fa qualcosa, con coraggio. Andare nel mondo, coglierne le connessioni, sporcarsi, raccontarlo, mettere a nudo il re. Fiction e cronaca si intrecciano, l’autore di Salinas vive quello che scrive e le torri d’avorio fatte di letteratura ombelicale al suo cospetto crollano, si perdono nel trascorre dei giorni. Lui invece è ancora qui con le sue parole potentissime ed entra a pieno titolo nel nuovo millennio come voce importante, importantissima, capace di essere testimone del presente anche dopo la morte. Se non è sfidare il tempo lineare e le sue leggi questo…

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Dec 01, 2010 adam added it

A few were really great essays:
-Americans and the Future - a look at what is going wrong with the country and us all, circa 1966
-A Primer on the 1930s - entertaining and happily nostalgic account of what being a new author during the depression was like ("a man would have to be pretty stupid to live near the sea and starve")
-Conversation at Sag Harbor - the story of a manly bonding father-son weekend with a pretty great 'you're a man now' speech

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Mar 22, 2011 April Hougey rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book so much. Steinbeck has been one of my favorite authors for a long time, but not until reading this did I really know much about him as a person. Reading America and Americans gave me an opportunity to see the way his mind worked in a more objective way. I could compare his observations of the world with my own, and in many cases John Steinbeck's observations of the world from 50-60 years ago were very similar to my own observations of the world today. Every single article or es...more

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Dec 21, 2008 Val marked it as to-read Recommends it for: Everyone

Shelves: fiction, literature, historical-interest, political-science

I have never read anything as succinct as America and Americans (I own another out-of-print edition, but snapped this edition up when it came out several years ago). This reads like "Travels with Charlie" and the intercessory chapters of Steinbeck's novels.

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May 28, 2012 Bill Lancaster rated it 2 of 5 stars

Only commenting on the Steinbeck portion of this book:

I couldn't read this without hearing Dennis Miller say, "I don't want to get on a rant, but . . . ." While Steinbeck keeps the ebb and flow of his novels, this book is a big whining mess.

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Dec 09, 2008 Martha rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book from the second story and began to dogear the pages I wanted to return to. Now the book is 1/2 and inch bigger because almost every page is dogeared! There a lots of short, easily readable, quickly digestible stories and articles in this book. And, it is incredibly relevant to today and our times which I found amazing considering most of the writing is from the 50's and 60's. I was a fan of Steinbeck's East of Eden but this made me want to seek out every word he ever wrote. Thi...more

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Jan 29, 2009 Heather rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Good overview of the whole spectrum of Steinbeck's nonfiction--even including some of his extreme downer nagging from when he's older. Great broadview, with some real gems. Heightened my understanding of where he's coming from.
Highly recommended for ant Steinbeck enthousiasts.

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Aug 13, 2009 Brett rated it 4 of 5 stars

I loved this collection of Steinbeck's nonfiction. He is hilarious and it doesn't really come out in his fiction. There were several articles that had me cracking up (loved My War With The Ospreys). There were also some really heartfelt pieces he wrote on his friends. The set of essays America and Americans that end this volume actually were probably my least favorite. The way he wrote on the wars that he covered as a journalist (WW2 and Vietnam) as well as his travel writings were fantastic.

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Jan 08, 2011 Rachel Bayles rated it 5 of 5 stars

Brilliant. Hopeful to see our nation has always had the exact same limitations, and lived to tell the tale.

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Apr 02, 2011 James rated it 1 of 5 stars

I just read "America..." Can't remember it though.

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Aug 30, 2009 John rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

some 5 start moments and some two 2 star moments.....

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Jan 19, 2013 Zach rated it 5 of 5 stars

Steinbeck is always incredible.

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Jun 20, 2012 Cheryl Newman rated it 5 of 5 stars

loved it

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Sep 26, 2010 Xiaowei Chen is currently reading it

love it.

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Aug 22, 2007 Ash rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anybody who loves American Lit

Shelves: fiction-novels-plays-stories

Somehow I missed Steinbeck in school... I'm not really sure how that happened. At any rate, I recently rediscovered Steinbeck and have become a full convert. I'll read almost anything with his name on it. These essays and short stories were fascinating as I'd never read much of his shorter work or work he produced for different magazines.

I particularly liked "War with the Osprey." So much of Steinbeck's longer fiction is so heavy, it was nice to see his more playful side.

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Jan 29, 2008 Dana rated it 5 of 5 stars

Steinbeck's observations of American society, plus some essays from his European travels and war correspondence, are collected in this volume. His acute insight and clear writing, devoid of literary frills, allow the reader to see Steinbeck's subjects honestly and intimately. His encounters with starving migrant workings are especially stark.

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Oct 30, 2007 Anna rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone

Shelves: readwhileinchina

I love Steinbeck because I like the way he writes. I like the era he comes from, and I love his perspective and his understanding of the world around him. This book is full of little essays and great observations that you may have made before but couldn't express so eloquently.

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Oct 04, 2008 Lisa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Steinbecks 2nd non-fiction book, America and Americans is an EXCELLENT commentary of America's state of being and mind in 1966. So much of what he observed is STILL applicable to today.....fortunately and unfortunately.

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Jul 12, 2008 Jason rated it 4 of 5 stars

These essays are some of the mos enjoyable that I've ever read. Steinbeck had a way with words, yes, but there's a subtle humor in these pieces that I'd missed in his other work.

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Jul 26, 2007 Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: JS fans, essay writers

Reading some of Steinbeck's essays helped me appreciate his fiction more. If you like to write nonfiction, this may be a good study.

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Jul 29, 2008 Clark rated it 4 of 5 stars

Worthwhile for "About Ed Ricketts" alone. That one piece is simply the most touching elegy I have ever read.

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Dec 21, 2011 Emily rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: nonfiction

"America and Americans" isn't my favorite, but a lot of the selected works are great.

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Jun 25, 2009 Frank rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction, history-politics, usa

steinbeck the journalist cannot stand shoulder to shoulder with steinbeck the novelist

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Jan 05, 2009 Ted rated it 4 of 5 stars

These essays are 40 years old but still just as relevant.

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Jan 18, 2008 Michael rated it 4 of 5 stars

Interesting, not much changes in time, only pace

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