My friend whom I've known since roughly 1966 has part ownership of a family farm in the Salinas Valley, which is among the richest and highest-producing farmlands in the world. His grandparents knew John Steinbeck's family and their farm is in fact mentioned by name in East of Eden. His uncle also knew Steinbeck -- said he was sort of an odd guy. That's no surprise. He was a writer.
So I'm three degrees from John Steinbeck. Whoop de do, right? But no! My cousin says that when Grandma was at Cal, John Steinbeck and some friends would come over from Stanford to visit and party once in awhile and that he tried to pick up on her (this would be 1924, give or take). That's no surprise either. She was a social gal in her day. And he was a writer.
So I'm two degrees from John Steinbeck.
I don't know, I like shit like that. I'm currently reading Travels With Charley and admire some of his writing. Since I had a liberal Berkeley-style high school education I have never read any of the classics, or any of the great writers who weren't featured in the fantasy and science fiction section, and therefore have never read Steinbeck. I know I "should" fix that -- but "should" is in quotes because there is nothing we really should do and anyway, time is short, it takes me a month and a half to finish a book typically.
That's no excuse.
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I had to read all kinds of stuff (Scarlet Letter, Odyssey, Lord of the Flies, a hell of a lot of poetry), but Steinbeck was not among them. I have remedied it, reading "Of Mice" a few years back.
Really enjoyed it.
Also never had to read Hemingway, so I remedied that a bit ago.
Don't get me started on Ayn Rand.
I read "East of Eden" at least once a year, and "Timshel" is one of those things I say frequently.
Thou mayest, Don. Thou mayest.
I think I read Mice, or saw the play at least. Was good!
Fuck shoulds. Life is way WAY too short. I doubt I'll try Joyce again for that very reason.
But the Steinbeck-degrees thing is cool in any case. :)
A friend of mine's dad worked at the Stanford VA hospital mental ward during the time Ken Keasey was a patient there, and we all lived right across the street from Kenneth Patchen. Also, Pig Pen's little sister was in my art class in my senior year! (short skirts and lo-ooooong boots!) So, I've read some Keasey, and some Patchen, but, alas . . . .
(Kesey) Sorry, recovering Deadhead. : )
I'm in the midst of re- reading "Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test" as we speak!
I never could get through Joyce. I think the skinny-jean/narrow glasses guys in Brooklyn only carry "Ulysses" in their back pockets in hopes of getting laid. Which raises the question, has reading Joyce ever gotten ANYONE laid? This could explain why there are always so many copies of the book on the sidewalk sale tables.
WE GET IT. IT'S DUSTY. STFU ALREADY.
Hem hem.
Sorry. Automatic outburst whenever I see the word "Steinbeck."
Don't forget to add "Moveable Feast" to your list, Old Boy. Always good to throw a little Hemingway in there too. To die. In the rain. Alone.
Ahem. My Wife has a collection of Steinbeck short stories that are terrific. I never read any of his novels either, but these short stories are really penetrating.
Oh. I forgot. A buddy of mine is babysitting two Hemingway six-toed cats, and, you know, not to brag, but one of them kind of likes me. Keeps walking up and leaning against me as he goes by.
To die. In the rain. Alone.
It would be awesome if William. Shatner ever did a reading.
Roy, that sounds cool but let us know if the cat looks up at you and mumbles en Cubano about fishing with the great DiMaggio.
My mom the English major never liked Hemingway. Charley, the travelogue Steinbeck wrote when he knew he was dying, is his best. He weaves the story in a way that you can read just the story and he doesn't hit you over the head with his politics.
Yes, fuck shoulds though I just finished "Cat's Cradle" and had to wrestle with the feeling that I "should have" read it a long time ago.
To die. In the rain. Alone.
It's a Shatner must do.
I read A Farewell To Arms. Don't really remember it except for one bit of innuendo that for all I know the literary world never remarked upon.
I'd like to do a Travels of my own but I would get bored with it unless I threw in runaway sex slaves and high speed pursuits. Would that sell? Maybe if I died at the end.
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