John Steinbeck Livres

Les raisins de la colère est un jalon de la littérature nord-américaine qui explore le conflit entre riches et pauvres, analyse la réaction d'un homme face à l'injustice et le stoïcisme d'une femme tout aussi héroïque, tout en reflétant les horreurs de la Grande Dépression. Bien qu'elle suive la migration de milliers de personnes du Dust Bowl, l'œuvre se concentre sur l'histoire d'une famille d'Oklahoma, les Joad, expulsés de leur foyer et contraints de voyager vers cette Terre Promise qu'était alors—et qui l'est d'une certaine manière encore—la Californie. De leurs mésaventures dans un pays divisé émerge un drame sur la dignité humaine, à la fois tragique et majestueux dans sa grandeur et sa bravoure morale. Publiée pour la première fois en 1939, la roman reflète son époque de manière similaire à La Case de l'oncle Tom, qui a illustré les années précédant la guerre civile américaine. L'œuvre de Steinbeck sur le traitement honteux des classes sociales des années trente est peut-être le plus "américain" de tous les classiques nord-américains.

Le dernier roman de l'un des écrivains les plus appréciés d'Amérique présente un récit de dégénérescence, de corruption et de crise spirituelle. Le protagoniste, Ethan Allen Hawley, est un employé de magasin d'alimentation autrefois détenu par sa famille. Désormais éloigné de l'aristocratie de Long Island, il fait face à une épouse agitée et à des enfants adolescents aspirant à des conforts matériels qu'il ne peut leur offrir. Dans un moment de crise morale, Ethan choisit d'abandonner ses normes scrupuleuses. Situé dans l'Amérique des années 1960, le roman explore l'équilibre délicat entre l'honnêteté privée et publique, se plaçant aux côtés des œuvres les plus acclamées de Steinbeck qui offrent des aperçus profonds de l'expérience américaine.

Roman de combat d'un auteur américain marquant, il dépeint la lutte salariale des cueilleurs de pommes, le dévouement et la méthode des organisateurs communistes, ainsi que la brutalité avec laquelle la bourgeoisie écrase le mouvement de grève. Ce roman a servi de préparation à Steinbeck pour son œuvre majeure, Les Raisins de la colère.

Le chef-d'oeuvre de John Steinbeck, adapté en roman graphique par Rébecca Dautremer. États -Unis, 1937 : John Steinbeck publie un court roman qui deviendra un chef-d'oeuvre de la littérature, mondiale. Des Souris et des Hommes, c'est l'histoire de George et Lennie, deux saisonniers qui voyagent à travers la Californie, rêvant d'une vie meilleure. Une histoire magnifique, qui nous raconte l'amitié, l'espoir mais aussi la cruauté des hommes, et qui a profondément ému des millions de lecteurs. France 2020: Rébecca Dautremer adapte ce grand classique dans un incroyable roman graphique. Pour cette deuxième collaboration avec les éditions Tishina, après Soie il y a quelques années, elle renouvelle brillamment son univers et sa palette, et pousse plus loin que jamais son talent. Un dialogue intense entre le texte intégral de Steinbeck et l'univers artistique de la plus célèbre des illustratrices françaises.

La vieille route de Rebel Corners à San Juan de la Cruz est raide et sinueuse. Pour Juan Chicoy et son vieux bus « Sweetheart », cela aurait pu être un trajet ordinaire, si le San Ysidro n'avait pas débordé. Pour éviter de plonger avec ses passagers dans les eaux tumultueuses, Juan doit emprunter un chemin secondaire, et « Sweetheart » se retrouve dans le fossé. C'est dans cette crise que Juan découvre que ses passagers ne sont pas de simples clients, mais des êtres vivants et passionnés, chacun avec ses désirs et ses projets. Parmi eux, son mécanicien Pimples, la serveuse Norma qui rêve de Hollywood, la belle Mildred Pritchard et ses parents, le star de nightclub Camille, et le représentant de farces Ernest, une assemblée hétéroclite de voyageurs qui, à travers cette aventure involontaire, se découvrent eux-mêmes. Juan, lui aussi, a des aspirations au-delà de son quotidien. Le langage puissant et joyeux de Steinbeck est ancré dans son optimisme et sa compréhension des forces sombres et complexes de l'humanité.

