East of Eden (novel)
Steinbeck's magnum opus exploring Cain and Abel in California.
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"Copyright 1955 Warner Bros. Pictures Distributing Corporation " · Public domain
The book explores themes of depravity, beneficence, love, and the struggle for acceptance and greatness.[1] John Steinbeck, an American author and Nobel Prize winner, wrote the family saga novel East of Eden, which was released in 1952.[2] The novel connects its various themes through numerous parallels and references to the Cain and Abel story found in the fourth chapter of Genesis.[1]
Making and release
Steinbeck originally addressed the novel to his young sons, Thom and John.[2] The first trade edition has light green boards.[3] Steinbeck drew his creative impetus for the work from the narrative of Cain and Abel as presented in the first sixteen verses of the fourth chapter of Genesis.[4] The novel's name, East of Eden, was derived by Steinbeck from the sixteenth verse of the fourth chapter of Genesis.[4]
Viking Press initially published East of Eden in September of 1952.[5] Two separate printings constituted the first edition: one of 1,500 signed copies, and another of unsigned copies.[5] A proofreading error on page 281, line 38, appears in both printings, where the original word "bight" was incorrectly changed to "bite".[5]
What the cited sources add
The "Steinbeck in the Schools" account notes that Steinbeck firmly believed this novel was his greatest work.[6] The same source states that the public embraced East of Eden while literary critics found plenty to criticize.[6] The "First Edition Points" source confirms that East of Eden is an Oprah's Book Club selection.[3] The "Steinbeck in the Schools" account reports that about 50,000 copies are sold annually.[6]
The novel's popularity experienced resurgence in 2003 after being named an Oprah's Book Club pick.[6]
References
- Wikipedia, "East of Eden (novel)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Králová, "Inseparability of good and evil as a challenge in Steinbeck's East of Eden", University Review, 2013, p. 51–57; McCright, "East of Eden: Steinbeck's proclamation of human greatness", Iowa State University, 1990 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "East of Eden (novel)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Ditsky, "Essays on East of Eden", Steinbeck Society of America, Ball State University, 1977, p. 3 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- "First Edition Points to identify East of Eden by John Steinbeck", FEdPo.com - First Edition Points for Book Identification. facts only, no text reused. fedpo.com
- Wikipedia, "East of Eden (novel)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Steinbeck, "Journal of a Novel: The East of Eden Letters by John Steinbeck", Viking Press, 1969 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "East of Eden (novel)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: DeMott, "Steinbeck's Typewriter: Essays on his Art'", Whitston Pub. Co., 1996, p. 224; "First Edition Points to identify East of Eden by John Steinbeck", FEdPo.com - First Edition Points for Book Identification; "First Edition Points to identify East of Eden by John Steinbeck", FEdPo.com - First Edition Points for Book Identification (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- "East of Eden-Critical Reception", Steinbeck in the Schools. facts only, no text reused. sits.sjsu.edu
Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article East of Eden (novel) (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: East of Eden (novel) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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