Cannery Row

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Summary: I didn't Know Steinbeck was a Beatnik!
Review: Championing life outside the stiff 9-5 scene, Steinbeck writes this short but funny and moving story of Bums, Corner Girls, and other fascinating creatures living on the fringes of society but loving their poor yet happy existence.

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Summary: One of his better works, but not the best
Review: An excellent all around work. Mixing drama with comedy, Steinbeck comes through here where he failed with Tortilla Flat. A short and easy read, it will last a weekends worth of reading. Not as good as The Grapes of Wrath or East of Eden, but a very good effort none the less.

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Summary: Finally! A cure for insomnia!!!
Review: I had to read this for my freshman honors English class, and halfway through virtually abandoned it. I really don't care to know every nit-picking detail of these bland characters' lives, and besides that the plot was non existent. There were several scenes that were either dream sequences or just drunken hallucinations, I can't decide which. My heart goes out to all who have to read this pointless book.

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Summary: A wonderful tale of the human spirit
Review: Grapes of Wrath might be Steinbeck's most recognized novel, but Cannery Row is his best by far; Its skim story - throwing a party for one of the characters - is just an excuse for Steinbeck to demonstrate his awesome power in creating and shaping such human, loveable characters. A must, for all reader.

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Summary: Cannery Row Delivers Excellence
Review: At first I had to read Cannery Row as a summer reading assignment and I was not looking forward to reading it. But, once I sat down and started to read it, I felt so close to the characters and it was just like I was watching their daily lives through a peep-hole in Monterey. John Steinbeck brought to life human emotions that people feel everyday and painted a vivid picture with words.

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Summary: Only Steinbeck could capture the true American bumb.
Review: I have read this book seven times and always find something new that I missed the times before. He attacks every aspect of the human character; even himself. He leaves no stone (person) unturned. His development of character is still amazing and unmatched by anyone. It is easy to see that he patterns his characters after people he knew. The comic episodes juxtaposed with the sad lives of people in lives going nowhere is one of the greatest works of art since "The Grapes of Wrath." This book is what America is really like.

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Summary: More Picture Then Novel
Review: This book is the closest thing I have ever read in resembling a photograph. Steinbeck paints a crisp picture of this community while causing you to experience every emotion available. Truly one of his best.

Rating:
Summary: Extraordinary
Review: I have read this book ten or more times, and I never fail to be completely amazed by it. Its genius lies in Steinbeck's characters and settings, but above all, in his extraordinary ability to write to his readers so that they can see, can understand what he is showing them. Steinbeck is a master of words, not obviously, but so completely that as you read, the words become images, the people become real, all without you noticing the exquisite turn of phrase or detecting the minutely careful selection of each of these words that make up this truly exceptional piece of literature.

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Summary: Steinbeck at his best
Review: Cannery Row is one of the most amazing literary achievements of all time. Steinbeck's words paint such a vivid picture of the people and places surrounding a vacant lot in Monterey that you will almost smell the fish rotting on the beach and hear the music coming from the lobby of the Bear Flag Hotel. The people of Cannery Row don't do much all day, and they never really achieve anything, but Steinbeck portrays them so magically that by the end of the story they have become archetypal heroes of greatness, honor, and beauty. This is the book that convinced me that I had to read everything ever written by John Steinbeck.

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Summary: Best Book I've read in years
Review: This is the best book I have read in many years. Most anyone will become totally absorbed in Steinbeck's characters and the earthy world they live in. Steinbeck knows human beings and has the most astonishing insight into their problems and feelings (Try the Red Pony as another example of that.). There is something on every page of this book that intrigues and I found myself laughing through most of the book and exclaiming, "Man, this is a great book!" The images he paints are vivid and haunting and the symbolism -- especially with regard to male/female issues -- is perfectly done. When you have finished Cannery Row, you can look forward to its sequel, Sweet Thursday, for another great reading experience. I'd put this one up with Huck Finn for enjoyment and quality. This is REAL literature.