AMERICA AND AMERICANS And Selected Nonfiction

John Steinbeck is famous for The Grapes of Wrath, his archetypal novel of social dislocation and the survival of the spirit. After listening to this audio reissue of America and Americans, it’s clear that he should be just as famous for his nonfiction musings about what makes us the people we are. In this collection of essays and journalistic pieces, he explores all our attributes and produces a fascinating portrait of his country and himself. Henry Strozier reads with a resonant warmth that seduces. He weaves intelligent pacing and a panoply of emotion into the pieces so that it seems that Steinbeck himself is sitting beside you sharing his observations of life. The only drawback is an overly long, repetitive introduction. Once that’s over, this is clear, delightful listening. A.C.S. © AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 03/JAN 04]