Rating: 
Summary: . . .five stars is a bit too much. . .
Review: Steinbeck tried too hard with this one. This book tried, more or less, to do what T S Eliot did with the Wasteland. This book is loaded with symbols. To understand this work completely, for the lay reader, Steinbeck is demanding too much. The book delves into Earth worshiping, Greek epics, and of course, the Bible. It is no wonder it took him so long to write it--to work out the kinks. I did, however, thoroughly enjoy this work. This work almost boardered on the surreal for me. This work seemed to be written from a dream. I had the sensation of being swept into a dream of some lunatic while I read this book. But I liked being a part of that dream. I believe this was his third published book, after Pastures of Heaven--a novel of interlinked short stories--so I feel it is a wonderful improvement over Cup of Gold, and a wonderful third novel, but still far from The Grapes of Wrath or Of Mice and Men. Following Steinbeck's novels is a great way to study the growth of a writer--duh!--and I feel To a God Unknown is a nice third novel, as far as third novels go. Thank You.
Rating: 
Summary: To a God Unknown
Review: The novel To a God Unknown, by John Steinbeck is about a man, Joseph Wayne, moving from Vermont to California after his father dies. When he and his family get to the house where his father lived, his relatives meet him there. One of his brothers starts killing trees because of Joseph's mournings. Joseph is a father of two girls and a boy. Joseph lived in Vermont until he finds out his father dies. When he found out that his father dies, he and his family move from Vermont to California. I didn't really like the book because of the killing of nature and Joseph's brother killing the trees. I would not recommend the book.
Rating: 
Summary: A California Jewel
Review: The story is based on man's relationship with the land. On another level, it re-enacts the ancient ritual of sacrifice in return for rain and thus crops and life itself. It retells the ages-old worship of wooden gods and animism. It leaves one to wonder if we had ever purged ourselves of these "ways" but rather embedded them further within ourselves in these "modern" times. It is a pagan theme that goes throughout. Beautifully written, the heart and feel of the California landscape never left me doubting as to where this is. If you've ever spent time in the valley, the descriptions hit home. If you've never been, it will prepare you mentally and perhaps physically, for the heat. And in the little oases of wood and stream, he has captured the coolness and mystic qualities that still exist today. From a premier California storyteller, this is a California jewel.
Rating:
Summary: Best Steinbeck novel I have yet to read
Review: This is one of Steinbeck's more ambitious novels, with a great plot and a clear message. It is about a man who makes pagan offerings to a tree he believes holds his father's spirit. When torrential rains and a bad harvest come, his friend's shun him for his ways. This is a great story about the struggle between man and religion. It is a truly great book!
Rating:
Summary: Great books about struggles with religion
Review: This is one of Steinbeck's more ambitious novels, with a great plot and a clear message. It is about a man who makes pagan offerings to a tree he believes holds his father's spirit. When torrential rains and a bad harvest come, his friend's shun him for his ways. This is a great story about the struggle between man and religion. It is a truly great book!
Rating:
Summary: Steinbeck knows alot about life
Review: This novel is Steinbeck's superior. You may read about foreign beliefs and situations in this novel. Take your time and read about these epics in other books so that you may understand the novel better. It is very well worth the strenuous effort. Once you read it once, read it another 2 or 3 times throughout your life. You may understand yours better. It interweaves a multitude of ethnic customs into one. An ingenious way of perception brought out of Steinbeck
Rating:
Summary: A Forgotten Work Worth Finding
Review: This story is a beauty. Nominally set in Steinbeck's beloved California hills, it has many parts that forcast the writing that would come later in "Grapes of Wrath", or more directly "East of Eden".The characters, the story, the ending, are so obviously metephorical that you know they are more than just people. At the same time, the story on it's face is worth reading several times. It speaks to many themes that run throughout our lives, and at least for me caused a great deal of thought. What more can you ask from a book?
Rating:
Summary: Different but not disappointing
Review: This story is not as powerful as The Grapes of Wrath, or some of Steinbeck's other works, but this is a very well written and lesser know treasure. I would only recommend it to true Steinbeck fans though. It contains the same basic style as many of his other books. The story moves along quickly so I did not find it to be excessively boring. It was somewhat strange though. The main character Joseph is very close to his land where he has built his home. And on his land there is a great tree. In it he believes is the spirit of his dead father. He believes the tree gives him guidance. It plays a major role in the book. The book itself incorporates pagan beliefs as well as Biblical beliefs. There is happiness and tragedy as well as mystery and lust. Overall I found this book to be very good but certainly not the best of Steinbecks novels.
Rating:
Summary: Quality writing
Review: This was a book that made me think thus appreciate what the earth is really about. The descriptions that J.S. used to describe the land and attitudes towards life were indeed beautiful. Simply, the metaphors in the book are what make it so great. The contrasting of ideas and the usage of biblical names for characters with non-christian beliefs sets the tone of the brilliant book. The act of taking the reader and placing them into what they are reading is a task i feel this author is the best at.
Rating:
Summary: Haunting and thought provoking
Review: Years ago I read this novel at the urging of my father, a big Steinbeck fan. He said it was 'spooky'. It was tough to understand at the time, and still tough upon rereading now, but that is the beauty of it.. what is being said here? Steinbeck seems to flit back and forth between approval of his main character's actions and warning against them. The message comes through clearly that Nature is a chaotic force, but some devotees have a special connection with it. Nature is truly presented as another religion, perhaps more powerful than the ones we consider mainstream. And like any other religion, the God of nature calls a particular few, sometimes causing division in families . The style is sometimes a bit disconnected, but the book is a definite recommend for deep thinkers. Also particularly interesting is the foreward explaining the origins of the novel's theme and the time and effort it took Steinbeck to write... he spent more time on this novel than on any other. I will pick this up and reread it again, in a few years. It's that kind of book.
|
