At the End of the West: Emptiness, Conquest, and Memory in Steinbeck’s The Red Pony
Many readers approach John Steinbeck's The Red Pony as a simple coming of age novella. Yet hidden within its quiet pages is one of the most profound reflections on the mythology of the American West in twentieth century literature. The final monologue of Jody Tiflin's grandfather is not merely an old man's recollection of crossing the continent. It is the voice of a … [Read More...]
Fred and John L
On a January day – we don’t know the year – John Steinbeck wrote a long letter to Fred Zinnemann, a much-acclaimed film director and winner of three Academy … [Read More...]
Steinbeck’s Los Gatos Years
Peter Van Coutren, archivist at the Martha Heasley Cox Center for Steinbeck Studies gave a captivating presentation at the New Museum Los Gatos titled Talk of the … [Read More...]
Steinbeck Now Moves to San José State
SAN JOSE, CA: The Martha Heasley Cox Center for Steinbeck Studies at SJSU announces the acquisition of Steinbeck Now, the leading source for news about Steinbeck’s influence in the contemporary world. Founded by independent scholar Will Ray in 2013, … [Read More...]
New Video from San Jose State University on John Steinbeck: A Writer’s Vision
San Jose State University’s Martha Heasley Cox Center for Steinbeck Studies continues four decades of distinguished service to scholars, teachers, and students with John Steinbeck: A Writer’s Vision. The recently released video was written by Susan Shillinglaw … [Read More...]
Celebrate! Western Flyer Returns to Monterey Bay
Western Flyer—the 77-foot fishing boat John Steinbeck and Ed Ricketts took on their famous 1940 trip to the Sea of Cortez—recently returned to Monterey Bay after nearly a decade of restoration in Port Townsend, Washington. Built in 1937 to serve the commercial … [Read More...]
A Chance Christmas Dinner with John Steinbeck in 1947
A chance Christmas dinner with John Steinbeck helped set the course of a young man’s life as an adventurer and Pan American pilot who crisscrossed the world many times–and then wrote a book about it. Charles Cutting honored Steinbeck by using the year of their … [Read More...]
