John Steinbeck kept his rural California roots close when writing such literary masterpieces as The Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men. However, the Nobel Prize–winning author also loved New York City and made it his home for much of his life. In June 2010, Steinbeck fans had a chance to purchase a piece of his New York life when a trove of the author's personal letters, manuscripts, photographs, and other items were offered for sale at auction.
The sale of Steinbeck's archives took place at Bloomsbury Auctions in New York City. The Bloomsbury material included items from the author's sunny three-bedroom apartment on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Steinbeck and his wife, Elaine, lived in the apartment for 13 years until his death in 1968.
Some of the pieces up for bidding were a copy of Steinbeck's acceptance speech for his 1962 Nobel Prize in Literature and various unpublished works. There were also numerous manuscripts written on lined yellow paper. The manuscripts discuss topics as diverse as his Irish roots and observations on camping.
"These manuscripts are fascinating, as they offer a look inside the creative imagination of a major writer," said Jay Parini, a novelist and Steinbeck biographer.
Steinbeck's library of some 800 books, many with his rubber stamp or signature, was also for sale. So were his personal effects, such as his leather chair, globe, and reading glasses.
John Larson was Bloomsbury's book specialist. According to Larson, the collection provided a glimpse into Steinbeck's life in Manhattan after the end of World War II.
"[The material is] a very nice snapshot, small and large, of Steinbeck, particularly postwar," said Larson. "You have everything from his typescript copy of his Nobel acceptance speech to...photographs of [President] Lyndon B. Johnson that are inscribed to Elaine, his wife."
Steinbeck, considered one of the greatest writers of the 20th century, was born in 1902 in Salinas, California. In his youth, Steinbeck spent summers working on local ranches and farms. This experience would profoundly influence his writing. In 1919, Steinbeck entered Stanford University. In 1925, he left Stanford to pursue a career as a writer. Soon, he had published a few novels, but his work received little attention. In 1935, he published Tortilla Flat, a humorous story of a small band of friends living near the California coast. The book brought Steinbeck both commercial and critical success.
Steinbeck's stories have been praised for their keen and realistic portraits of the American poor and working class, particularly the lives of rural laborers. Steinbeck's books gave a voice to the disenfranchised and downtrodden, while celebrating the human spirit. Steinbeck penned 27 books in total, many of which literary critics consider some of the best in American literature. A number of his works were also adapted for film and the stage.
One of Steinbeck's best-known works is The Grapes of Wrath. The novel, set in the Depression era, tells the story of migrant farmers from Oklahoma. They travel to California after losing their land in the Dust Bowl. The book, hailed by some as his greatest work, was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1939. The novel was adapted into a movie the following year.
The Bloomsbury sale included an uncorrected proof of the great novel. The proof, which misspells both the title and the author's name, sold for $7,500 at the auction. That amount was considerably higher than the book's original price: An exterior printed label gives the publication date of April 21, 1939, with a price of $2.75.
The Steinbeck auction netted a total of $73,950. That figure was much lower than the $200,000 to $250,000 auctioneers had anticipated. The item that fetched the highest bid was a briefcase belonging to Edward Ricketts, which sold for $18,000. Ricketts, a longtime Steinbeck friend, was the inspiration for the character of the lonely biologist "Doc" in Steinbeck's 1945 novel Cannery Row.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Think about and discuss these questions:
How did John Steinbeck's life help prepare him to write the stories he did?
Is there a writer whose drafts, letters, photos, or other items you would be interested in having? Which writer, and why?
QUESTION 1
1 / 8
The best alternate headline for this article would be __________.
Steinbeck's Dust Bowl Novel Adapted to Film After Pulitzer
Humorous Story Brings Steinbeck Commercial, Critical Success
Steinbeck Auction Gives Snapshot of Author's Life, Work
Misspelled Proof of Famous Steinbeck Novel Nets Big Bucks
Steinbeck Auction Gives Snapshot of Author's Life, Work
The author probably wrote this article in order to __________.
inform readers about an auction of items that had once belonged to prize-winning author John Steinbeck
tell readers about John Steinbeck's early life working on farms and ranches in Salinas, California
determine why the the briefcase belonging to John Steinbeck's longtime fríend was sold for $18,000
summarize the biography Jay Parini wrote on John Steinbeck, a well-known 20th century American writer
inform readers about an auction of items that had once belonged to prize-winning author John Steinbeck
Which is the closest antonym for the word diverse, as it is used in the article?
historic
formal
complex
similar
similar
Which question is not answered by the article?
When did Steinbeck leave university to pursue a career in writing?
Which item in Steinbeck's apartment sold for the highest price?
When did Steinbeck meet President Lyndon B. Johnson?
Which character was inspired by Steinbeck's friend Edward Ricketts?
When did Steinbeck meet President Lyndon B. Johnson?
According to the article, why have critics praised Steinbeck's published works?
Because of the rare and fascinating glimpse they provide into the imagination of a writer
Because many of his published works sold for high prices at the Bloomsbury auction
Because many of his published works have been adapted for both film and the stage
Because of the keen and realistic way in which he portrayed American workers
Because of the keen and realistic way in which he portrayed American workers
The article states:
Steinbeck's stories have been praised for their keen and realistic portraits of the American poor and working class, particularly the lives of rural laborers.
Which is the closest synonym for the word realistic?
invalid
essential
accurate
outrageous