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Summary: One of the Most Boring Books I Have Ever Read
Review: This was one of the most boring books I have ever read. I felt no empathy for any of the characters and the long, tedious descriptions of the scene were enough to put me to sleep. I found the characters to be unmotivated and I was indifferent to the three families that are the focus of the book.
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Summary: Wonderful book with wonderful characters.
Review: What a fun book. Steinbeck creates memorable characters in a sweeping soap opera. If Oprah gets more people to read this one then more power to her. Don't even think about watching the movie instead of reading the novel. The movie leaves out all of the juicy stuff.
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Summary: Too much for Oprah fans?
Review: A classic in ever sense of the word. A bit biography and a bit cathartic release, this novel is fantastic.
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Summary: A classic of early California with Biblical themes
Review: I first read this book 38 years ago and the characters in this book remain as vivid as the California landscape that Steinbeck masterfully details. Who can forget Cathy's innocent-faced evil, Adam Trask's flawed goodness, Lee's dual identity as undeucated coolie in public and intellectual in private, Cal's pain at being rejected by his father, Kate's murderous duplicity or Samuel's strength in friendship? The dry foothills of California's Salinas Valley, the rough side of Salinas (the town where Steinbeck grew up), Monterey, even San Francisco's Chinatown are lovingly detailed in this portrait of the California of Steinbeck's early years. Members of the Steinbeck family including John make cameo appearances in the book, although a reader would need to have that fact pointed out. Curiously Steinbeck allows no motivation for Cathy's (Kate's) evil- she appears to be simply bad seed, whereas Caleb's greatest sins are seen as understandable reaction to Adam's failings as a father. But is Caleb doomed to evil? As Adam says on his dathbed, "Timshel", "Thou mayest" triumph over evil.
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Summary: My favorite book EVER -- changed my life
Review: I'm so pleased Oprah chose this book. I feel it's overshadowed by "Grapes of Wrath" yet so much more powerful. Take the time to get through the first part of the book about the history of the land and region where the book takes place -- it's well worth it to get to the meat of the story. The story follows generations of a family repeating the same cycle of hurt and betrayal parallel to the story of Cain and Abel in the Bible (you only need a cursory knowledge of the biblical story to understand). It's a gripping story, but the message of the book is all about personal choice, how life may throw us curve balls but it is up to us individually to decide how we cope and CHOOSE to live. I read this book almost 20 years ago and it changed the way I view life. More than anything, this book is very empowering and challenges readers to be responsible for actions, or lack thereof, in their lives.
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Summary: Long, boring book
Review: Why is this a bad choice for anyone looking for lesiure reading? First, it is incredibly long, around 600 pages if I remember correct. Second, it is very difficult to follow due to the number of characters involved and number of plots going on. Third, and most importantly, it is incredibly boring. This book is completely uninteresting and turning the pages becomes more of chore than a pleasure.If memory serves, this book was to be Steinbeck's crowning jewel. Thus, it comes off as contrived and, as with all things overly planned, too complex.
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Summary: A Profound Lesson
Review: One of the most significant vignettes in this book appears in the opening to Chapter 13, wherein Steinbeck appropriately recognizes humans as our planet's sole creative species, and champions the concept of individuality. He wrote, "And this I believe: that the free, exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world. And this I would fight for: the freedom of the mind to take any direction it wishes undirected. And this I must fight against: any idea, religion, or government which limits or destroys the individual. This is what I am and what I am about. I can understand why a system built on a pattern must try to destroy the free mind, for that is one thing which can by inspection destroy such a system. Surely I can understand this, and I hate it and I will fight against it to preserve the one thing that separates us from the uncreative beasts. If the glory can be killed, we are lost." This is part of the reason a book such as "East of Eden" will continue to be read for pleasure, for study and for enlightenment -- whereas some communistic political hack's ghost-written piecemeal autobiography is destined by its nature to be a mere flash in the pan, and nobody will ever read it again after she has departed the stage.
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Summary: Extraordinary Tale Of Strife & Betrayal Between Brothers.
