This is a very good story. The reader follows a witty World War II veteran, Ethan Hawley, through his internal struggle to reconcile the baseness required to be a successful business man with the morality that he has followed throughout his private life. The text is largely an examination into the dept of corruption within American business. John Steinbeck the prophet is apparent in the story. Ethan is taxed by the moral dilemma's that exist in his life. The uneasiness with the way things are in American society and the way that they could or should be is source of frustation for Ethan throughout the text and a portent of things to come in the next ten years. The text dabbles in the racial divide in America with a glimpse at the defacto segregation and the ethnic problems, Ethan has a boss he calls a wop, amongst other things, in his presence.

The basis of the Hawley family fortune is an important part of the story. How was their wealth built, than lost? Ethan can embrace the devil and gain position and importance within the societal structure or he can keep on as he has--it makes for a compelling tale.

The clever dialogue, mostly given the main character, is most impressive writing that I have read from Steinbeck. The text contains a lot of discourse, making the story a quick read.