John Steinbeck

John Ernst Steinbeck was born on February 27,1902, in Salinas, California. He was the third of four children. His mother, Olive, was a school teacher in Big Sur, California, previous to her marriage to John’s father. After they were married the family mover to Salinas in 1894, Where John Sr. became the manager of the Sperry Flour Mill and later went on to serve as the treasurer of Monterey County. His mother became a stay-at-home mom and taught John how to read and write. John’s father recognized his talents at a young age and both parents strongly encouraged him in his dream to become a writer. (“John Steinbeck”, ”John Steinbeck Biography”)

As a boy, John grew up in a middle class family. He had to earn all of his own money while in school. He worked on ranches during the summer and also delivered papers on his bicycle. When he was growing up he was shy and mostly a loner. He was often teased for his large ears. He most often resorted to reading books rather than retaliating and getting into fights with other children. In 1915 John enrolled in Salinas highschool. While in highschool he often wrote stories and anonymously sent them in to magazines. He was the president of his senior class and w

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He then returned to California on a freighter. People began to think that Steinbeck started to kind of fade after the 1930’s, but he was still actively practicing his fiction and journalism throughout his lifetime. By 1950 John had married his third wife, Elaine Scott. He attended Stanford on and off for six years. But like the first marriage, this one also fell apart and John and Gwen were divorced in 1948. This book became an instant success and was immediately a best seller. He followed it with one of the most widely known books ever, “Of Mice and Men”, which was published in 1937. A year later John met and dancer/singer named, Gwen Conger and they married. After that novel came what is probably his most noted novel, “The Grapes of Wrath”, in

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1939. His attendance was a little

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rough. John did not handle the stress that came with his success and fame very well at times. It was then adapted into a classic film. (“John Steinbeck” , “John Steinbeck Biography”)

John also did other work during the summers and other times he was away from college. as one of 24 graduates for that year. This novel was shortly thereafter adapted into a play.

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