"Steinbeck is an artist; and he tells the stories of these lovable thieves and adulterers with a gentle and poetic purity of heart and of prose." -- New York Herald Tribune Adopting the structure and themes of the Arthurian legend, Steinbeck created a "Camelot" on a shabby hillside above the town of Monterey,California and peopled it with a colorful band of knights. At the center of the tale is Danny, whose house, like Arthur's castle, becomes a gathering place for men looking for adventure, camaraderie, and a sense of belonging. These "knights" are paisanos, men of mixed heritage, whose ancestors settled California hundreds of years before. Free of ties to jobs and other complications of the American way of life, they fiercely resist the corrupting tide of honest toil in the surrounding ocean of civil rectitude. As Steinbeck chronicles their deeds--their multiple loves, their wonderful brawls, their Rabelaisian wine-drinking--he spins a tale as compelling and ultimately as touched by sorrow as the famous legends of the Round Table, which inspired him.

Jouant de sa lame comme d'un levier, il le fit céder et le coquillage s'ouvrit. Les lèvres de chair se crispèrent puis se détendirent. Kino souleva le repli et la perle était là, la grosse perle, parfaite comme une lune. Elle accrochait la lumière, la purifiait et la renvoyait dans une incandescence argentée. Elle était aussi grosse qu'un œuf de mouette. C'était plus la grosse perle du monde.

Élevé dans un ranch du nord de la Californie, Jody est bien familiarisé avec le travail acharné et les exigences de la vie de rancher. Il connaît aussi le monde des chevaux, mais rien ne l'a préparé à la connexion spéciale qu'il va établir avec Gabilan, un poney au tempérament fougueux que son père lui offre. Avec Billy Buck, le main-d'œuvre engagé, Jody s'occupe et entraîne son cheval, attendant avec impatience le moment où il pourra s'asseoir haut sur la selle de Gabilan. Mais lorsque Gabilan tombe malade, Jody découvre qu'il lui reste encore des leçons à apprendre sur les lois de la nature et, en particulier, sur la nature humaine.

This sprawling and often brutal novel, set in the rich farmlands of California's Salinas Valley, follows the intertwined destinies of two families--the Trasks' and the Hamilton's--whose generations helplessly reenact the fall of Adam and Eve and the poisonous rivalry of Cain and Abel. The story of two brothers, Aron is a clean-cut model student, engaged to be married, the pride of his hardworking father. Cal is a rebellious loner, sternly rejected by his father.

"Traces the migration of an Oklahoma Dust Bowl family to California and their subsequent hardships as migrant farm workers."--Amazon.com.

Presents five works from American writer John Steinbeck, all portraying life in rural California

For John Steinbeck, who hated the telephone, letter-writing was a preparation for work and a natural way for him to communicate his thoughts on people he liked and hated; on marriage, women, and children; on the condition of the world; and on his progress in learning his craft. Opening with letters written during Steinbeck's early years in California, and closing with a 1968 note written in Sag Harbor, New York, Steinbeck: A Life in Letters reveals the inner thoughts and rough character of this American author as nothing else has and as nothing else ever will.

Donated by the estate of Dr. Donald S. Moore.

Collected here for the first time in a deluxe paperback volume are six of John Steinbeck's most widely read and beloved novels. From the tale of commitment, loneliness and hope in Of Mice and Men, to the tough yet charming portrait of people on the margins of society in Cannery Row, to The Pearl's examination of the fallacy of the American dream, Steinbeck stories of realism, that were imbued with energy and resilience.

