2024 the best novels of the 20th century review

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(as of Dec 02, 2024 02:46:10 UTC - Details)

Here is Steinbeck’s tough yet charming portrait of people on the margins of society, dependent on one another for both physical and emotional survival.

Published in 1945, Cannery Row focuses on the acceptance of life as it is: both the exuberance of community and the loneliness of the individual. Drawing on his memories of the real inhabitants of Monterey, California, Steinbeck interweaves the stories of Doc, Henri, Mack and his boys, and the other characters in this world, where only the fittest survive, to create a novel that is at once one of his most humorous and most poignant works.

Reviewer: Gilligan
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: A Literary Gem
Review: John Steinbeck's “Cannery Row” is a masterful exploration of life’s simple, yet profound moments, set against the backdrop of a small, working-class community in Monterey, California. First published in 1945, the novel captures the essence of a town during the Great Depression, offering a vivid portrayal of both the idyllic and harsh realities of human existence. While “Cannery Row” doesn't follow a traditional plot structure, Steinbeck weaves a tapestry of interconnected vignettes, centering around the lives of quirky, endearing characters.The novel's charm lies in its celebration of ordinary people and their daily lives. At its heart is a group of social outcasts: Doc, the wise and compassionate marine biologist; Mack and his band of well-intentioned but hapless drifters; and a cast of eccentric locals, including Dora Flood, the kind-hearted brothel owner, and Lee Chong, the savvy grocer. Each character is flawed yet full of life, and through Steinbeck’s lens, they become symbols of resilience, community, and survival.Steinbeck’s writing style in “Cannery Row” is poetic, with his characteristic ability to make even the most mundane scenes rich with beauty and meaning. The descriptions of the row itself—a place teeming with industry, wildlife, and human stories—are immersive, transporting readers to the streets lined with canneries, the smell of fish, and the ebb and flow of the Pacific Ocean. He has a remarkable way of blending humor with melancholy, illustrating how people find joy in their circumstances, despite the underlying hardship of the times.Although it’s set in a specific time and place, “Cannery Row” transcends its era. Themes of friendship, loneliness, and the search for purpose are universal. Mack and his group’s often misguided efforts to do something good for Doc—a party that hilariously and disastrously backfires—touch on a deeper human desire for connection and redemption. Steinbeck’s characters might be seen as failures in the conventional sense, but he presents them with great empathy, showing that their struggles and small victories are what make them fully human.One of the novel’s strengths is its brevity. It’s a short, tightly written book that doesn’t waste a word. Every scene contributes to the overarching themes of community, survival, and the beauty of life's fleeting moments. At the same time, its episodic nature and loose structure might not appeal to readers looking for a more traditional narrative arc. Instead of a central conflict driving the story forward, “Cannery Row” meanders, inviting readers to savor each moment and detail.In sum, “Cannery Row” is a quiet, reflective novel that paints a vivid portrait of a unique American town and its inhabitants. Steinbeck's empathetic portrayal of human flaws, combined with his deep love for the land and its people, makes this novel a timeless celebration of humanity in all its imperfect glory. For those who appreciate character-driven stories rich in atmosphere, humor, and heart, “Cannery Row” is a literary gem worth revisiting. The 2002 Penguin Centennial Edition paperback edition is beautifully presented.

Reviewer: August Night
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: A Few Days with Some New Friends
Review: This was the first book I have ever read by Steinbeck, which may be shocking considering I am in college and part English major.BUT! It was assigned reading for one of my classes, and I really enjoyed it. The writing and description throughout the novel is beautiful. It really transports you to Steinbeck's Monterey. You get to know the characters and feel the boredom these chracters face that causes them to partake in some absurd activities. It shows you a glimpse at what poverty may be like for some people in some parts of the United States.Having said all of that, the story does not seem to have very much of a plot. It is ALMOST like character sketches and mini stories about them. Many of these small stories never get wrapped up or come to a conclusion. Things happen, comments are made, some lessons are learned and then you're finished. It is enjoyable, but it's almost like you are spending a few days hanging out with some new people and then you just pass on through town with a few stories to tell your friends at home.At least I did not take away any real Earth shattering epiphanies. I think Steinbeck is simply trying to say that sometimes the simple joys in life come from simple days of boredom spent with friends.

