When I selected this book or our bookclub, I was a bit concerned that the members would balk at having to read an old classic. Little did I know that the book was over 600 pages.
I won’t describe the plot as others have done it better than I can but let me say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The writing was wonderful and so easy to read. I found myself actually picking up a pen to notate a passage or quote.

Kate is indeed the personification of evil. I loved the Sam character and was so impressed by Lee.

The only thing I found off putting was some of the racial prejudice when describing Asians and people of color. ( )

Loved loved loved, except the ending. ( )

I'd read it again. Important lessons. ( )

"And now that you don't have to be perfect, you can be good"

I picked up a pack of strawberries from the store the other day and it was a fun coincidence to see that they came from the Salinas Valley, CA. It is the very same place where most of the story in East of Eden takes place and where Steinbeck was from.

East of Eden is a generational saga about two families through which Steinbeck explores a multitude of philosophical topics: nature of good and evil, duality, love, family, duty, etc. Above all, it's about making choices and being in charge of your own destiny.

It reads like a parallel life and I found myself very invested in it. Steinbeck's craft is palpable - he is both a master storyteller and has a great sense of time and place. But above all, he feels for those characters that represent the whole of humanity, no matter how horrific some of them are. The novel is filled with Biblical references that never seemed over the top while I was reading it. Actually, the retelling of the biblical story of Cain and Abel strangely works.

This is just fantastic literature with unforgettable characters (Lee, Samuel, Cathy). I can't think of many books that top the experience of reading this. It never feels dated. ( )