The tragic story of the complex bond between two migrant laborers in Central California. They are George Milton and Lennie Small, itinerant ranch hands who dream of one day owning a small farm. George acts as a father figure to Lennie, who is a very large, simple-minded man, calming him and helping to reign in his immense physical strength. .

A collection of letters that forms a day-by-day account of the author's writing of East of Eden. It features many subjects such as textual discussion, trial flights of workmanship, and family matters and offer an illuminating perspective of the author. schovat popis

A final installment of a four-part collection of the classic American writer's works features his later novels, including "The Wayward Bus," "Burning Bright," "Sweet Thursday," and "The Winter of Our Discontent," in a volume that is complemented by his final published account, "Travels with Charley."

// Attention: If no attachments (CDs, booklets etc.) are shown in the photo, they are not included.

In the late 1940s novelist John Steinbeck and photographer Robert Capra forged a travelling partnership that took them beyond the empty polemics of the Cold War into the real Soviet Union, where they reported on the everyday lives of ordinary citizens trying to rebuild their lives and hopes after the devastations of World War II. This book records, in words and pictures, the results of their journeys.

Today, nearly forty years after his death, Nobel Prize winner John Steinbeck remains one of Americas greatest writers and cultural figures. We have begun publishing his many works for the first time as blackspine Penguin Classics featuring eye-catching, newly commissioned art. This season we continue with the seven spectacular and influential books "East of Eden, Cannery Row, In Dubious Battle, The Long Valley, The Moon Is Down, The Pastures of Heaven," and "Tortilla Flat," Penguin Classics is proud to present these seminal works to a new generation of readersand to the many who revisit them again and again.

In Monterey, on the California coast, Sweet Thursday is what they call the day after Lousy Wednesday, which is one of those days that is just naturally bad. Returning to the scene of Cannery Row, the weedy lots and junk heaps and flophouses of Monterey, John Steinbeck once more brings to life the denizens of a netherworld of laughter and tears-from Fauna, new headmistress of the local brothel, to Hazel, a bum whose mother must have wanted a daughter. Book jacket.

A man tries to cultivate a life from the harsh wilderness of a remote valley. He realises too late the power of nature and the futility of man's vanity.

John Steinbeck wrote The Grapes of Wrath during an astonishing burst of activity between June and October of 1938. Throughout the time he was creating his greatest work, Steinbeck faithfully kept a journal revealing his arduous journey toward its completion.The journal, like the novel it chronicles, tells a tale of dramatic proportions—of dogged determination and inspiration, yet also of paranoia, self-doubt, and obstacles. It records in intimate detail the conception and genesis of The Grapes of Wrath and its huge though controversial success. It is a unique and penetrating portrait of an emblematic American writer creating an essential American masterpiece.

The story of a complex, charismatic & self-effacing man whom many loved but few understood. Granted exclusive access to personal papers, it shares a wealth of previously unpublished lyrics, poetry and letters, and rare and never-before-seen photos. Jake is increasingly recognised as one of the most original artists of the twentieth century

A quest across America, from the northernmost tip of Maine to California’s Monterey Peninsula To hear the speech of the real America, to smell the grass and the trees, to see the colors and the light—these were John Steinbeck's goals as he set out, at the age of fifty-eight, to rediscover the country he had been writing about for so many years. With Charley, his French poodle, Steinbeck drives the interstates and the country roads, dines with truckers, encounters bears at Yellowstone and old friends in San Francisco. Along the way he reflects on the American character, racial hostility, the particular form of American loneliness he finds almost everywhere, and the unexpected kindness of strangers.

Of Mice and Men revolves around two central characters: Lennie and George. Lennie is a man with the strength of two, but with it the mind of a child - simple, unaffected, and kindly. His whole world centres around George, who steers him through life and protects him when his superhuman strength and child's mind unwittingly entangle him in trouble. Of Cannery Row John Steinbeck said he just 'opened the pages and let the stories crawl in by themselves'. Cannery Row is a street bordered by houses, shacks, and boiler pipes, in which live all kinds of people, good and bad, kind and cruel, the industrious and the idle, who have one thing at least in common - their poverty.

