<p>I just finished The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck and it was one of the best books I ever read. I know there were some chapters that were particularly long and boring, but I could relate to the story a lot and it makes me more thankful that I'm living in America where I'm in the 95th+ percentile of the world's standard of living. It was almost as powerful as a visit to my dad's old village in China.</p>
<p>Steinbeck's definitely one of my favorite authors, if you liked Grapes of Wrath you should definitely check out more of his books. East of Eden and Of Mice and Men are two I'd recommend to anyone, and if you want some of his more lighthearted stories, you should read Tortilla Flat and Cannery Row. Very few books have actually gotten me to laugh out loud more than once, but those two got me in almost every chapter.</p>
<p>Of Mice and Men is the best.</p>
<p>Of Mice and Men I read in 8th grade, short (the best part), quick, well-written.</p>
<p>Never heard of any other books written by Steinbeck, but it may be worth a try laterr on.</p>
<p>Grapes of Wrath is one of my favorite books too!
I had read it in sophomore year for American Literature, and I read Tortilla Flat in senior year for American Short Stories as well.</p>
<p>I second Tortilla Flat. It's markedly different from the mood and tone of Grapes, but it's just as good if not better =)</p>
<p>I'm currently reading Grapes of Wrath for summer reading...
I read of Mice and Men in 7th grade and hated it...therefore though I would hate all Steinbeck. I actually am loving Grapes and don't mind reading it like I do most summer reading.</p>
<p>Grapes of Wrath is awesome. I personally like East of Eden even better.</p>
<p>I should read those before I die, but I don't have the spare time yet. Hopefully I'll get to read those other books later.</p>
<p>I've read the Old Man and the Sea a long time ago, I liked it.</p>
<p>I\'m currently reading a book by Stephen King.</p>
<p>I have to read it this summer....it is so long and seems to drag. But then again, I read it in 8th grade, along with East of Eden, but I now have the plots mixed up so I have to reread.</p>
<p>I have plots mixed up as well, especially with Hamlet and Macbeth. I also mixed up the plots of A Raisin in the Sun and The Piano Lesson.</p>
<p>Let's talk about plots that you've mixed up before.</p>
<p>Grapes of Wrath was a great book, but not my favorite.</p>
<p>I did like the intercalary chapter about the turtle for some reason, but I can't say that I particularly enjoyed the rest of the novel.</p>
<p>East of Eden is my favorite.book.of.all.time.
If you liked Grapes of Wrath, you have to read it.</p>
<p>It's quite thick, but I'll read it eventually.</p>
<p>The Pearl!!!</p>
<p>^ I have read that. It was okay, but Of Mice and Men was much better.</p>
<p>I was mad at the end of The Pearl since I was just thinking, "Now it's even easier to go and make the trip to sell it!" I'm going to make a terrible parent. :(</p>
<p>I <em>love</em> The Grapes of Wrath with all my heart. Next to Cormac McCarthy's The Road, it's my favorite book.</p>
<p>There's this one passage, in the intercalary chapters, about rotting oranges and the grapes growing heavy for the vintage...it kind of takes my breath away.</p>
<p>Here's the quote!</p>
<p>"And they stand still and watch the potatoes float by, listen to the screaming pigs being killed in a ditch and covered with quicklime, watch the mountains of oranges slop down to a putrefying ooze; and in the eyes of the people there is the failure; and in the eyes of the hungry there is a growing wrath. In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage."</p>