A review by skitch41
John Steinbeck, Writer by Jackson J. Benson

5.0

I purchased this book many years ago and started reading it after a trip to the John Steinbeck Museum in Salinas, CA. I've been plucking away at it little by little since then, unable to finish reading it until today. I can happily say that it was worth the effort. Mr. Benson has given us a definitive look at John Steinbeck. In a sense, this is really three books in one, two biographies and one literary criticism, and great in each way. Mr. Benson has written a great biography of the man as we get a nearly side-by-side walk through the life of Mr. Steinbeck. He has also written a great biography of of the writer as we struggle with Steinbeck to write something original throughout the many phases of his life. And he has written a general appraisal of all of Steinbeck's works from [b:Cup of Gold|186364|Cup of Gold|John Steinbeck|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388603814s/186364.jpg|2019230] to [b:Travels with Charley: In Search of America|5306|Travels with Charley In Search of America|John Steinbeck|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1386924381s/5306.jpg|1024827] and [b:America and Americans|1453972|America and Americans|John Steinbeck|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1387753723s/1453972.jpg|21862417]. Mr. Benson is tough, but fair-minded critic of Steinbeck's works without pretense or snobbery, something I think Mr. Steinbeck would've appreciated. The only downside of this work is its heft. At 1,000+ pages of narrative, this may be a daunting read for anyone. It nearly was for me. Still, if you are a fan of John Steinbeck and his works, I would highly recommend this book to you as a companion to all of Steinbeck's written works.