Quiz: Can You Complete These John Steinbeck Book Titles?

Think you’re John Steinbeck’s biggest fan? This is your chance to prove it by finishing the titles his books. We’re not just looking at his novels for this one, as he also has novellas, short stories, and non-fiction books to his name, too. Can you get a perfect score?

Did you get all eight right? This is the perfect time to share with friends and see how well they remember his work as you watch Netflix’s new East of Eden series.

The Legacy of John Steinbeck

Whether you know him for his tragic novella “Of Mice and Men” or his acclaimed masterpiece The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck is one of those literary names most know. He was one of the defining voices of American literature, celebrated for bringing the life of the working class to light in an empathetic way.

Most of his writing captured the social anxieties of the Great Depression and other events in the middle of the 20th century, but they are all feelings that can be felt today. On top of that, he focused on moral clarity and human resilience, allowing readers to take away the period backdrop and place the thoughts and actions in today’s world.

Many of his novels offer biblical allegory at the same time as social realism, but not in a way that preaches to the masses. He brought a way to reimagine the story, such as East of Eden reimagining the story of Cain and Abel through the generations of two families. Topics of free will and intentions are at the forefront of the story.

While many will remember his works of fiction, there are non-fiction books out there that capture landscapes and life. He showed his keen eye for observation as well as his love of exploration with the likes of Travels with Charley: In Search of America and The Log from the Sea of Cortez.

These books might be overlooked now, but they take readers back to a time when far more of the world was unknown and unexplored. There’s a humanizing look at life during the early Cold War, and a scientific exploration of the Gulf of California.

Steinbeck is a literary master who will be remembered forever. If you haven’t worked through every single piece of his work, there’s no time like the present.

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