When Steinbeck is at his best, he is one of my favorite authors. He has a way of layering in detailed descriptions and feelings that should seem complex but somehow come across very simple and direct. This book is almost like a collection of inter-related short stories, with each chapter a short scene of life in a time and place. About 3/4 of the chapters build upon one another to tell a kind of loose plot, but a quarter are unrelated and just set a tone or mood -- these stand-alone chapters are some of my favorites.

"...the things people admire in men, such as kindness, generosity, and honesty, are often seen as signs of failure in society, while traits like greed and self-interest are seen as signs of success."

Now I want to take the two hour drive down to Monterey and walk around Cannery Row.