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In Dubious Battle
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Buddy Read of In Dubious Battle
I've got the audiobook ready to go, so I can work this in tandem with the monthly read. I know this might be the first Steinbeck ever or in a while for a couple of interested parties in the group. I've never read it, but Declan seems to have given it a big thumbs up, so I look forward to discussing it!
Mod
interesting idea but unfortunately I don't like Steinbeck, best of luck with it anyway.
As mod, I'm going to read the monthly read before I tackle this. It's one of his darker novels, so anyone who has only read one of his Monterey novels should be prepared for a big change of timbre.
It deals with poverty, labour and workers' rights, Like Grapes of Wrath, but the main characters are dyed-in-the-wool communists.
It deals with poverty, labour and workers' rights, Like Grapes of Wrath, but the main characters are dyed-in-the-wool communists.
I haven't read any of his stuff so I might just start with cannery row. Interested to see what ye guys think of this though
I think you'll enjoy it, Seraphina. I really hope you do.
I'm in and haven't read any Steinbeck but this group has convinced me I must.
Mod
We read Cain and Abel for a monthly read and it was great.They had a story in the paper today about a boat Steinbeck used. It was found in bad shape in Seattle. Somebody bought it and wants to build it in the middle of a to be developed hotel in Salinas. Steinbeck's grandson, who does not own it, wants it refurbished and set out on ecology tours in Monterey. It has now come down to a question of haves and have nots. Monterey is the have and Salinas is the have not. Over a boat that is falling apart.
It may falling apart, Susan, but I'd go out of my way to see it.
Well, Salinas needs all the help it can get. It's such a dump. I'd like them to develop their Steinbeck heritage. They do have a nice Steinbeck museum so I think it'd be great there. Wouldn't it be nice to have a literature stop in America like they do in England and Ireland?
We were talking about this in Bible study last night. Wouldn't it be nice to have our teachers valued the way we do doctors? What do we value as a society? Why do we not fund the Arts the way we do professional sports? What is our legacy? Should we leave great books, art and music or empty arenas? Don't get me wrong. I love sports but I wish we spent more time on the Arts. We encourage people to study IT but what about the poets?
I always choke back a little vomit when I read about how hard models work, Jamie. It's like reading a post by Gwyneth Paltrow about how much harder it is for her to be a working mother than someone who has an office job. Please.
Mod
This now has its own folder and is now on our book shelf.
Thanks for putting this in its own folder, Declan. I'm aiming to start listening to the audiobook in the morning, if anyone is interested in getting stuck in themselves soon! :)
No bother, Allan. I was hoping to start my reread soon, but I have to prioritise. Hopefully I'll be on to it soon.
As soon as I get out from under this very very heavy week at work and reading, I plan to finish The Dream of the Celt and get into Steinbeck.
I'll join too. I've never read any Steinbeck before. I think I feel a little intinidated at the thoughts of it, but I'll give it a bash.
Louise, I think you'll see the influence Steinbeck has on the likes of Willy Vlautin straight away with this book. Steinbeck is very accessible, so you definitely shouldn't be intimidated!
Thanks Allan, that's encouraging.
Steinbeck is for everyone. Even if this isn't quite your thing I think you'll enjoy Cannery Row.
Mod
Was it the way the extract was taught to you, Sara, that put you off, do you think? I'd say if I'd had to have read it as a relatively young teenager, I'd definitely not have appreciated Grapes of Wrath anywhere near as much as I did as an adult. It's a great audiobook btw, if you ever see it in a sale or have a spare credit and want to give it another chance!I'm currently up to Ch 11 of In Dubious Battle, and there's no doubt that Steinbeck can tell a story! I'm almost sure that the book has some factual base, which I'm going to look into. I can see why you see it as a darker read, Declan, and I'm sure it'll only get uglier from the point I'm at, but I don't think it'll stop people enjoying it.
Glad you're enjoying it, Allan. Even though you liked Cannery Row it's too different from IDB to gauge if you'd like both.
Personally, the only Steinbeck I haven't really enjoyed so far is Tortilla Flat. While many of his novels are completely different content wise, I think his storytelling style remains similar in each of his books that I've read, including this one.And talking of Cannery Row, there's even a Mac and a Doc in this one!
... But absolutely no similarity between Docs.
I have about 50 pages to go, and hope to finish tonight. Steinbeck has grabbed me. I am so glad I didn't read him as a teenager as it wouldn't have interested me much. We ruin so much good literature by forcing young people to read things out of context.
I might not have liked it at school, but I think I would have loved it if it I'd read from the age of 18 onwards.
I'm glad you're enjoying it, Barbara. :)
I'm glad you're enjoying it, Barbara. :)
Neither did I, Emma. I only read it later in life while on a Steinbeck binge.
