Collage:
Imgur Link - Larger Version [1800 x 1800 px]
Write-Up:
In the centre of the collage, there is a portrait of
John Ernst Steinbeck from 1939. In the top left, we can see the full cover of his most famous book “The Grapes of Wrath” which was published in 1939. It conveyed the harshness of the Great Depression and aroused sympathy for the struggles of the migrant farmworkers. The book was regarded as an American classic, and Steinbeck also earned the Pulitzer Prize for this book in 1940. To the right of the image of the book cover, we can see a photograph of Steinbeck and his wife, Elaine Steinbeck, in their Sag Harbor home. To the right of that photograph, we can see a photograph of Steinbeck as a child. Below the image of the book cover, we can see the poster for the film adaptation of “The Grapes of Wrath” having the same name as the novel. It was directed by John Ford, the screenplay was written by Nunnally Johnson and the executive producer was Darryl F. Zanuck. Below the movie poster, we can see a photograph of Steinbeck and his son John Steinbeck IV on the dock in Sag Harbor, New York. To the right of this photograph, we can see Steinbeck with his wife Elaine later in life in his house. To the right of that photograph, we can see Steinbeck with his poodle, Charley. Above this, there is a photograph of Bob Hope visiting John Steinbeck during his U.S.O. Christmas tour in Southeast Asia.
John Steinbeck was born on February 27, 1902. He was famously known as "a giant of American letters." He had a diverse ancestry, including German, English, and Irish roots. Steinbeck attended Salinas High School in 1919 and later pursued a degree in English Literature at Stanford University near Palo Alto. However, he did not complete his degree and left in 1925.
Throughout his career, he wrote a total of 33 books. He co-authored one of his books with Edward Ricketts and wrote 16 novels, 6 non-fiction books, and 2 collections of short stories. Steinbeck's first novel, "Cup of Gold," was published in 1929. This book was based loosely on the life and death of privateer Henry Morgan. Between 1930 and 1933, Steinbeck produced three shorter works: "The Pastures of Heaven" (1932), "The Red Pony" (1933), and "To a God Unknown" (1933). However, he achieved his first major success with "Tortilla Flat," a novel set in post-war Monterey, California, that won the California Commonwealth Club's Gold Medal.
Steinbeck's most famous book, "The Grapes of Wrath," is considered to be his crowning achievement and is a part of the American literary canon. The book had sold 14 million copies by its 75th anniversary.
Steinbeck held political views that aligned with the "New Deal" policies of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. In his writings, he criticized certain aspects of capitalism and expressed sympathy for the struggles of workers. However, his views were controversial, and some people accused him of promoting communism. In his hometown of Salinas, he faced a lot of backlash and received numerous threats. As a result, he had to purchase a handgun for his own safety.
John Steinbeck passed away in New York City on December 20, 1968, during the 1968 flu pandemic due to heart disease and congestive heart failure. He was 66 years old and had been a lifelong smoker. An autopsy revealed that the main coronary arteries were nearly completely blocked. On March 4, 1969, his body was cremated and interred, according to his wishes. His remains were placed in the Hamilton family gravesite in Salinas, along with those of his parents and maternal grandparents. In 2004, Elaine, his third wife, was also buried in the same plot.
In 1976, Steinbeck's incomplete novel, which was based on the King Arthur legends of Malory and others, was published under the title "The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights".
)
![Imgur Link - Larger Version [1800 x 1800 px]](https://i.imgur.com/qPcMjHb.png){kind=link}