Each title in this series offers an exciting approach to English literature and will help students achieve a better grade. This book is packed with detailed summaries and commentaries, snappy advice, fun facts, and an extended resources section

1984 York Notes -- Notes on Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men (Paperback)(8.25"x5.6"x0.25") Notes by Martin Stephen *** 9780582781856 ***72 Pages

A guide to reading "The Pearl" with a critical and appreciative mind encouraging analysis of plot, style, form, and structure. Also includes background on the author's life and times, sample tests, term paper suggestions, and a reading list.

With contributions from writers as diverse as Rudyard Kipling, John Steinbeck, Charles Darwin, Ted Hughes, Ernest Hemingway and Dick King-Smith, this is a collection of over 20 stories and extracts about the animal kingdom.'

At once a relentlessly fast-paced, admirably observed novel of social unrest and the story of a young man’s struggle for identity, In Dubious Battle is set in the California apple country, where a strike by migrant workers against rapacious landowners spirals out of control, as a principled defiance metamorphoses into blind fanaticism. Caught in the upheaval is Jim Nolan, a once aimless man who find himself in the course of the strike, briefly becomes its leader, and is ultimately crushed in its service.

A Penguin Classic In the two years after the 1939 publication of Steinbeck’s masterful The Grapes of Wrath, Steinbeck and his novel increasingly became the center of intense controversy and censorship. In search of a respite from the national stage, Steinbeck and his close friend, biologist Ed Ricketts, embarked on a month long marine specimen-collecting expedition in the Gulf of California, which resulted in their collaboration on the Sea of Cortez. In 1951, after Ricketts’ death, Steinbeck reissued his narrative portion of the work in memory of his friend and the inspiration for Cannery Row’s “Doc”. This exciting day-by-day account of their journey together is a rare blend of science, philosophy, and high-spirited adventure. This edition features an introduction by Richard Astro. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

Photographs of Americans by various prominent photographers. Commentary by Nobel Prize winning author John Steinbeck.

Steinbeck's only work of fantasy literature is presented in a deluxe edition featuring a foreword by Christopher Paolini, bestselling author of Eragon. Inspired by Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur, which he cherished as a child, Steinbeck modernizes the tales of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. He brings to life iconic figures such as King Arthur, Merlin, Morgan le Fay, Queen Guinevere, and Sir Lancelot, weaving enduring narratives of loyalty and betrayal set in Camelot. This retelling captures the wonder and magic of the Arthurian era, appealing to both Steinbeck fans and lovers of fantasy literature. The edition includes letters Steinbeck wrote to his literary agent, Elizabeth Otis, and to Chase Horton, the original editor. For over seventy years, Penguin has been a leading publisher of classic literature, offering a diverse collection of over 1,700 titles. The Penguin Classics series is trusted for its authoritative texts, enhanced by introductions and notes from distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, along with modern translations by award-winning translators.

In this masterful account set in Norway during World War II, Steinbeck explores the effects of invasion on both the conquered and the conquerors. Occupied by Nazi troops, a small, peaceable town comes face to face with evil imposed from the outside--and betrayal born within the close-knit community. (2nd work) Set in the California apple country this novel portrays a strike by migrant workers that metamorphoses from principled defiance into blind fanaticism.

Today, nearly forty years after his death, Nobel Prize winner John Steinbeck remains one of Americas greatest writers and cultural figures. We have begun publishing his many works for the first time as blackspine Penguin Classics featuring eye-catching, newly commissioned art. This season we continue with the seven spectacular and influential books "East of Eden, Cannery Row, In Dubious Battle, The Long Valley, The Moon Is Down, The Pastures of Heaven," and "Tortilla Flat," Penguin Classics is proud to present these seminal works to a new generation of readersand to the many who revisit them again and again.

