Of Mice and Men

By: John Steinbeck

Narrated by: Gary Sinise

Length: 3 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

Celebrating its 75th anniversary, John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men remains one of America's most widely read and beloved novels. Here is Steinbeck’s dramatic adaptation of his novel-as-play, which received the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best Play in 1937-1938 and has featured a number of actors who have played the iconic roles of George and Lennie on stage and film, including James Earl Jones, John Malkovich and Gary Sinise.

From the Nobel Prize-winning author of The Grapes of Wrath and East of Eden, this classic story of an unlikely pair, two migrant workers in California during the Great Depression who grasp for their American Dream, profoundly touches readers/listeners and audiences alike. George and his simple-minded friend Lenny dream, as drifters will, of a place to call their own - a couple of acres and a few pigs, chickens, and rabbits back in Hill Country where land is cheap. But after they come to work on a ranch in the fertile Salinas Valley of California, their hopes, like “the best laid schemes o’mice an’ men”, begin to go awry.

Of Mice and Men also represents an experiment in form, as Steinbeck described his work, “a kind of playable novel, written in novel form but so scened and set that it can be played as it stands”. A rarity in American letters, it achieved remarkable success as a novel, a Broadway play, and three acclaimed films.

©1937 John Steinbeck (P)2011 Penguin

Critic reviews

"Of Mice and Men is a thriller, a gripping tale running to novelette length that you will not set down until it is finished. It is more than that; but it is that.... In sure, raucous, vulgar Americanism, Steinbeck has touched the quick in his little story." (The New York Times)

"Brutality and tenderness mingle in these strangely moving pages.... The reader is fascinated by a certainty of approaching doom." (Chicago Tribune)

"A short tale of much power and beauty. Mr. Steinbeck has contributed a small masterpiece to the modern tough-tender school of American fiction." (Times Literary Supplement, London)

Steinbeck and Sinese. The perfect combination.

A simpler time. A tragic story. Characters you never forget. Sinese brings it all to life. Don’t miss it.

Breathtakingly.

Gary Sincese was made for this story, both on screen and narrator.
This story pulls the listener into it as very few others can.

A True Classic brought to life

I have read this book several times and this time listened to it on a road trip. Gary Sinise's reading of this classic truly brings it alive. Remarkable!

Beautiful classic

Where does Of Mice and Men rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It was nice to finally experience this classic story and hearing it via audible was great. The Overall depiction of the characters was fantastic and I'd be very inclined to listen to another selection by Gary Sinise.

What did you like best about this story?

It is a tale that focuses on the human condition and opens up discussions about how we treat individuals with disabilities.

Have you listened to any of Gary Sinise’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

None before

Grown Man Still Gets Me Every Time

More powerful with age. I read it in highschool and I was to ignorant to understand what they were fighting for.

I now have a man crush on Gary Senise

He is George for me. He is perfect for OMAM. And of course the book is amazing. If you want something relatively short and very good, try this.

Gary Sinise is Awesome!

Would you consider the audio edition of Of Mice and Men to be better than the print version?

Yes

Who was your favorite character and why?

George, he is a great mix of loving sympathy, but also has a tough, brooding side as well.

Which scene was your favorite?

Opening

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Final scene

Wonderful performance of a classic!

Would you listen to Of Mice and Men again? Why?

Yes, yes, and again, yes!! Gary Sinise's performance of this book is magic. I listened to the book on the way home from Oklahoma with my two teenagers in the car. They were also entranced by the story and the performance of Mr. Sinise. They laughed in several places. I think the story really touched them and me. This is my second time through it.

What did you like best about this story?

I like the characters best in the story. I like old Candy. I like how George seems to bring hope where he goes, but not in the traditional method. He's not sunshine and light, so how does he inspire the characters of this story to hope? About the performance? You don't have enough space. Gary Sinise's performance was golden. The only problem I had with the whole thing is that when he voiced Slim, it was too low to hear in the car. I missed a lot of that dialog, but this isn't my first visit to this book. Loved his voices, and I still think someone else voiced Lenny. Every once and awhile, you'd hear that familiar "crack" that Gary Sinise has in his voice, but he pulled out some interesting and varied voices to carry the story!

What does Gary Sinise bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Whatever happens, however I hear or read this story again, I will always hear it in Gary Sinise's voice. Just as he was made to play the part of George on television with John Malkovich as Lennie, he was made to read this book. His tone, his cadence, his accent, were just how I hear the book. I've read the book before, but his performance will forever mark the book as his. Next time I read this in book form, I'll hear Mr. Sinise in my head.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Well, besides the ending, there is the part about the dog. That just kills me every time. This time, I'm driving down a highway in rural TX with tears rolling down my face, lips quivering trying not to sob out loud in front of my children...I'm glad I had cruise control and didn't get stopped. You might as well have killed Old Yeller again, too. Ugh. Then, too, it's impossible not to mention how George describes their dream. Living "off the fat of the land"! It is just a bit different every time and it is a beautiful dream. I really wanted that for them.

Any additional comments?

Can't say enough about the narration. Gary Sinise did a stellar job. I do not appreciate the colorful language used the book. I was sorry to expose my teenagers to it, but there is so much important material to be covered, that I just have to tell my kids that this is how some people talk, to filter it out and don't let it contaminate their speech. So that's a warning to some who are looking for wholesome classics. My twins start their senior year in the fall, and can filter, but this isn't for younger children unless you don't mind trashy language.

Beautiful

Beautiful story. When coupled with the voice of Gary Sinise, the true essence shines through.

Now I want to see the movie!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I got caught up in the friendship of two completely different personalities.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Of Mice and Men?

The ending! Could I kill someone I loved under the same circumstances.

Have you listened to any of Gary Sinise’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Only one so far but with this performance, I wouldn't be afraid to listen to more.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes...but it took two trips and sync in my Ford F150 pickup to listen over my sound system. When I travel, my wife and I listen to Audio books. Trip goes by too fast because we want to finish the story.

Any additional comments?

When I listen to an Audio book, I want to get the movie to see how they told the story in visual format. Love the Classics!