Some of the greatest nature writing ever to be put on paper. Steinbeck made me yearn for return to land, though I hope my luck be better than his protagonist.

Every now and then I like to settle into a good John Steinbeck novel because I enjoy the writing so much. After enjoying East of Eden, this novel was clearly earlier in his career and not quite as well developed. When I had just 2 chapters left to go, I was still unable to clearly articulate what it was about to a friend. Those last two chapters were satisfying and, as anticipated, beautifully written. Steinbeck used a lot of Biblical imagery, which I enjoyed, but I wasn't sure where he was going with it a lot of the time. That gave it 4 instead of 5 stars, but it was also an impetus to keep reading.

Joseph Wayne is a mystical figure, blessed by his father who has the same characteristics. The blessing is evocative of Isaac's blessing. Both men take on God-like characteristics because they are apart from life while being in it. They feel pain from life only fleetingly and then it passes on and leaves them in a state of calm and peace as they lead their families. This causes others to respond to Joseph with devotion as if he were a Christ-like figure at times. Joseph leaves his family farm in Vermont just before his father dies to stake a claim in California and once there, he feels the spirit of his father in a big oak tree. Joseph begins to worship the tree in a pagan manner, which makes everyone around him uncomfortable and causes some of the tension in the story and the precipitating calamitous event.

Yet at times Joseph is very awkwardly human and doesn't know how to properly court a woman in his era, even while ending up with a wife. He feels connected to the land so strongly, that he feels completely linked to its fecundity and completely responsible for it when the inevitable drought comes. When nature does not respond to his personal beliefs, he is at a loss of what to do, and starts on a path trying to set it right.

Joseph is not particularly drawn to organized Christianity, but seems to respect those who do. He also feels a connection with paganism and also the religion of the original inhabitants, the Indians, who are now mostly gone. Only a few of the residents of Mexican heritage still know scattered details and it is the original people and faith that seem to haunt the land. It's as if Joseph is open to the spiritual world, and that of all faiths around him, yet he has no specific goal or message other than to care for the land. At times, Joseph appears to be a madman. Interesting ideas about what makes a religious leader and I suspect the book was controversial in its day.

4.5/5.0

It’s been far too long since I’ve picked up a Steinbeck novel, and the lyrical mastery of this book combined with its deep exploration of nature and spirituality struck a deep chord inside of me.

The best Steinbeck.