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East of Eden
John Steinbeck
In his journal, Nobel Prize winner John Steinbeck called East of Eden “the first book,” and indeed it has the primordial power and simplicity of myth. Set in the rich farmland of California’s Salinas...

Appears on TRB list
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Comment from [Reddit user] with 22 upvotes on /r/books/

I finished East of Eden, by John Steinbeck. I think this book is too long and in the end i was tired a bit. However, the ending was wonderful. Timshel

Comment from [Reddit user] with 13 upvotes on /r/books/

Finished: East of Eden, by John Steinbeck. Would have to say it was absolutely incredible. It's a journey and maybe not for everyone, but will definitely stick with me my entire life.

Started: Sirens of Titan, by Kurt Vonnegut. I'm about halfway through and I'm not overly impressed so far. This is my first jump into Vonnegut so I'm gonna finish it because I've heard so many great things.

Comment from [Reddit user] with 12 upvotes on /r/books/

I've finished The Grapes Of Wrath by John Steinbeck, but watching the movie before reading the book was a mistake, I really should have done the opposite.

I'm about to begin The Black Swan by Nassim Nicholas Taleb while keeping on reading East of Eden by John Steinbeck (I'm really loving it and the dialogs are way easier for me to read than those of Grapes Of Wrath)

Comment from [Reddit user] with 8 upvotes on /r/books/

Finished East of Eden, by John Steinbeck. To my shame, I've never read any Steinbeck before but I really enjoyed it. Very accessible, almost populist literature. It's not exactly subtle when it comes to the philosophical stuff, but I enjoyed the upfront discussion of good and evil and the shades of grey inbetween, and Steinbeck writes characters in such an effortless, fluid way that you come to know them intimately.

Started Dark Places, by Gillian Flynn. I watched Sharp Objects earlier this year and loved it, and Gone Girl's a great movie, so I thought I should actually read some of Flynn's work. Thoroughly enjoying how sharply written it is, the macabre details, and the slow peeling of layers to the story.

Comment from [Reddit user] with 8 upvotes on /r/books/

Finished: American Pastoral, by Philip Roth. Overall, I enjoyed this book and the main character. Roth has a nice voice. Sometimes, however, narrating the Swede's inner monologue felt tedious and drawn out. Never in my life would I feel the need to tell a character that had been through so much to, "Just get over it."

Also, I felt the premise of the book was interesting and wishes Roth returned to it in the end. The majority of the book, I think, was a reimagining of The Swede's life by the narrator from just a few newspaper articles and a conversation with Jerry. But in the end the book never returned to this premise, and it felt incomplete. So, a lot of fat in the story, but didn't quite land the plane for me.

Finished: Lord of the Flies, by William Golding. Those little savages. It's always fun to return to those books you were supposed to read in highschool, but with the perspective of the years of adult life. Overall, very delightful read, however I wish more of the boys' characters were developed and felt distinct--too often, except for Ralph, Piggy, and Jack, the rest felt like names on a page who occasionally did things.

Started: East of Eden, by John Steinbeck. Oh my. This one is instantly a joy to read. I read it and my heart aches, but I don't want it to stop. It's rare to find a voice and narration that pulls you into every paragraph, but so far Steinbeck is doing it superbly. His descriptions of the Salinas Valley, and of the lives of the characters in the novel, strike just the right balance of perfect detail, perspective, and naked humanity to make them real and draws me into their world. I'm reading this one slowly, enjoying every page so far.

Comment from [Reddit user] with 7 upvotes on /r/books/

Finished East of Eden, by John Steinbeck. Took me a few months to get through, bogged down halfway, wasn't sure if I would finish it. But I picked up the pace as I got closer to finishing and ended up enjoying it a lot.

With that inertia I figured I could devour some shorter novels. So I started and finished Cosmopolis, by Don DeLillo. Feels like my least favorite of his books I've read so far. But that's okay. I love DeLillo's writing so even when I'm not really into his stories the way he goes about it is always interesting.

