Love letters, disguised as interconnected short stories, written by Steinbeck to the state of California. ( )

Families living in a little rural valley in California do the whole lives of quiet desperation thing in this series of interconnected short stories that lack the oomph of Steinbeck's later works. It's like seeing the stumbling, early steps toward themes, characters, and settings that he'll one day dance through with grace and power.

I'm glad I read this, but that doesn't totally offset how bored I was while reading it. ( )

Poco ya se puede decir de la altísima calidad literaria de John Steinbeck, Premio Nobel de Literatura en 1962. Sin embargo sorprenderá al lector que Las Praderas del Cielo haya pasado inadvertido entre sus novelas más conocidas (Las uvas de la ira, La perla o Al Este del Edén). Porque Las Praderas del Cielo es la obra más maravillosa que Steinbeck haya escrito nunca. Cuenta este libro la vida de los distintos vecinos del valle así llamado, que se localiza junto a Salinas (Monterey), el escenario habitual de sus narraciones. Unas historias a veces humorísticas, otras dramáticas, pero todas ellas de un nivel literario que parece hoy en día inalcanzable. Una intensa experiencia lectora.

Steinbeck’s second work, published in 1932, is a series of interconnected short stories about a valley near Salinas, California. A Spanish explorer “discovers” it in the 1700s and names it Las Pasturas del Cielo. The subsequent stories take place in the 1800s. As with many short story collections, some are more appealing than others. They are written in Steinbeck’s flowing literary style. It is easy to picture the residents of this small farming community. Steinbeck excels at establishing his characters’ traits quickly.

This book captures the irony of living in a “heavenly” valley while experiencing pain and suffering. It is easy to find comparisons to the Garden of Eden. I am glad to have read it to see how Steinbeck’s writing progressed. I am a fan of his later works, especially The Grapes of Wrath and Cannery Row. I hope to eventually read his complete catalogue. I listened to the audio book, narrated by Sean Runnette in a low key, fluid style.

3.5
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93/12-Κυριαρχεί μια ήρεμη θλίψη. Οι περισσότερες ιστορίες έχουν θλιβερό τέλος. Ιστορίες που περιγράφουν ιδιαίτερους χαρακτήρες ( ένας χαζός, ένας ψεύτης, μια τρελή και πάει λέγοντας ) χωρίς να είναι εξωπραγματικές. ( )