Please call a reference librarian for assistance at any time. We will be glad to help!
Use reference sources for background information, broad overviews, and summaries. *Titles marked with an asterisk (*) are available online in the Literature Resource Center which is accessible from the LPC Library Homepage..
American Writers*, Ref PS129.A55 -
Volume 4 in this set contains an article on Steinbeck and his
novels.
Characters in 20th- Century Literature, Ref
PN56.4.H37 1990 - Features a brief essay examining the main characters
in East of Eden.
Contemporary Literary Criticism*, Ref PN771.C59 - Multi-volume set containing excerpts and whole articles offering critical insight into literature. Use the Title Index, located at the end of the set, to find specific criticism on East of Eden.
Dictionary of Literary Biography* - Provides biographical information on Steinbeck in the following volumes: Volume 7, Twentieth Century Dramatists, Ref PS351 .T9 and Volume 9, American Novelists, 1910-1945, Ref. PS129 .A53
Magill's Survey of American Literature, Ref PS21.M34 1991 - Volume 6 in this set gives an overview of the novel.
Novels for Students*, Ref PN3385.N68 2004 - Volume 19 in this set contains a section on East of Eden, which features a biography, plot summary, major characters, themes, literary style, historical context, critical overview, criticism, and bibliography.
Oxford Encyclopedia of American Literature, Ref PS21.E537 2004 - Good overview of Steinbeck's life including experiences that influenced his writings.
Use the online catalogs for the LPC Library or local public libraries for print and audiovsual resources on Steinbeck.
TIP: Scan a book's table of contents for related essay topics. Use the book's index to find specific sections related to East of Eden
California Writers: Jack London, John Steinbeck, the Tough Guys. PS283.C2 M35 1984 - Critical study of Steinbeck's and London's contributions to "the elusive cultural tradition of America's largest and most eccentric state." Sections on Steinbeck: Radicalism; Bourgeois Career, Proletarian Comedies; Femme Fatale. Be sure to check the endnotes beginning on page 204.
John Steinbeck (edited and with an introduction by Harold Bloom). PS3537.T3234 Z7154 1987 - Collection of critical essays of several major works by Steinbeck. (See "Abra: The Indestructible Woman in East of Eden" by Mimi Reisel Gladstein.)
John Steinbeck: A Biography. PS3537.T3234 Z7854 1995 - Readable account of Steinbeck's life based on published and unpublished letters, diaries, and manuscripts. Includes photos.
John Steinbeck: A Study of the Short Fiction. PS3537.T3234 Z7147 1989 - Deals in large part with Steinbeck's short stories but also discusses themes and characters that appear in many of his works.
Journal of a Novel: The East of Eden Letters. PS3537 .T3234 Z5 - Day-by-day account of the writing of East of Eden, "Steinbeck's longest and most ambitious novel." The journal was in the form of a series sent to Pascal Covici, Steinbeck's editor at Steinbeck's editor at Viking Press.
Looking for Steinbeck's Ghost. PS3537.T3234.Z615 1988 - First-person account of the author's "misadventures" in researching and writing the book, which features nonfiction stories, essays, interviews, and anecdotes concerning Steinbeck's life and work.
Steinbeck: A Life in Letters. PS3537.T3234.Z53 1976 - Reveals the inner thoughts and character of Steinbeck through letters he wrote from 1923 through 1968.
Steinbeck and the Environment: Interdisciplinary Approaches. PS3537.T3234.Z8669 1997 - Collection of essays that "offer a dynamic contribution to the study of Steinbeck by considering his writing from an environmental perspective." Written by scholars from various disciplines.
Student Companion to John Steinbeck. PS3537.T3234.Z6195 2002 - "Clear analysis…includes discussions of character development, plot and setting, thematic treatment, historical contexts, and alternate critical readings." Includes a biographical chapter and an examination of the Steinbeck's contributions and career to help readers gain a sense of the man.
The True Adventures of John Steinbeck, Writer. PS3537.T3234.Z616 1984 - Lengthy (1,100 pages), well researched, and amply-documented biography derived from Steinbeck's papers and photographs.
John Steinbeck. MV 22922 - A portrayal of John Steinbeck's life and work. Sets Steinbeck's writings and his life in perspective to the times.
The following electronic print resources can be accessed in
the LPC Library or from the LPC Library Homepage.
Very important resource for distance education students.
Literature Resource Center - Contains biographies, criticism, work overviews and explications, Websites, periodical articles, and more.
Academic Search Premier (EBSCO) - (Click on "General Periodical Databases," then "Academic Search Premier.") Contains articles on Steinbeck and East of Eden. Click the "Full Text" and "Scholarly Journals" checkboxes to retrieve full-text critical articles by noted literary scholars.
TIP: Check local public libraries for their electronic resources on East of Eden.
You may want to explore some Internet resources to supplement or enhance your research. Always be cautious of information you find on the Web since the quality of sources varies tremendously on the Internet. It is always a good idea to check the information against another source. As with all information resources, whether in print or on the Internet, you evaluate its quality based on the following criteria:
The National Steinbeck Center <http://www.steinbeck.org/MainFrame.html> - Located in the Salinas Valley, Steinbeck's childhood home, the Center is home to a museum and library devoted to John Steinbeck, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature and the Pulitzer Prize. The collections include books by and about him, local and oral history, audio-visual materials, artwork, and theses.
San Jose State University Center for Steinbeck Studies <http://www2.sjsu.edu/steinbeck/> - This site contains background information on John Steinbeck, his works, and the locales he lived in and wrote about. Includes a chronology of his life, the text of his Nobel Prize acceptance speech, descriptions of his homes, lists of his works, and a list of film and theater adaptations.
Steinbeck: East of Eden <http://www.ac.wwu.edu/~stephan/Steinbeck/east.html> - Chapter by chapter plot summary, a list of the major characters, and links to background material for John Steinbeck's epic novel of the Trasks and the Hamiltons, "two families drawn by the current that brought settlers to the rich farmlands of California." Created and maintained by a Steinbeck enthusiast.
PinkMonkey Literature Notes on East of Eden <http://www.pinkmonkey.com/booknotes/monkeynotes/pmEastEden01.asp> - Features information on the setting, characters, plot, themes, mood, background, and literary/historical aspects of the John Steinbeck novel. Also includes chapter summaries with notes, study questions, and bibliography. From PinkMonkey.com.
TIP: When searching Google for other sites on Steinbeck and his works:
Keep the printouts of your sources, or write out all pertinent information on author, title, publisher, date, Internet location, or whatever is necessary to identify where you got the information. Follow the format recommended by your instructor or ask a librarian to show you a "style manual". There are also links to these instructions on the LPC Library web page: Citation Style Guides and the online resource, NoodbleBib, a bibliography composer.
Web sites and annotations(which we've edited) are courtesy of Librarians' Internet Index. Copyright 2007 by Librarians' Internet Index, LII.
Cheryl Warren & Charlotte Bagby, LPC Librarians
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