Also started and finished Child of God, by Cormac McCarthy, finished it just a bit ago actually. Really twisted ride. I picked it up randomly on clearance. I've read a few of his other books and I had no idea what this one was about. It was a good book to read 'fresh'.

Now I'm reading Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi. It's also quite short, I will probably be through it in a day or two. Interesting graphic-novel autobiography about a girl growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. The style reminds me of Spiegelman. The sort of simple cinematic monochrome.

edit: Finished that too. Moving on to V., by Thomas Pynchon.

Comment from [Reddit user] with 7 upvotes on /r/books/

I started reading Alexander Pope's translation of the Iliad. I've read the first book so far and the writing is beautiful. Pope was an exceptional poet, and his translation is a wonderful adaptation of the classic story. He took some liberties with the translation and utilized a heroic couplet instead of the dactylic hexameter originally used by Homer, so it's not the most literal translation I've ever read, but it's an incredible work of art in its own right.

I'm halfway through my second reading of East of Eden by John Steinbeck, and it's just as good as I remember. The biblical undertones and the epic atmosphere draw you in immediately and give you the feeling of reading a truly timeless classic.

I recently finished Absalom, Absalom! by William Faulkner. It's the second Faulkner novel that I've read, the first being The Sound and the Fury, and I'm not sure where it stands in comparison. On the one hand, the writing in Absalom, Absalom! was, as a whole, far better and more consistent, and the story of Thomas Sutpen's rise and fall was a harrowing tale that mastered the Southern Gothic genre. On the other hand, The Sound and the Fury, although it had a few weaker points in comparison, also had Quentin Compson's stream-of-conciousness narrative which is one of my favorite passages in any work of literature and one of Faulkner's best works.

I'm also working my way through the collected poems of Lord Byron and a collection of poetry by Ezra Pound, which includes some excerpts from the Cantos.

Comment from [Reddit user] with 6 upvotes on /r/books/

East of Eden, by John Steinbeck I zoomed through this weekend and I didn't even want it to be over. I loved it so much. I cried in several spots. It's all I thought about today.

Rage, by Richard Bachman(Stephen King) I started this last night and got a quarter of the way through it. It seems kind of boring and not that interesting, hopefully it picks up. Been wanting to read it for years cause of the 'controversies' and now that I am I feel underwhelmed so far

Comment from [Reddit user] with 6 upvotes on /r/books/

I finished reading East of Eden, by John Steinbeck, which has cemented a place in my favorites. It didn’t really grab me until the second half, but once it did, I fell in love.

I just started The Hate U Give, by Angie Thomas.

Comment from [Reddit user] with 6 upvotes on /r/books/

I finished East of Eden by John Steinbeck this week and it’s now one of my favourite books I’ve ever read, and there’s still so much more to read!

I also finished Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut which was my second ever Vonnegut book after reading slaughterhouse-5 in the middle of last year. Pretty good book although I think I preferred slaughterhouse, that’s not a knock against cat’s cradle though.

Last week was one of my best reading weeks ever and I’m having great “reading momentum”. Unfortunately I’m having exams this week, hopefully that doesn’t break the momentum.

Comment from [Reddit user] with 6 upvotes on /r/books/

Finished East of Eden, by John Steinbeck Started The Once and Future King, by T H White

Comment from [Reddit user] with 6 upvotes on /r/books/

This week I reread Slaughterhouse-Five, by Kurt Vonnegut. While I think I appreciate the humor and the ideas in the book more now than when I first read it, I still feel a little disappointed in this reread. I’m not sure why. Maybe I remember liking it a lot more than I liked it this time around, or maybe I just need some time to mull it over?

I also started rereading East of Eden, by John Steinbeck and I had totally forgotten how dense this book is. Enjoying it so far, but I can already tell this one is going to take me a while to get through.

Planning on starting my reread of Oryx and Crake, by Margaret Atwood tonight!

