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)

the grapes of wrath

Would you consider the audio edition of The Grapes of Wrath to be better than the print version?

Not really but i read the book in high school and always admired steinbeck's ability to help me 'see' the places he wrote of. the audio was great though.

What other book might you compare The Grapes of Wrath to and why?

a number of books come to mind that tell the stories of the tragic histories of america through the eyes of those who experienced it.

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

emotions of all characters involved; especially the resilience of the women who stand behind great men during their struggles

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

the same

Any additional comments?

great listen!

A harsh story of life during the dust bowl.

The only acceptable response; "There but for the Grace of God..." The fear is, given government mismanagement, this story could be true right now, today, within the floodgates of homelessness.

Excellent narration

Really enjoyed listening to this audiobook.
The narrator made the book come alive.
I highly recommend both the book and this audiobook.

very good narrator

extremely well-written, engaging story that makes you think and also reflect on our current times. also very depressing at times but still very worth reading.

Great book from its period

A refugee family, this time within the United States is forced to leave the dust bowl and seek a new life. It is filled with prejudice, wishful thinking, desperation, and how cheap life becomes when people are viewed as the other. The book is relevant today as little except who the other is who we keep out. Well written, compelling people and gripping, however a bit preachy at times.

Awesome Narration, Pretty Good Book

Dylan Baker did an amazing job narrating. He really brought the characters to life. The book itself is beautifully written, but somewhat repetitive.

Great narration of an American classic.

The performance of this book is top notch. This is John Steinbeck’s tour de force along with East of Eden. Another great book, with great narration available on Audible.

Outstanding performance

There are few audiobooks I have enjoyed more than this (the story not withstanding) because of the performance of the narrator. He managed to bring all the characters to life. Even when the character was not identified in the story, it was easy to tell who was “speaking”. Well done!

great, except...

I'm sure this has been said but the harmonica between chapters is very jarring. other than that, great reading by the narrator.

Grapes of Wrath review

These was a gripping emotional ride that never finds any gladness. it's only misery and sorrow but no doubt the truth of how life was for thousands who lived in that day. I desperately wanted something good to happen. The reader was amazing. I did not want it to end.