Don't forget, Theresa, the discussion won't ever close.
My copy just got in at the library. As soon as I finish my current book, I'm going to dig in to Steinbeck.
Susan, I'd say that your local knowledge will be beneficial to the discussion! I has a look last night, and while the book is apparently inspired by the SF longshoreman's strike that the character Sam is supposed to have taken part in, the strike in the book is symbolic of what was happening at the time, rather than based on true events.
I'll do what I can, Allan. SF is notorious for it's longshoreman's strikes. There have been many.
Susan, the book is set in a town in the Salinas valley-only a brief mention is made of the SF strike.
I certainly understand Theresa's dilemma of too much to read and envy Emma finishing her bookclub reads for the month. I still have yet to read last year's group choice East of Eden which I plan to do this summer.
It's an excellent book, Barbara. A real family saga. I feel certain now that you'll love it.
I started this book last night and was immediately captivated. The preface of the edition I have is written by a professor, William French. In it, he says that Steinbeck talked mostly to Irish and Italian immigrants for research. I thought that was a nice tie in to our group.The story takes place in the Central Calif. Valley which stretches almost 600 miles and used to be known as the bread basket of Calif. If you drive the old Highway 99 (a very boring drive) you will go through orchards of many kinds and fruits and vegetables. It's very agricultural and Gov. Brown, our current Governor's father, put in a wonderful irrigation system in the late 1950's- early 1960's. He also built the interstate highway system which allows you to drive fast and avoid the small agricultural towns. This is a place I know well. My maternal grandfather was a foreman at an almond ranch (you never ever pronounce the L in almond) and my paternal grandfather had an egg farm and my grandmother worked in a peach factory.
The writer of the preface says that The Red Pony is Steinbeck's best work. This is another one I have not read and look forward to in the future.
It's great to have your local knowledge, Susan. One question though: if hw 99 is surrounded by farms and orchards, how can it be boring? It sounds lovely
I think you'd like The Red Pony. you could probably read it over coffee.
I think you'd like The Red Pony. you could probably read it over coffee.
I've just finished the audio version-what a book! Steinbeck really could tell a story, while getting a message across. I'll be posting more about this one tomorrow when I gather my thoughts, but it's yet another Steinbeck 5 star read for me!Susan, I see that my physical copy of the book has the same intro as yours, so I'm going to read it now to get a bit more background. I've yet to read The Red Pony myself, but have heard mixed reports-I know it's only about 90 pages, and it's on my shelves, so I'll get to it soon. I'm glad you're enjoying this one so far-I definitely think we picked a good first buddy read!
Looking forward to what you have to say, Allan.
My version of the book had no intro, alas.
I didn't realize Red Pony was so short. I hadn't heard of it until I read the preface.Declan, driving through the Valley looking at miles and miles of trees is not entertaining. As you go south, it becomes more desert like and they have short crops. Plus you have to slow down to go through the pokey towns. It's hard to explain Californians and driving. We have to go long distances to get anywhere so we want to go fast. For example, it's about a 10 hour drive to Los Angeles on Highway 5, the freeway. If you amble on Highway 99 through the agricultural land you can add about 2 hours. That's a big deal to us.
I know I spent several summers in Washington D.C. You could hop on a train and get to Philadelphia in 2 hours and NYC in 4. I thought this was the best thing ever and wanted to do a trip every week-end. The East Coast kids would sneer at how far it was. Us West Coast kids did handstands about how close it was. Just a matter of perspective.
@Susan. Wow! In Ireland you can drive from anywhere to anywhere in under four hours. You make me feel like I'm living in a shoe box.
@Barbara. Neither does mine. I might go the library and pick one up.
@Barbara. Neither does mine. I might go the library and pick one up.
Declan, it's just a matter of perspective. It probably takes 14 hours, at least, to get from the border of Mexico to Oregon. San Francisco to the Nevada border probably takes 4 hours.
This book is so great. How can you best writing like this : When asked about vigilantes Mac says, "Why, they're the dirtiest guys in any town. They're the same ones that burned the houses of old German people during the war. They're the same ones who lynch Negroes. They like to be cruel." Could you write any better than that? Amazing.
There's some great descriptions of people in the book. I don't have the book in front of me, but when the farmer, Anderson, is introduced for the first time, Steinbeck paints a great picture of his physical appearance, but also of his busy demeanour and personality in a couple of lines.
I'll have to open a spoiler thread soon. There's far too much that needs to be discussed.
Allan, you can really see that Willy Vlautin is from the Steinbeck school of writing. They both write about average people and make them come alive. I can't believe I'd find a story about a worker strike in an apple orchard so interesting.
In Dubious Battle byJohn Steinbeck. Anyone interested can just join in. It'll be a little while before I get to it but I think it'll be great.