Product Description

Streetwise George and his big, childlike friend Lennie are drifters, searching for work in the fields and valleys of California. They have nothing except the clothes on their back, and a hope that one day they’ll find a place of their own and live the American dream. But dreams come at a price. Gentle giant Lennie doesn’t know his own strength, and when they find work at a ranch he gets into trouble with the boss’s daughter-in-law. Trouble so bad that even his protector George may not be able to save him …

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #705 in Books
• Published on: 2006-01-26
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 128 pages

About the Author
John Steinbeck (1902-1968) is remembered as one of the greatest and best-loved American writers of the twentieth century. During the 1930s, his works included The Red Pony, Pastures of Heaven, Tortilla Flat, In Dubious Battle, and Of Mice and Men. The Grapes of Wrath, published in 1939, earned him a Pulitzer Prize. In 1962, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature

Customer Reviews

Touching
This is the first Steinbeck book I have read.
I look forward to reading many more.
A simple and touching study of loneliness and all it entails.

Of Mice And Men
Of Mice and Men is a classic piece of 20th century American literature. Steinbeck portrays a troubled period of American history with concise and accurate depiction of the strains the depression of 1933 put on the USA socially as well as financially. The book also deals with some very close-to-home issues such as racial stigma and sexism. The novels main characters, George Milton and Lennie Small, are the stereotypical laborers, wandering from ranch to ranch, harvesting the grain and then leaving, having nothing to spend their month's earnings on apart from sex or alcohol. However, despite the harsh reality that they will spend all their working life, on a ranch, bucking barley, everybody like George or Lennie has a little piece of heaven stored safely away in their imagination. This story represents the struggle of two everyday men, trying to break out of their everyday routine and turn that imaginary strip of land into a reality.

Steinbeck at his character-constructing best
I've just finished reading Of Mice and Men as part of a novel-reading challenge and despite its short length, I've got to say it's a monumental piece of literature, with a story as powerful as anything I have, or am probably ever likely to read.

The story centres around George Milton and Lennie Small, two migrant workers who are scouring the Californian countryside in search of work. Again, as was other Steinbeck novels, I have been mesmerised by Mr. Steinbeck's profound ability to create characters that are wholly `stick in the head' memorable. Lennie, despite being a bit of a `man mountain' and a `hell of a good worker' suffers from a high level of mental disability. His only motivation seem to be that one day he's going to own a farm with George, solely so he can care for a load of rabbits. Lennie loves to pet soft cuddly things, but as you'll find out if you read Of Mice and Men, this passion ends up being quite detrimental to him at times.

George acts as a kind of mentor or carer for Lennie. It's obvious he has a real affection for Lennie (and he apparently made a promise to Lennie's aunt that he would care for him after she passed away), but one has to wonder to what extent George may be exploiting Lennie's strength and ability to work. George like to proclaim to potential employers, the fact that Lennie can do the work of many hands, and this seems to be a good `bargaining chip', provided Lennie can keep his mouth shut at the `interview stage' for securing work.

George and Lennie may be the primary `players' in Of Mice and Men but Mr. Steinbeck has also created a whole host of characters that are equally interesting. It would be giving way too much of the plot if I went into detail so suffice it to say that characters such as Candy, Slim, Crooks and Curly will remain unforgettable to the reader of this novel.

The story, although powerful is, as I've found with a number of Mr. Steinbeck's books, fairly linear and not hugely plot-driven. I often see the plot and settings of Mr. Steinbeck's novels to be more a stage for his characters rather than anything else, but that's no bad thing, given that his characters are so well put together. However what Mr. Steinbeck does do well throughout this novel is to infuse suggestions of an ulterior motive for George and Lennie's nomadic wanderings (it isn't just to find work), which becomes clear near the end of the story.

Of Mice and Men is proclaimed by many as being one of the greatest works ever written, and after reading it I can see why. For anyone wishing an introduction into the novels of Steinbeck, this title is ideal. It's short enough to complete in one or two days, and while the characters in Of Mice and Men are profoundly realised there are only a handful of them, and each is presented in an uncomplicated and straightforward way. I'm sure there aren't too many people who haven't read Of Mice and Men sometime in their life, but if you're one of them then I highly recommend picking this book up. I know you'll enjoy it.