Why Famous:Steinbeck's work sought to detail the rural working class in America and their economic and social conditions.
His most famous work "The Grapes of Wrath", published in 1939, followed a family of Oklahoma tenant farmers escaping the dust bowl for California and won the Pulitzer prize in 1940.
His other works included "Of Mice and Men" (1937) and "East of Eden" (1952). Many of his works were filmed in his own lifetime, with James Dean making his starring debut in "East of Eden".
1930-01-14 American author John Steinbeck (27) weds Carol Henning (23) in Los Angeles, California (divorced 1942)
1943-03-29 Author John Steinbeck (41) weds Gwyndolyn Conger
1950-12-28 Author John Steinbeck (48) weds actress Elaine Anderson (36)
Historical Events
1937-11-23 John Steinbeck's "Of Mice & Men" premieres in NYC
1939-04-14 John Steinbeck novel "The Grapes of Wrath" published
1940-01-24 "The Grapes of Wrath", directed by John Ford and based on John Steinbeck's novel of the same name, starring Henry Fonda and Jane Darwell, is released
1940-05-06 Pulitzer prize awarded to John Steinbeck for "The Grapes of Wrath"
1947-11-24 John Steinbeck's novella "The Pearl" published
1962-10-25 American author John Steinbeck awarded Nobel Prize for Literature
Doris Kearns Goodwin
Herman Melville
Jack Kerouac
Michael King
Muriel Spark
William Peter Blatty