Reviewer: Digital Rights
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Aged so well
Review: This wonderful concise simple/not simple story of life in Monterey before WWII reads so well. Steinbeck's talents are so varied; curiosity, intellect, simple but beautiful prose that lasted to today, empathy and themes of kinship, ecology, human nature and so much more. This is a beautiful book. "The Grapes ofWrath" and "East of Eden" are masterpieces showing enormous range and capacity to write books of such grandeur and eloquence almost 20 years apart. In between are these modest masterpieces.Steinbeck uses the vernacular of the day and yet it's so fresh for a first time reader in 2024. Highly recommend it.

Reviewer: Amazon Customer
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Beatifully written vignettes of life in Cannery Row
Review: The characters of Cannery Row are delightful. Doc, Lee, Mack, Dora and her girls, and many others, with their generosities and failings clear to see and their interactions convincing and human. Impressive descriptive writing which lets the imagination roam while setting clear boundaries on the scenes. Highly recommended

Reviewer: Jason Adams
Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Lyrical slice of life
Review: I read this to get a Kindle achievement. It was either this or some dreck on the Amazon bestseller lists. I chose a Steinbeck book because I had lived nearly 50 years without reading one. Cannery Row was an interesting slice of life for a community in transition. The Depression had done its worst, and there is a dark cloud still remaining from those tough times. However, there is an optimism brewing that portends the post World War 2 growth consensus.There isn’t much of a plot here, so instead we have a patchwork of working class lives. Oddly there is a sense of community that suffuses everyone’s interactions that doesn’t really exist anymore. All in all this is a lyrical view of a lost era and of people that are rarely written about.

Reviewer: Tina Foster
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: I've never read any of his books but this one, but have seen the movies.
Review: I enjoyed Cannerery Row and it's cast of colorful characters. Placed in the early 1930s just after the market crash, when people had to really fend for themselves without jobs or places to live. How men made do with sleeping in large pipes cast in an empty lot on Cannerery Row. How they banded together and helped each other the best they could. How even with the best of intentions things could go terribly wrong. It had many humorous moments.

Reviewer: Zappy
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: An interlude into lives enmeshed to create the visage that is Cannery Row
Review: This is a delightful depiction of the lives complete with tribulations of the inhabitants of Cannery Row. We experience the hope the folk feel when their plans are forming. We suffer as they to when plans get scuttled leading to broken dreams. Humanity lives, breathes, and grows on these pages.

Reviewer: Amazon Customer
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: After about the 20th time you read it…
Review: I realize now that the book is one of the most powerful calming agents I know of. Forget about all the steam and heat of today. There’s a little bit of the row in all of our hearts. Even now.

Reviewer: Bob
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: I have read many of Steinbeck’s novels and most have resonated with me for a variety of reasons, but what has brought me back time and again is the intensity and poignancy of his storytelling. Cannery Row is no exception, but what struck about his writing this time was the more lighthearted, humourous tone. No, this is not a laugh-fest since it is, after all, about life in a hard-scrabble time and a place with strong emotional impact. But his well developed characters – which Steinbeck interweaves so marvelously, breathe realism into a story told with great compassion and wisdom.Interesting, quite fascinating and always engaging, it is, in total, a wonderfully touching portrait drawn from his memories of the “real” Monterey, California.

Reviewer: Fortunata
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Una bellísima obra con unos personajes entrañables e inolvidables que se lee con gran placer.

Reviewer: Carol B
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: The print is very small but good value for money

Reviewer: Placeholder
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: I would give 5 stars several times over for Cannery Row. I have read and reread it many times. I finally decided to purchase this because I had lost my old copy.BUT !!!!! this physical printed edition which I have received is one of the most disappointing books I have ever held in my hands. The paper is of very poor quality and the font is too small for comfort. In contrast, the font of "Sweet Thursday" is much much better.

Reviewer: Alice Bracchi
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Edizione splendida, era un regalo ed è stato molto apprezzato. È parte di una collana di romanzi, tutti con una grafica molto curata.