• East of Eden

  • By: John Steinbeck
  • Narrated by: Richard Poe
  • Length: 25 hrs and 23 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (17,473 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
East of Eden  By  cover art

East of Eden

By: John Steinbeck
Narrated by: Richard Poe
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $29.25

Buy for $29.25

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

This sprawling and often brutal novel, set in the rich farmlands of California's Salinas Valley, follows the intertwined destinies of two families - the Trasks and the Hamiltons - whose generations helplessly reenact the fall of Adam and Eve and the poisonous rivalry of Cain and Abel.

©1952 John Steinbeck; Renewed 1980 Elaine Steinbeck, Thom Steinbeck, and John Steinbeck IV (P)2011 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"A novel planned on the grandest possible scale...One of those occasions when a writer has aimed high and then summoned every ounce of energy, talent, seriousness, and passion of which he was capable.... It is an entirely interesting and impressive book." (The New York Herald Tribune)

"A fantasia and myth...a strange and original work of art." (The New York Times Book Review)

"A moving, crying pageant with wilderness strengths." (Carl Sandburg)

Featured Article: The top 100 classics of all time


Before we whipped out our old high school syllabi and dug deep into our libraries to start selecting contenders for this list, we first had to answer the question, "How do we define a classic?" The answer isn’t as straightforward as you might guess, though there’s a lot to be said for the old adage, "You know it when you see it" (or, in this case, hear it). Of course, most critically, each of our picks had to be fabulous in audio. So dust off your aspirational listening list—we have some amazing additions you don’t want to miss.

What listeners say about East of Eden

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    14,577
  • 4 Stars
    2,126
  • 3 Stars
    539
  • 2 Stars
    133
  • 1 Stars
    98
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    13,245
  • 4 Stars
    1,729
  • 3 Stars
    337
  • 2 Stars
    70
  • 1 Stars
    48
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    12,918
  • 4 Stars
    1,768
  • 3 Stars
    532
  • 2 Stars
    130
  • 1 Stars
    75

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • SC
  • 10-11-17

Powerful

This was my first Steinbeck book and it definitely won't be my last. I was captivated by the people in this book. Full of life lessons. Loved it. Audible 20 Review Sweepstakes Entry

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

May be the best book I've ever read/heard

Breathtaking. This was my first Steinbeck novel and now I know what all the fuss is about.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

All time fav book

Loved everything minute about Steinbeck's East of Eden, didn't want this epic story to end.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

a pleasure to listen to

I think the reader was very great. a great novel to listen to on audible

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic narration for a true literary classic

Read this book- My review in a nutshell. It is a classic, part of the American literary cannon. Steinbeck considered East of Eden his masterpiece, I'd have to agree. Catching the references to the Book of Genesis is rewarding throughout. The narrator, Richard Poe, did an exemplary job.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

amazing and wise novel with a remarkable voice

An amazing and wise novel with a remarkable voice performance. I loved it. I will read it again

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Incredible.

One for the ages. Perhaps Steinbeck's best. Reaches to the roots of the metaphysical, and pulls the reader deep into his own soul, to ask the most fundamental questions.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A wonderful book

this book is a masterpiece. it reflects the authors deep understanding of the human soul I couldn't stop hearing this marvelous work of fiction

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

the most empowering story ever

I absolutely loved this book. the story the narrator the message and steinbeck. absolutely amazing

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Captivating narration, characters and story

I really enjoy this audiobook, the narration of Richard Poe is amazing, he makes the characters so vivid. The story is rather slow but in a good way, it helps you escape to the past, to simpler times of life.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!