The Winter of Our Discontent

Rating:
Summary: A good book, but not a great book
Review: This is my favorite book, not because it is the best book I've read (indeed it's not even among Steinbeck's best works), but because I recognize how fragile my moral high ground is and because I resonate with a character who seems to be a thinking man in an unthinking world. Though definitely overwritten at times, this book explores serious ideas in a genuine and meaningful way

Rating:
Summary: This novel brought me back to Steinbeck
Review: After reading Of Mice and Men, The Red Pony, and The Pearl in high school, I was not an admirer of Steinbeck, but when I picked up The Winter of Our Discontent as an adult, I was awed by the author I had once shunned. Steinbeck's keen sense of character and a mastery of the language carries this novel from first page to last. Set in New England, the story revolves around Ethan Hawley, a descendent of proud New England stock whose life seems betrayed by circumstances as he struggles to provide for his family. His wife Mary urges him to be more ambitious, and his restless teenage children exhibit signs of being morally corrupt. When Ethan decides that his ethics no longer matter in this demanding world, he enters his own compounding crisis.

In perfectly rendered language, Steinbeck explores the themes of two Americas - the old Puritanical and morally staid one, and the one where every man fights for himself. The corruption in New Baytown is rampant. Issues about privilege and entitlement, family values, skewed priorities, flagging morality, and work ethics simmer underneath. Steinbeck's depiction of Ethan and Mary's marriage is witty, biting, and affectionate, demonstrating both his humor and his talent for dissecting domestic issues as well as the grander, social ones.

A fine novel by a recently underappreciated author, The Winter of Our Discontent is worth every minute spent with it.

Rating:
Summary: More relevant today than ever
Review: This underrated book presents the classic moral dilemma which pits the desire of the main character to live a moral, simple and decent life against the pressures from outside influences to obtain material wealth and standing through means which would cause him to give up the morals he holds most precious to him. This is the type of novel that all people should read after they have entered the workforce and can reflect on their own lives. Steinbeck leads the reader through the main character's thoughts and finishes this personal journey with an ending which will have readers turning back the pages to see the events which preceded the conclusion. I read the last chapters several times and each time was moved.

The reason why this novel is underrated is that while it lacks the size and power of some of Steinbeck's other novels, such as "Of Mice and Men", "The Grapes of Wrath" and "East of Eden", I often reflect upon the lessons of this novel years later in my own life. For this reason, it is my favorite of all of Steinbeck's novels. Like all of Steinbeck's writings, it acccomplishes its goals with a concise economic prose, which serves to emphasize the message of the novel. It is a novel of significant moral effect and it should be read several times during a lifetime to remind us of the difference between right and wrong and the significance that our actions may have on the lives of those around us and on ourselves.

Rating:
Summary: Makes an impact
Review: "The Winter Of Our Discontent" is not Steinbeck's best, but it's really a good read and you can't go wrong spending a few hours reading the works of this master of American Lit!