A satire of French politics and American big business, this is the tale of the Frenchman who did not want to be king, of his film-mad daughter Clotilde, and of his chief adviser - a nun who learned about life as a nude in the Follie-Bergere.

A Penguin Classic “Age can never dull this kind of writing,” writes the Chicago Tribune of John Steinbeck’s dispatches from World War II, filed for the New York Herald Tribune in 1943, which vividly captured the human side of war. Writing from England in the midst of the London blitz, North Africa, and Italy, Steinbeck focuses on the people as opposed to the battles, portraying everyone from the guys in the bomber crew to Bob Hope on his USO tour. He eats and drinks with soldiers behind enemy lines, talks with them, and fights beside them. First published in book form in 1958, these writings, now with a new introduction by Mark Bowden, create an unforgettable portrait of life in wartime that continues to resonate with truth and humanity.

The Pearl: When Kino, an Indian pearl-diver, finds 'the Pearl of the world' he believes that his life will be magically transformed. He will marry Juana in church and their little boy, Coyotito, will be able to attend school. Obsessed by his dreams, Kino is blind to the greed, fear and even violence the pearl arouses in him and his neighbours. The Red Pony: Set on a ranch in the Calidornia mountains this is the story of the joy and sorrow a young boy finds in his responsibility for his horse.

The papers all said he was a fiend. I read all the papers. That's what they all said.' One of America's greatest writers explores mob violence, voyeurism and betrayal in these unforgettable tales of Californian life.

"Four scenes, four people: the husband who yearns for a son, ignorant of his own sterilty; the wife who commits adultery to fulfill her husband's wish; the father of the child; and the outsider whose actions will affect them all." -- pg 4 of cover

Steinbeck’s first novel and sole work of historical fiction—the violent, exciting story of the infamous pirate Henry Morgan A Penguin Classic From the mid-1650s through the 1660s, Henry Morgan, a pirate and outlaw of legendary viciousness, ruled the Spanish Main. He ravaged the coasts of Cuba and America, striking terror wherever he went. Morgan was obsessive. He had two driving ambitions: to possess the beautiful woman called La Santa Roja and to conquer Panama, the “cup of gold.” Cup of Gold is a lush, lyrical swashbuckling pirate fantasy, and sure to add new dimensions to readers’ perceptions of this all-American writer. This edition features an introduction by Susan F. Beegel. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,800 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

“There it lay, the great pearl, perfect as the moon.” Like his father and grandfather before him, Kino is a poor diver, gathering pearls from the gulf beds that once brought great wealth to the Kings of Spain and now provide Kino, Juana, and their infant son with meager subsistence. Then, on a day like any other, Kino emerges from the sea with a pearl as large as a sea gull's egg, as "perfect as the moon." With the pearl comes hope, the promise of comfort and of security.... A story of classic simplicity, based on a Mexican folk tale, The Pearl explores the secrets of man's nature, the darkest depths of evil, and the luminous possibilities of love.

[Penguin Active Reading Level 3] "Kino finds a large pearl, which he thinks will save his family from poverty. But the pearl is what they think they want instead of what they need. The misfortune it brings changes the life of the family forever."--P. [4] of cover.

This comprehensive study guide offers an in-depth analysis of John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, making it an essential resource for students preparing for their 2024 exams. Endorsed by professors, it covers the author's biography, a detailed summary of the novel, and critical examinations of key themes and the literary movement associated with Steinbeck. With this guide, students will gain a clearer understanding of the novel's complexities and its historical context.

Watterson's musings press the limits of expression. Planck's ultimately small 10-35 meters expands to the Sufi mystic's Nothingness. Feelings expand from Issa's compassion for the fleas on his deathbed to a glimpse of God's anguish at [having to permit] the Holocaust, the price of Israel. In one vignette, Watterson pictures the cosmos, endless universes, as dust particles at 30,000 feet disappear in the troposphere. What is the effect? The effect, he says, is something like finding a long-lost reference. Or of having stumbled on the right person just now to tell about a rare instance of moral bravery in his youth. The effect might be that just now innumerable originals of Beethoven are dipping their quills in ink and starting the seventh symphony. One need only imagine and listen.

