East of Eden
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- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2022-11-10 08:53:17
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：John Steinbeck
- ISBN：0241980356
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Summary
California's fertile Salinas Valley is home to two families whose destinies are fruitfully， and fatally， intertwined。 Over the generations， between the beginning of the twentieth century and the end of the First World War， the Trasks and the Hamiltons will helplessly replay the fall of Adam and Eve and the murderous rivalry of Cain and Abel。
East of Eden was considered by Steinbeck to be his magnum opus， and its epic scope and memorable characters， exploring universal themes of love and identity， ensure it remains one of America's most enduring novels。
East of Eden was considered by Steinbeck to be his magnum opus， and its epic scope and memorable characters， exploring universal themes of love and identity， ensure it remains one of America's most enduring novels。
Reviews
Helen
，
To be reviewed after book club 😊
Nate
，
Timshel！This is the third Steinbeck book I’ve read and I haven’t been disappointed yet。 Some might look at a fairly long， 600 page book like this， read the description telling of it multi generational family drama and give it a hard pass。 If you did you’d miss out。 This book is deep， it will draw you in with its pastoral tone that is a bit meandering but very readable and truly funny at times。 There are some great characters that I could see myself hating for their flaws or liking in spite of th Timshel！This is the third Steinbeck book I’ve read and I haven’t been disappointed yet。 Some might look at a fairly long， 600 page book like this， read the description telling of it multi generational family drama and give it a hard pass。 If you did you’d miss out。 This book is deep， it will draw you in with its pastoral tone that is a bit meandering but very readable and truly funny at times。 There are some great characters that I could see myself hating for their flaws or liking in spite of them。 One of my favourites was Lee， the Chinese caretaker who surprised me by being much more than he seemed。 Moving on to cannery row。 。。。more
John Jackson
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Waited 12 weeks for this book。Read 12 hours in 12 days。Read 12 hours in 2 days。Timshel。
Ben Alley
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Disjointed， uneven。 The California imagery dries up。 The characters' conversations don't always follow unless they can read each other's minds。 And some are characature-ish。 Still， very good。 Some of the characters are great and at times heartbreaking。 Disjointed， uneven。 The California imagery dries up。 The characters' conversations don't always follow unless they can read each other's minds。 And some are characature-ish。 Still， very good。 Some of the characters are great and at times heartbreaking。 。。。more
Mahyar Tehrani
，
I can’t put in words how much I enjoyed this book。 There are so many things I loved about this book。 I found myself time and time again， scrolling back to the paragraphs， sentences and the words， going over and over to take in and enjoy the profound meaning and artful and brilliant combination words that provoked a sense of joy， and sorrow at the same time。 The fact that I feel sad being finished should say a lot about this book 。 This was my second book of John Steinbeck ， the first， the famous I can’t put in words how much I enjoyed this book。 There are so many things I loved about this book。 I found myself time and time again， scrolling back to the paragraphs， sentences and the words， going over and over to take in and enjoy the profound meaning and artful and brilliant combination words that provoked a sense of joy， and sorrow at the same time。 The fact that I feel sad being finished should say a lot about this book 。 This was my second book of John Steinbeck ， the first， the famous grapes of wrath which I enjoyed， and maybe they are not in the same category to be compared， but East of Eden certainly is my favorite。 This book was spectacular， both in terms of content and its style。 John Steinbeck managed， with his powerful， honest and expert language， to carry me into the life of three generations， made me be part of their journey， and made me think， learn， cheer， lament， and grow with the characters in his story！ I definitely recommend this book， and I would definitely get a hard copy and read this book at least one more time。 。。。more
William
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Tremendous story telling from Americas best author。 The way the whole thing connects almost like a perfect circle of story telling with biblical references to the story of Cain and Able is amazing to experience。 What makes each individual chapter exceptional is that the characters are so developed and real feeling yet there actions are unpredictable enough to keep you on your feet。 The range of emotions and lessons to be learned is extensive as well。 fully recommend currently my favorite novel。
Allison
，
Currently processing this one
Travis Ulvestad