Comment from [Reddit user] with 6 upvotes on /r/books/

This week I am still rereading East of Eden, by John Steinbeck. I love this book, even more than I remember liking it the first time! There's so much packed in there, but the story moves along so well that I never feel like I'm bogged down by the philosophical conversations and family histories.

Also rereading Oryx and Crake, by Margaret Atwood this week. I enjoy her writing anyway, but I'm really appreciating how this novel is structured this time around. It's told in these short vignettes and jumps between the past and present, and I think that works really well for a post-apocalyptic tale.

Comment from [Reddit user] with 6 upvotes on /r/books/

This week I finished rereading East of Eden, by John Steinbeck. I definitely enjoyed it more the second time around! One thing I loved about this book was the realism and nuance of all the relationships that it portrayed- nothing is idealized and there are so many unmet expectations and pressures within each part of the story. But I also dislike Adam Trask the more I think about him, and I'm not sure that I like how Cathy is portrayed just as an artistic/thematic choice. In any case, all these characters will stick with me, and I had a great time revisiting this book.

Also finished Oryx and Crake, by Margaret Atwood this week, which I also loved. One thing I enjoyed about this book is how Atwood gives you just enough background and worldbuilding so you can understand what's going on, but doesn't derail the story to go into too much detail. She strikes a good balance between explanation and making the reader use their imagination.

As for books I started, I'm continuing the MaddAddam trilogy with The Year of the Flood, by Margaret Atwood and picking up the quintessential (perhaps) book in the "I read it in high school and never revisited it again" genre, Nineteen Eighty-Four, by George Orwell.

Comment from [Reddit user] with 6 upvotes on /r/books/

East of Eden by John Steinbeck- Don't feel like I have to say much about this one. Absolutely loved it. One of my favorite books.

And the Mountains Echoed by Khalid Hosseini- While I found the writing to be somewhat cheesy at times, I really enjoyed this. I liked the different perspectives, especially Markos'. However, I think some of the stories and their connections were unnecessary and forced.

Currently reading On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong-Not too far in but I'm really liking it so far. The writing is beautiful.

Comment from [Reddit user] with 5 upvotes on /r/books/

Finished

  • Animal Farm by George Orwell

Started

  • East of Eden by John Steinbeck

I thought Animal Farm was a great little read, I really enjoyed it. East of Eden, however, may become one of my favorite books if the second half is as good as the first.

Comment from [Reddit user] with 5 upvotes on /r/books/

Finished: The Song of Achilles, by Madeline Miller and wow was this one of my favorite books of the year. If you have any interest in Greek mythology, the Iliad, or just fantastic writing I would highly recommend this!

Starting today: East of Eden, by John Steinbeck. It's a daunting task, but I've heard so many good things and it's been on my list for some time. Excited to finally give it a go.

Comment from [Reddit user] with 5 upvotes on /r/books/

Still reading through East of Eden, by John Steinbeck and Oryx and Crake, by Margaret Atwood right now. Still loving both, and I’ll probably finish both this week and have some more detailed thoughts then.

Comment from [Reddit user] with 5 upvotes on /r/books/

My goal for this year is to read as many classic books as i can.

Last week i finished All Quiet in the Western Front, by Erich Maria Remarque. Chapters 7 and 8 gave me chills.

I started East of Eden, by John Steinbeck. I'm currently learning about Cathy Ames' childhood and i already hate her.

Comment from [Reddit user] with 5 upvotes on /r/books/

East of Eden, by John Steinbeck

Damn this book is amazing, one of my favorites. The characters were beautifully written. Samuel Hamilton might be one of my favorite characters from any story.

Comment from [Reddit user] with 5 upvotes on /r/books/

I finished East Of Eden by John Steinbeck. It was amazing. It has now become one of my favorites. The story is great but the characters are what makes this an exceptional book.

