From the Bookshelf of Reading List Completists…

The Grapes of Wrath

John Steinbeck

Start date: July 1, 2015

Finish date: July 31, 2015

Discussion: Group Reads

Why we're reading this: Lots of Lists Poll Winner for July 2015
[close] Lots of Lists Poll Winner for July 2015

Find A Copy At

Libraries

Group Discussions About This Book

Showing 2 of 98 topics — 1,581 comments total

Group Reads

All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque
By Matthew , Assistant List Master · 4 posts · 18 views

last updated Sep 18, 2022 11:34AM

Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy
By Matthew , Assistant List Master · 7 posts · 22 views

last updated Aug 31, 2022 01:49PM

showing 2 of 2 topics view all »

What Members Thought

Jun 01, 2023 Jenbebookish rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorite-authors, loves-of-my-life, grit-lit, 2023, 23-in-23

Wow.

There are not many books that have blown me away so completely, a book like this comes few & far between.

This was bleak, I’m not going to say it wasn’t, it was raw, & unflinchingly honest, & just achingly human, & oh my god it was just so good.

Often I find books like these to be super interesting, where I can learn about a time in history and experience it a little more in depth, a little more realistically than just reading facts from some website or book. Bringing a character to life in Wow.

There are not many books that have blown me away so completely, a book like this comes few & far between.

This was bleak, I’m not going to say it wasn’t, it was raw, & unflinchingly honest, & just achingly human, & oh my god it was just so good.

Often I find books like these to be super interesting, where I can learn about a time in history and experience it a little more in depth, a little more realistically than just reading facts from some website or book. Bringing a character to life in turn brings that time period to life & that most definitely happened here. These characters were so vibrant, I felt their pains like they were my own family, & I have no doubt they will stay with me forever.

(view spoiler)

I had been putting this book off for years and years, for some reason it was intimidating to me despite Steinbeck being one of my favorite authors, but I’m so glad I finally picked this up, as soon as I started I could hear Steinbeck’s strong, crystalline voice and I knew I would be adding this to the list of books that are truly the loves of my life.

John Steinbeck, I wish I could have known you. They just don’t make ‘em like you anymore. ...more

52 likes · Like · see review

Mar 02, 2020 Eileen rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical-fiction, classics, audiobook, literature, 2020, 2020-ng-group-challenge

4.5 stars

My goodness, John Steinbeck can write! I first read this in high school when my sister had to read it for school and I decided to give it a try. But I didn't remember much about it other than it had to do with a family who migrated to CA for a chance at a better life. I've recently discovered that I've been missing out on the rest of his books, so I started with a short one, Travels with Charley: In Search of America, and although it wasn't the most riveting, I really enjoyed Gary Sinis ...more

6 likes · Like · see review

Jan 05, 2015 Suzan (Suus Leest) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Originally posted on my blog

"You're bound to get idears if you go thinkin' about stuff"

We follow the Joad family who were forced to leave their home in Oklahoma during the Great Depression. One of their sons, though, has just been released from prison and is on parole. For that reason, he is not allowed to leave the state. Nonetheless, the whole family head to California, where they hope to find a better future.

The setup of this novel is interesting. We read chapters from the Joad family's p Originally posted on my blog

"You're bound to get idears if you go thinkin' about stuff"

We follow the Joad family who were forced to leave their home in Oklahoma during the Great Depression. One of their sons, though, has just been released from prison and is on parole. For that reason, he is not allowed to leave the state. Nonetheless, the whole family head to California, where they hope to find a better future.

The setup of this novel is interesting. We read chapters from the Joad family's perspective alternated with chapters in which we see a nameless family (or families?) struggle. This allows the novel to be read as a bigger chronicle: the unnamed characters show us the issue is omnipresent and concerns anyone, and the chapters zooming in on the Joads evoke sympathy.

As a novel which was written and published during the Great Depression it is more often read as a history than a fictional piece of literature. However, reading reviews from the time of publication shows us that people protested against its legitimacy as they felt it was an exaggeration of the situation as well as of the people. I can see how at that time this resulted in much criticism especially by groups of people represented in the novel such as the Okies. However, I disagree with this approach as I think this was part of Steinbeck's purpose. I feel like he may have altered the facts slightly to come across better, to emphasise on how important the issues were. This is also the case with the character descriptions, as they're almost caricatures. This may be seen as annoying or unbelievable, but as a consequence character development is much clearer which in its turn highlights the impact of the Great Depression. Accurate or not, The Grapes of Wrath is a social commentary which makes you think about the way society works.

I say here 'society', but one might think a novel like this is more about politics. While it cannot deny how the government deals with the issues in the 1930s, the novel much more focusses on the importance of community and family in times of need. For Steinbeck, this seems an important theme, as his novella Of Mice and Men also deals with how friendship defines a person's fate. That is not to say that his works are sweet stories about companionship, quite the contrary, especially in the case of Of Mice and Men in which betrayal is a major theme. In this aspect, The Grapes of Wraths can be seen as at least a little bit positive: while not all bonds are strong in the novel, the Joads illustrate that both family and comradery can at least bring us one step further.

While there are many layers to the novel - many different themes and parallels to the story of Exodus - it can also be read as 'just a story'. It is both plot and character driven: if there is no action there is immense character devleopment. Consequently, the novel is never boring. Moreover, as a result from some themes not being very sublte, such as the importance of kindness, it does have you think about life and about yourself, even if you are just reading it leasurely.

...more

4 likes · Like · see review

Jan 12, 2018 Rick rated it it was amazing

The story of the Joad family, from Oklahoma who have to cope with the loss of their land and pursuit work and opportunity in California. The struggles they have along the way are immense as they encounter death in the family, camping problems, car toils and much more. Tom Joad is the most known in the story. "I'll be all around in the dark. I'll be everywhere. Wherever you can look, wherever there's a fight, so hungry people can eat, I'll be there. Wherever there's a cop beatin' up a guy, I'll b ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Mar 11, 2012 Mmars rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Read this during a family summer cabin vacation and couldn't put it down. It helps, of course, that I've like all the Steinbeck I've read. But this is my fave. Just plain good historical tome fiction. Given its length, it may not be the best introduction to Steinbeck, bu it's certainly essential reading for lovers of American historical fiction.

...more

1 like · Like · see review

Oct 29, 2018 Meeeriams Fleep rated it really liked it

I was taken by this book. Someone said that the older you are, the more it hits home. It didn't exactly 'hit home', but it sure did open up so many doors of reason and thought that were shut before. I can see why it was deemed a masterpiece. ...more

Like · see review

Dec 24, 2022 Grace added it · review of another edition

Shelves: mccrum-s-100-greatest, 2021-print-books

#65 in my chronological read of McCrums 100 greatest.

Like · see review

May 28, 2009 Kathy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites-of-a-lifetime

Jun 21, 2009 Holly marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: wish-list

Jan 09, 2010 Steve rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Jan 09, 2010 Melissa rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 1990s, time-top-100

Jun 09, 2010 Lane Willson rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction

Oct 06, 2010 Daria marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Nov 13, 2010 Zulfiya rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Feb 26, 2011 Sue K H rated it really liked it · review of another edition

2 likes · Like

Apr 10, 2011 Amy marked it as to-read · review of another edition

May 03, 2011 Jenbebookish rated it liked it · review of another edition

Jun 19, 2011 Amanda Robinson rated it liked it · review of another edition

Mar 08, 2012 Lesley rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: nth-america-history, oprah, first-tuesday, favorites, winner-pulitzerfiction, nobel-authors, boxalls, movie-to-see, own-library, guardian-1000