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A review by eclairemoon
The Long Valley by John Steinbeck
4.0
(What. The. Fuck.)
The Long Valley is perhaps one of the most intriguing Steinbeck story collections as it both showcases his immense range of themes and literary devices but also sets them in a terrifying cacophony against each other. With his novels it's easier to remove the epic (Grapes of Wrath) from the humorous (The Short Reign of Pippin IV), the historical realism (The Moon is Down) from the spiritual fantasy (The Pearl), but here they all muddle into one overwhelming river. This collection contains some of his finest writing (The Chrysanthemums, Flight), best political pieces (The Raid, The Vigilante), most troubling moments of racism, ableism, and sexism (Johnny Bear, The Murder), and AN ACTUAL STORY OF A PIG BEING CONVERTED IN 14TH CENTURY FRANCE. Reading this collection was both utterly isolating, with some stories unreadable (The Snake), and fascinating and emotional, containing some of the most beautiful, cherished, and relatable (The White Quail) stories he's ever penned.
The Long Valley is perhaps one of the most intriguing Steinbeck story collections as it both showcases his immense range of themes and literary devices but also sets them in a terrifying cacophony against each other. With his novels it's easier to remove the epic (Grapes of Wrath) from the humorous (The Short Reign of Pippin IV), the historical realism (The Moon is Down) from the spiritual fantasy (The Pearl), but here they all muddle into one overwhelming river. This collection contains some of his finest writing (The Chrysanthemums, Flight), best political pieces (The Raid, The Vigilante), most troubling moments of racism, ableism, and sexism (Johnny Bear, The Murder), and AN ACTUAL STORY OF A PIG BEING CONVERTED IN 14TH CENTURY FRANCE. Reading this collection was both utterly isolating, with some stories unreadable (The Snake), and fascinating and emotional, containing some of the most beautiful, cherished, and relatable (The White Quail) stories he's ever penned.