A John Steinbeck Encyclopedia - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0313296693 ISBN 13: 9780313296697

Publisher: Greenwood, 2006

Synopsis

One of the greatest novelists of the 20th century, John Steinbeck continues to be read and studied at all levels. This encyclopedia extensively overviews his life and writings. Included are roughly 1200 alphabetically arranged entries by more than 40 expert contributors. Entries cover his works, major characters, family members and contemporaries, influences, and various special topics related to his literary career. Many of the entries cite works for further reading, and the encyclopedia closes with a selected, general bibliography.

Known for his searing social criticism, John Steinbeck is one of the most popular and influential American writers of the 20th century. His works are read and studied at all levels and have been made into films. And though critics and scholars initially found fault with his enormously popular works, he is now widely recognizes as a master of his craft. This encyclopedia provides an extensive overview of his life and career and is accessible to high school students, undergraduates, and general readers.

Presented are roughly 1200 alphabetically arranged entries by more than 40 expert contributors. These entries cover his works, major characters, family members and contemporaries, influences, and a range of special topics.

About this title

About the Author

Michael Meyer first went to China in 1995 with the Peace Corps. The winner of a Lowell Thomas Award for travel writing, Meyer has also won a Whiting Writers' Award for nonfiction and a Guggenheim Fellowship. His stories have appeared in the New York Times, Time, Smithsonian, Sports Illustrated, Slate, the Financial Times, the Los Angeles Times, and the Chicago Tribune. He is the author of The Last Days of Old Beijing, which became a bestseller in China, and he divides his time between Pittsburgh and Singapore.

Reviews

Grade 10 Up—Wide-ranging alphabetical entries, many of which have source notes, cover characters, settings, and the people and places that influenced Steinbeck's life and work. Commentary on the author's nonfiction writing makes up about half of the entries. Information on both the print and film versions of various titles adds a dimension and reminds readers how Steinbeck's universal themes easily translate into other mediums. Further-reading lists for many of the entries are useful. Unfortunately, the literary analysis is somewhat buried in the entries, and very little is critical of Steinbeck or his work. Also, overarching ideas in his fiction are not truly addressed. In fact, in the "Topical List of Entries," only seven concepts are listed, which is a distressingly low number for students seeking theme-based information. Overall, though, the editors have supplied a well-researched study of the writer's art and the people and places that shaped it. This will be a quality addition to collections with other sources of literary criticism, and a good start for those without.—Carol Fazioli, Gwynedd-Mercy College, Gwynedd Valley, PA
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Edition details

• Publisher: Greenwood
• Publication date: 2006
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0313296693
• ISBN 13: 9780313296697
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 544
• Editor: Railsback Brian, Meyer Michael