Rating: Summary: although not the worst book i read, it is up there Review: ok so im a teenager so my thoughts are probably a little different than adults out there. I had to read the grapes of wrath for my junior year and i absolutely hated it..stienbeck did not keep me enticed and the plot was the same throughout the story..the story line waS pointless and although it was closely related to real life, the point of the story was hard to get at. the same things were repeated over and over and my mother literally had to sit me down and force me to read the book..i opted for the cliff notes..for all u teenagers out there...pick a different book to read and for all u adluts out there i dont know you probably would like it.
Rating: Summary: Very Good Review: I started reading Steinbeck in Middle School with The Pearl and Of Mice and Men, both which were really good. The Grapes of Wrath is a compelling story that reads very easily. Steinbeck uses great language and symbolism. I recommend reading the book and then looking at cliff/book notes. I'm a very good Eng student and understood most of the themes. But the notes help to tie together loose ends, which saves the time of re-reading the novel over and over.Read this book
Rating: Summary: A Mighty Piece of Literature Review: Quite simply, The Grapes of Wrath is THE Great American Novel. This is the powerful story of the Joad family, "Okies" who are forced from their bank-foreclosed farm during the depression. John Steinbeck's writing is sheer literary art. There is beautiful description, incredibly realistic dialogue, and a compelling story that captures the heart and seeks out the very core of one's conscious. And the beauty of it is that it's thoroughly understandable. The eloquent writing and flawless story can be savored by anyone from a junior high school student to a PhD. The book is also innovative, intertwining short chapters that capture the plight of the dispossessed with longer chapters that follow the long road traveled by the Joad family to California. This is accomplished without at all disrupting the flow of the story. No wonder that this book won the Pulitzer Prize and was the key work cited for Mr. Steinbeck's Nobel Prize. It's a mighty piece of literature.
Rating: Summary: Unbelievably Touching Review: This is one of the few works of fiction that is truly heart-wretching, that is capable of bringing people to tears. Not only that, but although it is a work of fiction, it is a truly believeable story, and not only COULD it happen, but it DID, many times over. Many families went along a similar route to the Joads during the depression and the Dust Bowl. That is why this book leaves such a profound impact on people, it tells us a little bit more about ourselves than we maybe want to know. Being from Oklahoma, this story really hit home for me. There is a part where the Joads are trying to head North, away from Hooverville, and they are stopped, the policeman tells Tom "We don't want you goddamn Okies here". Tom wants to hit the man with a jack, but Ma won't let him, and he, stone cold Tom Joad, cries. This is a moving scene, and there are many such ones in the book. This is highly reccommended. Also, DO NOT READ THE EDITORIAL REVIEW AT THE TOP OF THIS PAGE OR THE INTRO AT THE FRONT OF THE BOOK IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY, THEY GIVE AWAY THE ENDING, AND A LOT OF OTHER THINGS TOO!
Rating: Summary: Still Astounding Review: After all these years and many readings, this is still one of the most astounding and humanistic books in existence. Steinbeck's mastery lives on.
Rating: Summary: A Nausiating Expierience Review: OK unlike many of the other readers for Grapes of Wrath, I disliked it completely. Yes it does tell the story of the migrant workers in California. And yes John Stienbeck is discriptive. But his way of writing was completely boring to me. I had to literally force myself to read this book. It was far too long and too slow. When I was done this book I had to take a nap it was so bad. His writing is not nearly as good as other authors. Stienbeck is considered a great author, but not by me. Save yourself some pain and do not read this book unless you have to!
Rating: Summary: Grapes of Wrath Review: At 42 years of age, I read the "Grapes of Wrath". I was so moved by this book that I can't quit thinking about it. The magnitude of unconditional love which Mrs. Joad displayed for her family was second to none. The world would be a better place if all women were as good as she. This book leaves a lasting impression on its reader. A "Classic" it is!
Rating: Summary: One of my 5 favorite books Review: Steinbeck is one of the best American author. He has a definite talent to tell a story and when you read the effort he went through to write this book, you learn to appreciate it even more, not that you won't appreciate it otherwise, but it's always nice to know the background of a certain book. The story he is telling probably happened more than a hundred times, that's why it is so powerful, because we know that it is true. That's what makes it a true American tragedy. The chapters in which he gives us the Joad's story are really compelling and interesting. But what really makes this book stand out above other is the even more powerful chapters where he tells the story without giving any names just for us to know that the Joads are not the only one in the samew situation. Even if this book is very long (600 pages or so), it is still very interesting with no straining and lowpoints. The constant switching between the3 two types of chapters helps build a unique rhythm. Definetely a two thumbs up.
Rating: Summary: All Time Best Book Review: This book is as wonderful to read now as it was when I stumbled across it some 20 odd years ago. If you want to experience what Wilco, Woodie Guthrie, Pete Seeger and others were singing about, this book will bring it all to life through Steinbeck's timeless words. Steinbeck makes the life of migrant farm workers come alive for us, while revealing the prejudices they were up against in the 30's. Sadly, it is timely because it seems to be part of human nature to separate ourselves from those who are in need. If we can convince ourselves that our own wants, needs, desires are different, or that we are more deserving, we can rest assured that nothing bad will come our way. A thick juicy book, with every word necessary and perfectly placed.
Rating: Summary: The Exended Family and Best Novel Ending in Am. Lit. History Review: Steinbeck's chilling masterpiece about the American dream gone bad still resonates loudly and hauntingy today as it did sixty years ago. Police brutality, racism, and unfair labor practices still manage to take center stage and thwart the idea of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness being entitled to everyone. The superhuman strength and will of Ma Joad will rudely wake you up from your slumber and inspire you to go out and make a difference. Steinbeck eloquently takes you on a lengthy journey of faith, hope, and despair that, at times, requires patience, but that patience will be rewarded a hundred times over. Through Ma Joad, Steinbeck hints that the world is a better place to live in and more conquerable if people saw outside their own families and became one big extended family. A practice that is sorely needed today as technology increasingly diminishes the human element. STOP READING NOW IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW ENDING. In the greatest ending of a novel in American literature history, Rose of Sharon, who just delivered a stillborn child, offers her full breast to a hungry stranger in a barn. Steinbeck paints this beautiful picture of the ultimate act of human kindness with an amazing combination of power and poetry. This brilliant ending clinches "Grapes" as one of the greatest American novels ever.
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