I spent last summer reading whole chunks of Steinbeck (I was really interested in Ed Ricketts), travelled to Monterey (a total tourist disaster except for the aquarium). I was surprised at how poorly the books stand up with the exception of the big three or four -- Grapes of Wrath, Of Mice and Men, Cannery Row, and a couple of others.   A book like Tortilla Flat is unreadable. East of Eden is like some Tyrannosauras Novelus, sloshing around in the La Brea tar pit. It is interesting that he is like Hemingway: when he isn't at the absolute top of his form, he is really mediocre. Probably because the idiosyncracies show up more when the cupboard is barer.

yours,

Peter T.