Friday, January 26, 2007
Cannery Row: John Steinbeck
John Steinbeck is an American Great Writer. I wasn't able to go past the first couple of tapes when I was listening to "Grapes of Wrath," but "Cannery Row" was completely different. I enjoyed driving just so that I could listen to the tapes! It's a wonderful book with the town and the area around Monterey starring for the first half of the book. In the second half, there is a semblance of a story/plot, but it's nothing special. The location is the star of the book and there are lots of unconnected stories thrown in.
I especially enjoyed the book since I went jogging out there past the Hopkins Station and many of the places Steinbeck describes early in the morning (there is a lovely sunrise description in the book too) a few months back when I was in Monterey for an SAP offsite. It's the same place geographically, but it's now so rich and fancy. It's a bit difficult to understand how such things change over time.
I especially enjoyed the book since I went jogging out there past the Hopkins Station and many of the places Steinbeck describes early in the morning (there is a lovely sunrise description in the book too) a few months back when I was in Monterey for an SAP offsite. It's the same place geographically, but it's now so rich and fancy. It's a bit difficult to understand how such things change over time.
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Ha. I never managed to get through Grapes of Wrath either. Must try Cannery Row.
BTW, I bought Maximum City (Sacred Games was only available in hard-back). It's really great. I've only read a hundred-odd pages so far, though. Especially related to the bheeeenchoooooood that he used to scream against the wind and the cold. I can tell you, I've done it plenty of times in Chicago. Also liked his description of the parsi version of the gaali. So apt. Bawaji (Zavareh) lived up to that reputation with amazing aplomb.
BTW, I bought Maximum City (Sacred Games was only available in hard-back). It's really great. I've only read a hundred-odd pages so far, though. Especially related to the bheeeenchoooooood that he used to scream against the wind and the cold. I can tell you, I've done it plenty of times in Chicago. Also liked his description of the parsi version of the gaali. So apt. Bawaji (Zavareh) lived up to that reputation with amazing aplomb.
You'll like Cannery Row. Read it before or after a visit to the area, assuming you haven't been there in a couple of years. "Zavareh" - come to think of it, it's such a cool name... it would belong to 'Maximum City', nahin?
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