Its odd that one of the things I kept noticing is how illnesses are portrayed in a time before advanced medicine. Now somebody feels bad and they usually go to the doctor and, after some tests, the "get the news". In this story, which spans a couple of generations, people start to feel bad but they don't always know how serious it is and so their death feels sudden to those left behind.

I am currently reading The Right Side by Spencer Quinn. A soldier named LeAnne is severely wounded in combat and is back stateside. I'm curious how realistic his portrayal of PTSD and other related issues is.

Also listening to Born A Crime by Trevor Noah. Maybe about halfway through and it is excellent.

Comment from [Reddit user] with 5 upvotes on /r/books/

I started east of Eden, by John Steinbeck and i have rarely put it down aside from being at work

Comment from [Reddit user] with 5 upvotes on /r/books/

Finished: East of Eden, by John Steinbeck. Loved this. Steinbeck's voice was good--very good, but it was the characters that made this book shine. There were so many interesting characters, and it was wonderful watching them change over time and, consequently, watching their relationships with each other change and shift over time. Made for a lot of exciting plot points.

Started: Appointment in Samarra, by John O'Hara. An enjoyable read. Even though it's on the All-TIME Top 100 English Novels from 1923 - 2005, and thus is considered a classic, I'm not sure why it's not more popular. I was prepared for a let down after East of Eden, but O'Hara's writing is energetic and this story is very engrossing. It's a quick read and I'm constantly smiling at the 1930s characters and the candid details of their lives. There's an honesty about these things that makes the book feel much more modern.

Comment from [Reddit user] with 4 upvotes on /r/books/

Started East of Eden by John Steinbeck. Was very hyped going into this as it seems to be one of this sub's favourite books. About 150 pages in and really liking it so far. Steinbeck has a way of being profound and insightful without resorting to flashy, flowery prose. The characters have all been great so far and I'm fascinated by Cathy Ames. Also, for a "classic" it's actually paced really well, and moves very quick.

Comment from [Reddit user] with 4 upvotes on /r/books/

East of Eden, by John Steinbeck

What can I say? It is as good as people say it is. I feel almost overwhelmed by it because I just know I haven't even grasped half of its brilliance after reading it only once. I'm not much of a rereader but I must read this one again some time. At least partially. Clear 10/10.

Comment from [Reddit user] with 4 upvotes on /r/books/

Finished East of Eden, by John Steinbeck This book is hands down my favorite I've ever read. From start to finish I was engaged and couldn't stop. No other book has hooked me like that and stuck with me so much after I read it.

Comment from [Reddit user] with 4 upvotes on /r/books/

Finished:

East of Eden, by John Steinbeck.

Amazing. Epic, meaningful, beautiful. Just very impressive.

Also finished:

The Sun Also Rises, by Ernest Hemingway

Needed something shorted and a bit simpler after East of Eden, and tore through it in just a few days. Enjoyed it quite a bit, and the last line is one of the most memorable I have ever experienced.

Started:

V., by Thomas Pynchon.

Just started it, and a big change from the previous two, but pretty interesting by far. I can tell I will need to get much further in before making any judgement.

Comment from [Reddit user] with 3 upvotes on /r/books/

I finished White Noise by Don DeLillo. I really liked it. My favorite parts were the conversations. Some of them reminded me sleepovers with my cousin. We would lie in our sleeping bags on the floor of the playroom and just talk about stuff. After a half hour or so we would try to trace the conversation back to see how the hell we got on the current topic. Some of the dialog in this book (especially within the family) had this same feel. The original topic of the conversation would be lost in a series of asides and tangents. Of course, there was also dialog that didn't sound nearly as realistic but I still loved it. It reminded me a bit of how they spoke in "Gilmore Girls" or "Juno". I don't think I am doing the novel justice but these are just things that I was thinking of while reading.

I am about 150 pages into East of Eden by John Steinbeck. I love it so far. The characters just feel so alive.

Also listening to The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. I am about a third of the way through and I am enjoying it.

