John Ernst Steinbeck was born in Salinas, California on February 27, 1902.
Among his great works are his Pulitzer-prize-winning The Grapes of Wrath in 1939, Tortilla Flat in 1935 and Cannery Row in 1945, East of Eden 1952, Sweet Thursday in 1954. Steinbeck received the Nobel Prize in 1962.
Announcing the award, the Swedish Acadmey declared : "He had no mind to be an unoffending comforter and entertainer. Instead, the topics he chose were serious and denunciatory, for instance, the bitter strikes on California's fruit and cotton plantations... His literary power steadily ganied impetus... The little masterpiece Of Mice and Men ... was followed by those incomparable short stories which he collected together in the volume The Long Valley. The way had now been paved for the great work ... the epic chronicle The Grapes of Wrath."
" The American Standard translation orders men to triumph over sin,... The King James Translation makes a promise in 'Thou Shalt', meaning that men will surely triumph over sin. But in Hebrew, a choice is given: 'Timshel' 'Thou mayest'. It might be the most important word in the world. That says the way is open..."
From "East of Eden"