Review: "East of Eden" is one of John Steinbeck's most fascinating and disturbing novels; a tale of envy, conflict and betrayal between two generations of brothers - Adam and Charles Trask, and Adam's twin sons, Aron and Caleb. The novel spans the period between the American Civil War and the end of World War I. Adam Trask grew up with his brother, Charles, on a farm in Connecticut. Their father clearly favored gentle Adam throughout their lives, leaving Charles, the wilder and more violent of the two boys, bitter and envious. Charles loved his father and brother deeply, but could never elicit the old man's affection. The jealousy he felt towards Adam gnawed at him constantly. He acted out by beating and threatening his brother on various occasions. Adam joined the army leaving Charles, who worked hard on the family farm to keep everything in order. The brothers did not see each other for many years. When Adam finally did return, they argued relentlessly, and again, Adam left. When he returned to Connecticut once more, he found that his father had died, leaving his sons a fortune. Cathy Ames, a narcissistic, manipulative girl with few redeeming characteristics, is John Steinbeck's representative of evil in this story. She was sexually promiscuous as a girl and murdered her parents when in her teens, although nothing could be proved. When she showed up at the Trask home one evening, beaten and close to death, Adam nursed her back to health. Gulled by Cathy's seeming vulnerability and beauty, he married her. She got him drunk to the point of unconsciousness on their wedding night, and while he slept, she had sex with Charles. Adam bought some land outside of Salinas, California, and moved there with his unwilling wife. He wanted to create an Eden for his Eve. He learned that she was pregnant...and miserable at the thought of becoming a mother. Cathy tried to abort and failed. She stayed in Salinas long enough to give birth to fraternal twins, Aron and Caleb. Soon after their birth, Cathy abandoned her family, shooting her husband in the chest before exiting. Adam was so disturbed by the loss of his wife that he wanted little to do with his sons. The boys were raised by Lee, an Asian hired hand, who cared for them as his own. Samuel Hamilton, a neighbor and local philosopher, visited Adam frequently, attempting to jolt him out of his depression. On one occasion the two men discussed the biblical story of Cain and Able, Mr. Steinbeck's metaphor for this novel. Meanwhile, Cathy had moved to the town of Salinas, changing her name to Kate and entering a house of prostitution. The town sheriff, knowing her identity, warned Kate that she should never reveal her true identity as Adam's wife, and mother to the twins. She soon endears herself to the house madam, Faye, who eventually changes her will, to make Kate her sole beneficiary. Kate murders Faye and inherits her money. Adam, convinced by his friends, the Bacon's and their daughter Abra, moves to town with his sons so they can get decent schooling. Like their father and uncle, the twins constantly vie for their father's attention. Aron meets Abra at school and becomes deeply attached to her. She is the first woman to show him affection. Caleb is beside himself with jealousy...and longing. The ensuing conflicts, and unnecessary alienation, between Aron and Caleb are heartbreaking. One of the most dramatic parts of the novel occurs when Caleb learns his mother's identity and confronts her. Also, there is a painful scene when Adam repeats history, and tells Caleb, in spite of all the young man's efforts to please, that he should be more like his brother. Caleb, hurt and bitter, retaliates by introducing his brother to their mother. The results are devastating, for everyone. The novel, however, does ends on a note of hope and redemption. Steinbeck's main characters are not as fully developed, or as complex, as they could be because he is so intent on drawing similarities between them and their Biblical counterparts. In his retelling of the Cain and Abel story, the modern-day Adam, Charles, and Cathy, and Aron and Caleb, are forced to reenact the ancient drama of exile from Eden. However the Biblical references are interesting, and the plot and subplots are tension-filled and moving. His secondary characters, Lee, Samuel, Abra, are beautifully drawn, realistic portraits of believable people. Their stories, histories and motives, are fascinating and add much to this masterpiece by John Steinbeck.
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Summary: Pure Genius!
Review: I read this book back in November (2002) and was quit surprised when Oprah picked this masterpiece as the book that brought her club back... Even without Oprah's backing this is probably one of the GREATEST books I've ever read. You can't put the thing DOWN! In this story, which is loosly based on the book of Genesis insident between two brothers at war(Cain & Able), John Steinbeck gives a brutal examination of almost every nook and kranny of human nature: sex, love, betrayal, hypocrisy, greed, jealuosy, etc... and successfully weaves these elements into a heart wrenching tear-jerking story you'll always remember. This book is one of Steinbeck's most powerful novels since the Grapes of Wrath, and it's realism is POWERFUL enough to invoke a number of EMOTIONS in all of it readers. Buy it. You can't go wrong.
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Summary: As original as American Apple Pie
Review: When i first read "East of Eden" back in 1986 I remember my teacher telling the class that we had 3 weeks to read the book and have a book report ready to discuss during week 4. Then the teacher handed out the books and the class started making noises, ie...moan, no, oh. The book was as fat as the phone book and look/sounded "B" boring. I began reading East of Eden the following day. I remember it was Friday night and I had just finished watching tv and wanted to start reading this boring book to see what non-sense I was in for. The first chapter grabbed me and wouldn't let go. The story is very realistic and has great character development. I'm not going to talk about the story because there is too much to talk about, but it plays on a lot of emotions and it will make you use your imagination, much like you/we did when we were children. Thanks John...You will always be remembered for this great classic novel.
P.S. some literary boneheads/stuffy people ( you know who you are) disliked this story, but for those of us who like jam on our toast (not dry) you will like it.....Daniel
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