Comment from [Reddit user] with 3 upvotes on /r/books/

I've started East of Eden, by John Steinbeck and Alif the Unseen, by G. Willow Wilson. Last week I finished Sarah Vowell's Unfamiliar Fishes (not what I expected, and not in a great way), The Summer Tree by Guy Gavriel Kay (a seriously great but rarely talked-about fantasy book, part one in a series apparently) and The Princess Bride by William Goldman. The structure of TPB is...weird. Weirder than I knew. I took a while for me to get the swing of it, but once I did, it was a pretty great reading experience.

Comment from [Reddit user] with 3 upvotes on /r/books/

I finished The New York Trilogy, by Paul Auster earlier today.

Didn't particularly care for City of Glass, but enjoyed Ghosts and especially enjoyed The Locked Room. I enjoyed how the metaness grew throughout the trilogy, and loved the idea of Fanshawe living rent free inside the narrator's head.

I think I'll start either In the Miso Soup, by Ryu Murakami or East of Eden, by John Steinbeck next. Probably the latter.

Comment from [Reddit user] with 3 upvotes on /r/books/

Finished The Leavers, by Lisa Ko. Read it for my book club. Now, beginning East of Eden, by John Steinbeck after reading so many rave reviews on this sub about it! It has been my mother's favorite forever. I'm about 100 pages in and really loving it so far.

Comment from [Reddit user] with 3 upvotes on /r/books/

East of Eden, by John Steinbeck I just finished reading East of Eden for the first time. Prior to picking up East of Eden I read Of Mice and Men, Tortilla Flat, and Grapes Of Wrath - all to prepare for East of Eden. I liked East of Eden. However, it turns out that for me, Grapes of Wrath was a much better book. Is now one of my favorite books.

Comment from [Reddit user] with 3 upvotes on /r/books/

I finished East of Eden, by John Steinbeck Edit: I finished

Comment from [Reddit user] with 3 upvotes on /r/books/

The Six-Gun Tarot, by RS Belcher — finished yesterday. Some of the writing was a little clumsy but the story was interesting and there was enough depth to the world that it was clear there were other stories waiting to be told as well.

East of Eden, by John Steinbeck — started today. It’s a new friend’s all-time favorite so I have to keep him updated on my progress! I’m only a few pages in so far though.

Comment from [Reddit user] with 3 upvotes on /r/books/

Finished Wisdom: From philosophy to Neuroscience, by Stephen S. Hall starting East of Eden, by John Steinbeck later today and am nervous about it for some reason...

Comment from [Reddit user] with 3 upvotes on /r/books/

East of Eden, by John Steinbeck Am halfway done and kind of hoping Adams brother makes it back into the story...

Comment from [Reddit user] with 3 upvotes on /r/books/

Finished East of Eden, by John Steinbeck. Epic story, very ambitious tale of biblical proportions. I can certainly see why it is a reddit favorite. I loved it but rate it just below The Grapes of Wrath in the Steinbeck canon.

Finished A Head Full of Ghosts, by Paul Tremblay. Was underwhelmed by this one. Not sure why it has such an avid following. It was well-written but not scary at all. Slightly creepy in parts but that's the extent of it. Stephen King said "[ ] scared the living hell out of me." I seriously doubt it, Steve. But I will say the ending was great. I felt it redeemed the story somewhat and I'd give an extra star for that.

Finished The Return of the King, by J.R.R. Tolkien. Not really a fan of LOTR. I can see why others enjoy it and it was certainly groundbreaking for the time it was written. But, man, the action was few and far between. It had its moments, but not my favorite by a long shot.

Comment from [Reddit user] with 3 upvotes on /r/books/

I finished: Invisible Cities, by Italo Calvino. I can’t say I didn’t enjoy this book as it let my imagination run free when he was describing the various cities, but by the end it got a little stale and I didn’t really understand the point of it.. I feel bad that i didn’t enjoy it as much as other people have. Was quite an easy read though.