A collection of 4 US novels, published in Steinbeck - Of men and miceJames Jones - The pistolReynolds Price - A long and lappy lifeJohn Updike - Of the farm

Ovocie hnevu je román Johna Steinbecka z roku 1939. Už v roku 1940 zaň Steinbeck dostal Pulitzerovu cenu. Horlivo sa o ňom diskutovalo po celých Spojených štátoch a v niektorých štátoch bolo dokonca zakázané. Je to príbeh rodiny Joadovcov - chudobných farmárov vyhnaných z ich zeme počas Veľkej hospodárskej krízy. Tento román patrí medzi klasiku svetovej literatúry a najväčšie diela sociálnej literatúry. Naturalistické detaily, sugestívne opisy postáv, lyrizmus a symbolizmus sú hlavnými črtami tohto diela. Steinbeck mal však nezvyčajný problém a to vymyslieť názov pre tento román. S názvom Ovocie hnevu prišla jeho žena Carol a dá sa povedať, že nič lepšie vymyslieť ani nemohla. Napriek pochybnostiam samostného Steinbecka dielo sa stalo najpopulárnejším spomedzi jeho sedemnástich novie

Novela známého amerického autora líčí baladický příběh dvojice potulných zemědělských dělníků, jejich sen o malém hospodářství, na které si chtějí vydělat a ušetřit nádenickou prací na ranči...

Dvě novely, v nichž se dokonale obráží spisovatelovo porozumění pro člověka a schopnost proniknout k jeho nejvlastnější lidské podstatě. První (O myších a lidech, 1937) vypráví o dvojici přátel, kteří putují za prací i nakonec za tragicky rozbitým životním snem, druhá (Na plechárně, 1945) je vlastně pestrým sledem obrázků ze života obyvatel ulice v konzervárenské čtvrti města na kalifornském pobřeží.

Svazek obsahuje dvě Steinbeckovy novely (O myších lidech, 1937; Plameny zářivé, 1950). O myších a lidech: Dva nemajetní zemědělští dělníci přicházejí ve 30. letech 20. století pracovat na farmu do salinaského údolí. Každý z nich má jinou povahu, oba však spřádají sny a iluze, že jednou se jim podaří mít své vlastní hospodářství a budou tam chovat králíky. Doba je hodně zlá; a nejhorší se teprve rýsuje. Ochranářský a prozíravý George správně tuší, že slaboduchý silák Lennie by nechtě mohl způsobit katastrofu... Plameny zářivé: Joe Saul je muž v nejlepších letech, jemuž ke štěstí chybí jen to jediné dítě. Kvůli své neplodnosti prožívá hlubokou lidskou krizi. V době, kdy neexistovali anonymní dárcové a spermobanky, je pouze jedna možnost, jak se dočkat vysněného potomka náhradní partner. Je to cesta nejprostší, ale zároveň i nejtěžší. Jak se s nesnadnou situací vyrovnají Joe, jeho žena Mordeen a „plemenný býk“ Viktor?