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Takes a while to get through but it’s a classic and worth the read！ If anyone wants my paperback copy of the book it’s in a little hotel’s library down in Patagonia
Katherine
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rep's fav rep's fav 。。。more
Patricia Osorio
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Uma narrativa sublime， um livro de uma vida。 Um daqueles retratos literários que nos preenche de uma forma única， uma ambiguidade entre querer chegar à última página mas não querer terminar a leitura。
Max Hockley
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What a way to start off the year。 I did not read a lot last year and I am committed to reading more this year。 East of Eden is simply a masterpiece。 From the first few minutes of reading I already knew that it would be one of the best books I have ever read。 By the end I had proven it。 The depth of the characters， the symbolism， the writing style–all of it was amazing。 It was an epic worthy of its biblical name。
Lilit Muradyan
，
One of the most complete and enjoyable book I have ever read。 It was full of amazing characters， beautiful writing， and a hopeful ending。 It was about fight between evil and good， and also sets forth hope that each individual has the freedom to overcome evil by his own choice。 A must read！！！
Amina Belkhojayeva
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Great， monumental novel with one of the best book endings of all times
Books with T
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This book destroyed my mind， but in the best way possible。 Its lessons are lovely and continue to still be applicable to the modern day。 One of the biggest surprises about this book was just how modern it felt。 When Steinbeck said this was his magnum opus he was not joking。
Kat
，
East of Eden leaves you wanting for nothing。 It is an epic that answers most any question you could possibly have， presenting a painstakingly crafted world that is easy to get immersed in。 It is absolutely worth the time it takes to read。 I don't know anything of the Bible， so things may have gone over my head， but I enjoyed it nonetheless。 It was a pleasant read。 East of Eden leaves you wanting for nothing。 It is an epic that answers most any question you could possibly have， presenting a painstakingly crafted world that is easy to get immersed in。 It is absolutely worth the time it takes to read。 I don't know anything of the Bible， so things may have gone over my head， but I enjoyed it nonetheless。 It was a pleasant read。 。。。more
Luiza Barros
，
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 One of those really long books where nothing really happens。 But with perfect writing， perfect characters （Lee and Sam Hamilton）， and perfect metaphors。 "Adam said， "Let me tell you。 The proofs that God does not exist are very strong， but in lots of people they are not as strong as the feeling that He does。"""The church and the whorehouse arrived in the Far West simultaneously。 And each would have been horrified to think it was a different facet of the same thing。"""You can't make a race horse o One of those really long books where nothing really happens。 But with perfect writing， perfect characters （Lee and Sam Hamilton）， and perfect metaphors。 "Adam said， "Let me tell you。 The proofs that God does not exist are very strong， but in lots of people they are not as strong as the feeling that He does。"""The church and the whorehouse arrived in the Far West simultaneously。 And each would have been horrified to think it was a different facet of the same thing。"""You can't make a race horse of a pig。" "No，" said Samuel， "but you can make a very fast pig。"""If a story is not about the hearer he will not listen。 And I here make a rule - a great and lasting story is about everyone or it will not last。""She had no love of places。 A place was only a resting stage on the way to Heaven。"""Do you take pride in your hurt？" Samuel asked。 "Does it make you seem large and tragic？""I don't know。""Well， think about it。 Maybe you're playing a part on a great stage with only yourself as audience。""""It's one of the great fallacies， it seems to me，" said Lee， "that time gives much of anything but years and sadness to a man。""""I hope I'm not so small-souled as to take satisfaction in being missed。"""And once a boy has suffered rejection， he will find rejection even where it does not exist - or， worse， will draw it forth from people simply by expecting it。" 。。。more
Eoin
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Readable， but ultimately I struggled to grasp the point of it。 Curious that Steinbeck saw this as his magnum opus; it has nothing on The Grapes of Wrath。
John
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I loved this book。 I only read it as a respected friend recommended it for one of my book clubs。Fascinating descriptions of people， places， events， and the process of making of life's decisions。 I loved this book。 I only read it as a respected friend recommended it for one of my book clubs。Fascinating descriptions of people， places， events， and the process of making of life's decisions。 。。。more
niz
