The Grapes of Wrath

By: John Steinbeck, Robert DeMott

Narrated by: Dylan Baker

Length: 21 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

John Steinbeck's powerful evocation of the suffering and hardship caused by the Great Depression, and a panoramic vision of the struggle for the American Dream, The Grapes of Wrath includes a critical introduction by Robert DeMott in Penguin Modern Classics. "I've done my damndest to rip a reader's nerves to rags, I don't want him satisfied".

Shocking and controversial when it was first published in 1939, Steinbeck's Pulitzer prize-winning epic The Grapes of Wrath remains his undisputed masterpiece. Set against the background of Dust Bowl Oklahoma and Californian migrant life, it tells of Tom Joad and his family, who, like thousands of others, are forced to travel west in search of the promised land. Their story is one of false hopes, thwarted desires, and broken dreams, yet out of their suffering Steinbeck created a drama that is intensely human, yet majestic in its scale and moral vision. Adapted into a celebrated film directed by John Ford, and starring Henry Fonda, The Grapes of Wrath is an eloquent tribute to the endurance and dignity of the human spirit.

John Steinbeck (1902-68), winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the Nobel Prize for literature, is remembered as one of the greatest and best-loved American writers of the 20th century. During the Second World War Steinbeck served as a war correspondent, with his collected dispatches published as Once There Was a War (1958); in 1945 he was awarded the Norwegian Cross of Freedom for his novel The Moon is Down (1942), a portrayal of Resistance efforts in northern Europe. His best-known works include the epics The Grapes of Wrath (1939) and East of Eden (1952), and his tragic novella Of Mice and Men (1937). John Steinbeck's complete works are published in Penguin Modern Classics. If you liked The Grapes of Wrath, you might enjoy East of Eden, also available in Penguin Classics.

©1939 John Steinbeck (P)2011 Penguin

Critic reviews

"It is Steinbeck's best novel, i.e., his toughest and tenderest, his roughest written and most mellifluous, his most realistic and, in its ending, his most melodramatic, his angriest and most idyllic. It is great in the way that Unlce Tom's Cabin was great. One of the most impassioned and exciting books of the year." (Time)

"One comes away moved, indignant, protesting, pitying. A fiery document of protest and compassion, as a story that had to be told, as a book that must be read." (Louis Kronenberger, The Nation)

"A novelist who is also a true poet" (Sunday Times)

Not quite what I expected

Amazing story of survival. It's definitely not really an uplifting story. But I enjoyed the entire thing.

The only reason I didn't give 5 stars is because the music between chapters was annoying. I didn't see the need for it.

it was gud

it was a gud buk. I liked the narrarator as he captured the personalities beautifully

A story that is in a way still relevant today

The storyline was great, and still relevant today. Had a had time putting it down.

Interesting story during migration west

Steinbeck gives a graphic description of the hardships faced by those losing their land and jobs, moving to California. He discusses how landowners and business owners screwed the small owners and workers. He is clearly a Christian hater as every Christian is portrayed negatively.

Never More Relevant

One of the best written books of the 20th century. Steinbeck was a genius the likes of which we may never see again.
I get the uncomfortable feeling this is a foreshadowing of the mass displacement casuals by future ecological catastrophe. We learn too slow and the elite wealthy are just as scared of people coming together in purpose as they were in the times of old.

Something about this book is great

I read this after finishing East of Eden where I was kind of let down and thought this would be a great follow up since most people love one or the other. Without spoiling things I can outline the plot by saying it takes place during the great depression in the dust bowl (Oklahoma). Nothing especially crazy happens in the book but I found myself liking the characters much more. I do think it's stories like this that make you appreciate how good you have it and that ending was... surprising. I was expecting something completely different. This book won't blow your mind but it's a very entertaining story with GREAT narration. When it started the harmonica between chapters really annoyed me and was jarring but I ended up loving it by the end of the book. I also found myself talking like Tom in my head.

A story for our times

Here we are in a new era of mass economic displacement faced with the “haves” voicing same fears about he folks in need and the “have nots” willing to sacrifice everything for an opportunity to make a life of dignity and opportunity. Should be required reading, we are all in this together.

It don’t get much better

Everything about this audiobook is fabulous. Story, the history, the characters, the narrator(up there with the three or four best), the beauty and power of the writing.

Love it

This book made me cry , mad , hungry and tired ,very lively bookis like I was really there !

A dust bowl masterpiece.

The writing is evocative and lyrical. The story is heart wrenching but the strength of family bonds brings solace.