Nowe wydania niezwykłych opowieści ulubionego pisarza Ameryki. „Pastwiska Niebieskie” oraz „Nieznanemu bogu” to historie o dwudziestowiecznej Kalifornii i jej mieszkańcach, którzy poszukują swojego miejsca w świecie, mierząc się z lękami i namiętnościami. Zebrane w „Pastwiskach Niebieskich” historie łączy rodzina Munroe. Niewrażliwość członków familii prowadzi do kolejnych tragedii i rozpadu niegdyś harmonijnej społeczności. Tymczasem główny bohater „Nieznanemu bogu”, Joseph Wayne, zaczyna wierzyć, że drzewo na należącej do niego farmie zawiera w sobie duszę jego ojca. Kiedy jeden z braci Josepha decyduje się je ściąć, w gospodarstwie rozpoczyna się okres chorób i głodu. W trzeciej opowieści Henry Morgan, kiedyś młody człowiek marzący o przygodach, a teraz okrutny pirat i wyrzutek, ma dwie ambicje: zdobyć piękną kobietę imieniem La Santa Roja i podbić opływającą w bogactwo Panamę. „Złota Czara”, bo to o niej mowa, jest debiutem Steinbecka i gratką dla każdego fana powieści historycznej. John Steinbeck(1902–1968) – amerykański powieściopisarz, laureat literackiej Nagrody Nobla w 1962 r. za „realistyczny i poetycki dar, połączony z subtelnym humorem i ostrym widzeniem spraw społecznych”. Jego najbardziej znane powieści to „Grona gniewu”, „Myszy i ludzie” i „Na wschód od Edenu”.

Der rote Pony und andere Erzählungen - bk917; Steinberg Verlag; John Steinbeck; Paperback; 1945

Ventisei avvincenti racconti di maestri del giallo come Lawrence Block, Agatha Christie, John Steinbeck e Ruth Rendell, tutti uniti da un tema comune: il gioco. Queste storie esplorano come il gioco influisca in modo determinante o "definitivo" sulle vite dei protagonisti, a volte persino mettendo in gioco la loro esistenza. Che si tratti di scacchi, bridge o poker, il risultato ha un costo, e il lettore è invitato a scoprire i finali sorprendenti. Gli intrecci coinvolgenti permettono di immedesimarsi nei personaggi, rendendo la lettura fluida e, in alcuni casi, inquietante, con brividi assicurati. In "La scelta del mazziere" di Forrest V. Perrin, si intrecciano diamanti e rischi; in "Il giocatore di dadi" di John Steinbeck, un uomo fortunato affronta un imprevisto; "Il Circolo dello Scarabeo" di J. P. Cohane gioca con fantasmi e rivelazioni inquietanti; "Il pedone avvelenato" di Henry Slesar presenta una sfida tra campioni; "Il nuovo padrone" di Lord Dunsany introduce una macchina da scacchi che si rivela mostruosa; infine, "Vita, morte e indovinelli" di Robert Loy coinvolge enigmi e scommesse. In "Il Circolo dei Giocatori d’azzardo" di Ellery Queen, un caso anomalo mette alla prova l'ingegno del detective.

In der Cannery Row in Monterey leben Gelegenheitsarbeiter, Sonderlinge und Außenseiter in alten Lagerhallen und ausrangierten Gegenständen. Sie treffen sich im Kramladen von Lee Chong und in Kneipen, während sie unter dem Blick der ordentlichen Bürger leben. Ein Höhepunkt ist eine überraschende Party für den einsiedlerischen Meeresbiologen „Doc“.

Die ultimative Abrechnung mit dem menschenverachtenden US-Kapitalismus John Steinbecks letzter Roman ist ein bis heute gültiges Lehrstück über Geld und Moral: Sein Protagonist Ethan Hawley, Hätschelkind der Finanzaristokratie von Long Island, muss sich um materielle Dinge nicht sorgen – bis ihn die Pleite seines Vaters plötzlich zwingt, auf eigenen Beinen zu stehen. Um Frau und Kinder ernähren zu können, tritt er eine schlechtbezahlte Stelle als Verkäufer in einem Lebensmittelladen an. Rasch erkennt jedoch er, dass redliches Tagwerk einen Mann nicht weiterbringt. Unter dem Einfluss seiner Frau und dem seines Bankberaters entledigt er sich aller Menschlichkeit und steigt zum skrupellosen Geschäftsmann auf, der ohne Rücksicht auf andere nur den eigenen Vorteil sucht.

Danny sa po návrate z vojny stáva dedičom dvoch domčekov, ktoré mu nechal jeho starý otec...

Novela líčí úsměvné příběhy tuláků, kteří najdou přístřeší na pokraji kalifornského městečka...