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The Middlesteins
Jami AttenbergJami Attenberg 9781455507207

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Cannery Row

by John Steinbeck

ISBN13: 9780140177381
ISBN10: 0140177388
Condition: Standard
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Synopses & Reviews

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Unburdened by the material necessities of the more fortunate, the denizens of Cannery Row discover rewards unknown in more traditional society.

Henry the painter sorts through junk lots for pieces of wood to incorporate into the boat he is building, while the girls from Dora Flood’s bordello venture out now and then to enjoy a bit of sunshine. Lee Chong stocks his grocery with almost anything a man could want, and Doc, a young marine biologist who ministers to sick puppies and unhappy souls, unexpectedly finds true love.

Cannery Row is just a few blocks long, but the story it harbors is suffused with warmth, understanding, and a great fund of human values.

First published in 1945, Cannery Row focuses on the acceptance of life as it is—both the exuberance of community and the loneliness of the individual. John Steinbeck draws on his memories of the real inhabitants of Monterey, California, and interweaves their stories in this world where only the fittest survive—creating what is at once one of his most humorous and poignant works. In Cannery Row, John Steinbeck returns to the setting of Tortilla Flat to create another evocative portrait of life as it is lived by those who unabashedly put the highest value on the intangibles—human warmth, camaraderie, and love.

Synopsis:

Adventures of cannery workers living in the run-down waterfront section of Monterey, California.

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: crowyhead, February 4, 2008 (view all comments by crowyhead)
Did you know that John Steinbeck can be really freaking hilarious? I had no idea. I think my only previous exposure had been The Pearl and Of Mice and Men, neither of which are exactly lighthearted reads. Cannery Row, though, has probably just joined my list of top ten favorite books. It tells the story of the folks, based on individuals Steinbeck actually knew, who live around the canneries of Monterey. At first it feels more like a series of character sketches than anything else -- to name a few: there's Mack and the Boys, good-natured idlers who do just enough work to keep themselves in booze; there's Henri, who fancies himself an artist and is building a boat that he will never finish; Dora Flood, the local madame; Lee Chong, who runs the grocery store and engages in near-constant battles of wits with Mack; and there's Doc, who lives and works at Western Biological Laboratories, and who is nearly universally liked by the other denizens of Cannery Row. It's this warm feeling folks have for Doc that actually drives the plot of the novel, which forms somewhat organically along the way. Since Doc has done so much for everyone, Mack figures, why don't they throw him a party to show their appreciation? The result is hilarious, disasterous, and in the end, just absolutely beautiful.

Honestly, if you think you don't like John Steinbeck, do yourself a favor and grab a copy of this book off the shelf at your library. Open to a chapter, any chapter, and start reading. If you can get through the chapter without either sitting down to finish the whole book, or running to the check-out counter to take it home, then, well, there might be something wrong with you.
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Product Details

ISBN:: 9780140177381
Author:: Steinbeck, John
Publisher:: Penguin Books
Location:: New York :
Subject:: Frogs
Subject:: Classics
Subject:: American
Subject:: Novels and novellas
Subject:: Literature
Subject:: Literary
Subject:: Community life
Subject:: Love stories
Subject:: Literature-A to Z
Edition Description:: MM Picture Book
Series Volume:: 92-13
Publication Date:: 19930231
Binding:: TRADE PAPER
Grade Level:: from 12
Language:: English
Illustrations:: Yes
Pages:: 208
Dimensions:: 7.56x4.24x.55 in. .30 lbs.
Age Level:: from 18

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