I started: East of Eden, by John Steinbeck. Really looking forward to reading this. A lot of my recently read books have been philosophical or historical, so I am eager to read an actual novel with a fictional story.

Comment from [Reddit user] with 2 upvotes on /r/books/

I just finished East of Eden, by John Steinbeck. I loved it so much, it's one of my new favorite books. It's so uniquely and beautifully written.

Now I'm picking up Stardust, by Neil Gaiman.

Comment from [Reddit user] with 2 upvotes on /r/books/

East of Eden, by John Steinbeck

Just finished it. Wow. The emotion and conflict is all over the place in this novel. Up, down, left, and right, you name it! I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end. I highly recommend it to anyone that is even slightly interested! I’ve read other Steinbeck novels before, and this is definitely one of the better ones!

Comment from [Reddit user] with 2 upvotes on /r/books/

I finished 14, by Peter Cines Fun, engaging mystery with some horror mixed in. Not the most polished writing I've ever seen, but a page turner nonetheless.

I started East of Eden, by John Steinbeck. Really enjoying it so far.

Comment from [Reddit user] with 2 upvotes on /r/books/

Finished Reading East of Eden by John Steinbeck

Currently Reading Pacific by Simon Winchester

Comment from [Reddit user] with 2 upvotes on /r/books/

Started:

East of Eden, by John Steinbeck

After all the hype here on reddit I'm stoked to finally read it myself. Judging by all the threads about it that regularly appear on this sub, it clearly has to be literature's finest piece :P

I'm already quite a bit in, and I already fear the moment I'll finish the book and have to put it away. It's just so... good: Exciting, poetic and easy to read (important, since english isn't my first language).

Comment from [Reddit user] with 2 upvotes on /r/books/

I'm re-reading Game of Thrones, by George R R Martin while simultaneously reading East of Eden, by John Steinbeck, What we Talk bout when we Talk about Love, by Raymund Chandler, and The Doll's House (Sandman #2), by Neil Gaiman

Comment from [Reddit user] with 1 upvotes on /r/books/

East of Eden, by John Steinbeck

I caught wind of it through this sub & am loving it so far, so thank you!

Comment from [Reddit user] with 1 upvotes on /r/books/

Reading East of Eden, by John Steinbeck Loving it so far

Comment from [Reddit user] with 1 upvotes on /r/books/

Finished East of Eden, by John Steinbeck

Finished Maine Woods, by Henry David Thoreau

Finished Edgedancer, by Brandon Sanderson

Started Journal of a Novel, by John Steinbeck

Started Name of the Wind, by Patrick Rothfuss

Started The Monkey Wrench Gang, by Edward Abbey

Comment from [Reddit user] with 1 upvotes on /r/books/

Finished Ghost Wall, by Sarah Moss. Only 140 pages but crams in a lot of tension and dread.

Just started East of Eden, by John Steinbeck. Enjoying it so far but it's a door-stopper of a book.

Comment from [Reddit user] with 1 upvotes on /r/books/

i read lincoln in the bardo, by george saunders. i absolutely loved it - i'm planning on getting his short stories as soon as possible. i'm currenly reading red dragon, by thomas harris as kind of a fun break when i need a break from the other book i'm reading east of eden, by john steinbeck.

i tried to read history of wolves, by emily fridlund but i couldn't get into it. i wasn't a big fan of the narrator and going from lincoln in the bardo to it was a little underwhelming.

Comment from [Reddit user] with 1 upvotes on /r/books/

East of Eden, by John Steinbeck about 50 pages left.

I think I’ll read The Stranger, by Albert Camus after.

Comment from [Reddit user] with -4 upvotes on /r/books/

I just finished Waiting for Godot, by Samuel Becket and have just started East of Eden, by John Steinbeck and I think it's my new favorite book. I'm only 23 pages in but Steinbeck put such care leisure to the page that it's too beautiful not to love.