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?? Summer of Steinbeck

"It has always seemed strange to me... the things we admire in men, kindness and generosity, openness, honesty, understanding, and feeling, are the concomitants of failure in our system. And those traits we detest, sharpness, greed, acquisitiveness, meanness, egotism, and self-interest, are the traits of success. And while men admire the quality of the first they love the produce of the second."

man‘s right to kill himself is inviolable, but sometimes a friend can make it unnecessary

#12Booksof2023 @Andrew65

March: CANNERY ROW by John Steinbeck. Unbelievably, I had never read this book until 2023. I loved the town, Doc, and all of the quirky characters. 💙

Every month at book club, we wrap up our discussion with each reader offering their rating of that month‘s selection. We rate on a scale of 0 to 5 stars, 0 being the worst (there‘s been a few) and 5 being the best. As we approach our 25th anniversary, today I made an interesting discovery. One of our group has been, far and away, the most generous with 5 star ratings. And it isn‘t who I would have thought it would be. 🤔 #FirstSaturdayReaders

Book group prep. #FirstSaturdayReaders

Portrays the true worth of human consumption arguably from a spectral level as those who spend most of their waking hours thinking as “wise” men do, may be cheating themselves from the full honest flavor of experience. Success may be rated on a subjective basis then, as one who is deemed successful one way may be cheating themselves of experience and success another way. The little spot known as Cannery Row in Monterey puts that into perspective.

Every Steinbeck book I‘ve read is not that long on plot but is great on character and theme. I love Doc and Mack & the boys. I often have many going at one time, so I also finished these other two today. Happy-Go-Lucky is not my favorite Sedaris. It‘s just okay. I like The Sea Around Us better than The Edge of the Sea. It‘s good, but not as memorable, and it‘s a drier book.

It‘s passages like this that illustrate why Steinbeck is the GOAT.

I‘m not feeling well, so I‘m home from work reading. I love the way Steinbeck is saying that what you see depends on your perspective. “Had the man looked through another peephole he might have said, “Saints and angels and martyrs and holy men . . . “” instead of the whores, pimps, gamblers, etc, that he saw.

#readingbracket2023 #fiction

@iconchasjjlee

Monterey, looking a little more touristy than in Steinbeck‘s day. This was a beautifully evocative portrait of a distinctive place and time. The people in these stories come to life as does the city and the ocean around them. #AAM #authoramonth

2nd #AuthorAMonth book in March. @Soubhiville

I really enjoyed my time spent on Cannery Row with some great characters . This felt more like an experience than a story. I look forward to getting to the follow-up book.
#MarchMadness @DieAReader @Ghabi4Roses

Most of the Steinbeck books I had read to date had been tragic in some way. Not this one. While no intricate plot is detailed (except throwing Doc a party), I adored the vignettes of life in and on Cannery Row. As Steinbeck said, the stories here “crawl“ into and out of the pages. His language has a gift to bring you directly into the story. Doc, Mack, Lee, Dora ... I won't soon forget you.❣️
#AuthoraMonth
@Soubhiville

I enjoyed this book, probably because it was short! There isn‘t much of a plot, but there are interesting characters and a strong sense of place. Steinbeck will never be a go-to author for me, but I‘m glad I read this. I appreciated the writing that was descriptive but not flowery. Having spent a bit of time in the current iteration of Cannery Row, it was fascinating to look back at the history of the place. #authoramonth

I thoroughly enjoyed this short novel by Steinbeck. It touches on some heavy topics in the difficult living of his characters, but it‘s lighter than his longer novels I‘ve read. As expected, I loved his descriptions of the people and places of #California.

“Cannery Row in Monterey in California is a poem, a stink, a grating noise, a quality of light, a tone, a habit, a nostalgia, a dream.”

#AuthorAMonth #FirstLineFridays #quote #1001books

I finally started Cannery Row and, as if often the case with Steinbeck, I‘m loving the descriptions of people and places. Then we get this fun little discussion as well.

celebrate vs. celibate 😆 🤣

#AuthorAMonth

I was going to read The Grapes of Wrath for this month‘s #authoramonth but needed to get that from the library and I just can‘t seem to get there. So this and East of Eden are on my shelf already, and this one‘s *much* slimmer! 🤣

And I can also count it for #pop23 #abookyoureadmorethan10yearsago and #52books23 #asecondhandbook.

I didn‘t recall this book at all so it was lovely to have a re-read.

1️⃣ I said/resaid/resaid ... something to my students so that whenever I asked them “Why do we read literature?“, they replied in chorus: “to understand the statement on the human condition; in other words, on what it means to be human.“ If that's ALL they learned, I hope they take that with them because that is why I read.
2️⃣ The tagged book: one Steinbeck I haven't read (will fulfill #AuthoraMonth, too!
3️⃣ TJ Reid! After Malibu, Carrie!
@Eggs

Playing tourist in the state we live in is so fun. Learned a lot about Steinbeck today.

I got into a reading frenzy before bedtime for the last few months but summer reading choices have not been good. But this novel, which I reread this year is absolutely amazing. Steinbeck creates incredibly rich characters, making the book almost impossible to put down. I really recommend this, especially if you‘re rereading this. As an adult it is just so much better.

There were a few funny moments.

This might be my favorite book I've read all year so far. There's a poetry and heart in this novel that is hard to find elsewhere, and it comes from a place of absolute naturalness. It's been over a decade since I read Steinbeck in school, and I think I'll have to read, really *read*, more of his work soon. This little book got to me.