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Without a doubt one of my favorite books ever。 Such a brilliant and compelling story。 Steinbeck is an amazing story teller and his prose holds so much wisdom。 Lee is definitely one of the best written characters i’ve ever read。 All in all this was a beautiful and fairly easy read。 10/10
Léa Courtois
，
this book is what it is to be human
Jerry Lehan
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This may be the finest piece of literature I’ve ever read。 I’m not one for re-reading books， but I intent to re-read this one annually。 Instead of a week and I half， I could easily have taken 2 months to read it， highlighting and underlining amazing paragraphs， or perfect lines。
Woods Shannon
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Deeply moving。
Nutzzza
，
<3
Merryn
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This was great。 I love books that focus on people and who they are and what they do， not necessarily a driving plot。 This one deals in big metaphors about good and evil and the nature of man， but the characters feel real and only once or twice slip into philosophy delivery devices。 It was a roller coaster of emotions and I think I might have to read it again one day。
Mario G
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East of Eden， to me， is a book of moments with many flashes of poignancy but a bit disjointed as a whole。 It works as an allegory -a modern version of Cain and Abel- and prioritizes substance over its messy structure。 Occasionally， the narrative changes from third to the first person bringing no added value。 Its archetypal characters impress but also bore because of their moral predictability， though the book is held together by Steinbeck’s able pen。 Written for his sons as a document of the Sal East of Eden， to me， is a book of moments with many flashes of poignancy but a bit disjointed as a whole。 It works as an allegory -a modern version of Cain and Abel- and prioritizes substance over its messy structure。 Occasionally， the narrative changes from third to the first person bringing no added value。 Its archetypal characters impress but also bore because of their moral predictability， though the book is held together by Steinbeck’s able pen。 Written for his sons as a document of the Salinas Valley during WW1， it nicely incorporates American uneasiness about the arrival of cars or railroads or the fear of the war into the story。 。。。more
Lindsay Kelly
，
I enjoyed this book so much and so much happened that I don't know how to write a review。 It follows generations of a family who live in farming country in Salinas。 Its basically about inherited characteristics， and how these are a part of you but don't define you。 We all contain good and evil。 We all make choices that affect us。 And we all judge ourselves too harshly。 'Does a craftsman， even in his old age， lose his hunger to make a perfect cup - thin， strong， translucent？' This book tells of f I enjoyed this book so much and so much happened that I don't know how to write a review。 It follows generations of a family who live in farming country in Salinas。 Its basically about inherited characteristics， and how these are a part of you but don't define you。 We all contain good and evil。 We all make choices that affect us。 And we all judge ourselves too harshly。 'Does a craftsman， even in his old age， lose his hunger to make a perfect cup - thin， strong， translucent？' This book tells of family love， and protecting each other from harm， which may in its own way cause harm instead。 I guess this could be viewed as a story of generational trauma。 I loved the Chinese proverbs which are interlaced throughout the book。 I am very glad that I was recommended to read this book。 It is definitely a classic that I will come back to and read again！ 。。。more
Adam
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10/10
Russel Henderson
，
Maybe Steinbeck’s best， at least of his long works。 No one would accuse Steinbeck of subtlety; he bludgeons you with moral lessons， Biblical allusions， and symbols。 And in some of his work， it’s simply too much。 But in East of Eden， his Samuels and Calebs and Lees， as archetypal and overwrought as they are， are simply too memorable to be dismissed for those flaws。 His description of the land is lush and gorgeous as always。 The plot isn’t the strongest and a lot of the developments are predictabl Maybe Steinbeck’s best， at least of his long works。 No one would accuse Steinbeck of subtlety; he bludgeons you with moral lessons， Biblical allusions， and symbols。 And in some of his work， it’s simply too much。 But in East of Eden， his Samuels and Calebs and Lees， as archetypal and overwrought as they are， are simply too memorable to be dismissed for those flaws。 His description of the land is lush and gorgeous as always。 The plot isn’t the strongest and a lot of the developments are predictable， but it doesn’t much matter。 。。。more
Martha
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epic
Soraya
，
“AND NOW THAT YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE PERFECT YOU CAN BE GOOD”
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=East of Eden
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=East of Eden&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,East of Eden&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0