Ok last picture from Cannery Row ❤️

Got to visit one of my favorite cities on the planet today. I‘m lucky enough to live within an hour of Monterey, CA, but every time I visit I am so happy. Even with all my travels, this city remains in my top 3 favorite places on this planet. There‘s nothing like it, it‘s wealth of literary history, and the magic you feel when you are there.

Not so much a story as the nostalgic depiction of a particular time and place. Based on memories, it describes the characters populating a derelict depression-era street in Monterey, CA. While none of the residents are successful, they are content. One by one each is sketched, adding a piece to the overall picture. The one thing all have in common is goodwill towards Doc and the desire to do something nice for him-host a party for him in his home.

Every few years I reread “Cannery Row” and love it more every time.

After being blown away by East of Eden, I needed me some more Steinbeck. I chose Cannery Row because it‘s on the shorter side and honestly, I could have happily read 300 more pages about these people! It‘s a series of vignettes about the inhabitants of Cannery Row in Monterey during the Depression. It doesn‘t have a linear plot but it‘s hilarious, charming and still surprisingly moving. I‘m so happy there‘s a sequel, I can‘t wait to read it! 5⭐️

I loved it! There‘s a reason Steinbeck is one of my top five favorite authors.

It was really nice to reread this after so many years. I have a soft spot in my heart for the descriptions of towns. Steinbeck describes the vibes of a town and even though the people are exaggerated, the mood and language of the story are beautiful. This makes me oddly nostalgic for a time that shouldn't be romanticized.

Someone should write an erudite essay on ghetto moral, physical, and esthetic effect of the Model T Ford on the American nation. Two generations of Americans knew more about the Ford coils than the clitoris, and the planetary system of gears than the solar system of stars.

I love how Steinbeck writes people and places on the fringes of society without any judgment and allows you to exist so completely in an obscure little microcosm that you would never otherwise know. It's friggin' beautiful.
I found the dedication page way suspicious and after reading and falling in love with Doc, I was super pleased to learn that Doc is in fact Ed Ricketts (who is a straight fox and legend in his own right!) How cool is that? 😍

Steinbeck is such an amazing writer. He endears you to his characters and pulls you into their world. It also helps that I‘m very familiar with Monterey and Cannery Row so I was able to picture clearly streets and places he mentions. Fantastic book! ❤️

#ThankfulThursday

I lived for a year in Monterey, California.

1. When I was about 10 I stood in a long line to get an autograph from Melissa Sue Anderson of Little House on the Prairie fame.

2. I‘m thankful for the upcoming Tournament of Books Super Rooster. Looking forward to reading the judgments and commentary on line.

Thanks for the tag @Sace 😊 Interested in sharing @ABooksyGirl @Leftcoastzen ? 😀

It has always seemed strange to me...The things we admire in men, kindness and generosity, openness, honesty, understanding and feeling, are the concomitants of failure in our system. And those traits we detest, sharpness, greed, acquisitiveness, meanness, egotism and self-interest, are the traits of success. And while men admire the quality of the first they love the produce of the second.

This book was mentioned in 3 of the books I was reading recently (Mr. Penumbra, Noir, and Grown Ups by Marian Keyes) so clearly the universe was trying to tell me something.

It's about struggling through life and making do with what you have (basically nothing). The writing and description in general are brilliant.

So my random question: Is the character Hazel in the Umbrella Academy a nod to Cannery Row?

A great pick for short story Sunday! I really enjoyed the colorful descriptions, the rich dialog, and the characters. Just a fun, whimsical story.

There has to be something good in life, but not here. #classics #stealingbookrecommendations

This is the first of 12 classics (in my loose definition) that I am challenging myself to read in 2020 - I won‘t lie I picked this first because it is short. Cannery Row is a poem to a time and a place. To the down and out men, those who support the economics on the fringe, those who create their own communities of give and take. Do yourself a favor and spend a few hours on Cannery Row with those living on the fringe, and living well. 5⭐️

Good book, probably worth at least 15 frogs, 17 frogs in a pinch. But I‘d recommend waiting for a special at lee chongs, and paying only 12 frogs for this fine book.

Much of the first… half?… of the book was introducing characters. It got better once the characters were introduced and there was a bit of a storyline. The boys all seemed to like to party and didn‘t seem to care what got broken. It was kind of entertaining for the last half once a few things actually happened.

Loved it! I loved the pace and the descriptions. I generally like the shorter novels of Steinbeck‘s. Finished this whilst having a drink. 🍸#1001books #reading1001 #tbrtakedown

I‘m kind of feeling a bit stuck in some of the other books I‘m reading. So it‘s time for a quick read. Hoping it is good. #tbr1001 #reading1001 #summerreading

#Californication 😎🏖🌄🌞⛱🏕 #WanderingJune
@Cinfhen @BarbaraBB

Well written, charming, insightful, poignant. Can't go wrong with Steinbeck.

I listened to the audiobook; am heading to Monterey this summer, and my hotel is on Cannery Row. I imagine that the town is slightly different now. I liked the characters in the book, but it felt like a bunch of short stories. But that could just be me.

I'm heading to Monterey next week so I'm brushing up on my Steinbeck.

Today is my 1 Year #Litsyversary!! This was my very first post last year. Thank you @britt_brooke for being my first follower, and thanks @chelleo for being the first person to like and comment on my first post!

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