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Original Title:	Journal of a Novel: The East of Eden Letters
ISBN:	0141186348 (ISBN13: 9780141186344)
Edition Language:	English

Journal of a Novel: The East of Eden Letters Paperback | Pages: 309 pages

Describe Based On Books Journal of a Novel: The East of Eden Letters

Title	:	Journal of a Novel: The East of Eden Letters
Author	:	John Steinbeck
Book Format	:	Paperback
Book Edition	:	Anniversary Edition
Pages	:	Pages: 309 pages
Published	:	July 5th 2001 by Penguin Classics (first published 1969)
Categories	:	Nonfiction. Language. Writing. Biography. Classics. Autobiography. Memoir

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John Steinbeck often used letters to friends to get his writing juices flowing, and during the writing of East of Eden, wrote every day to Pascal Covici, his editor and friend. Most entries are written prior and post to the work of the day, ranging from tidbits from his life, commentary on how the novel is going and what he is trying to do, and a revealing obsession with newly sharpened pencils.

This is for people interested in the writing process or people who have enjoyed East of Eden; I'm not sure I'd pick it up otherwise!

ETA: I saved these two little quotes

“A great and beautiful storm today - such lightning and rain - and this always stimulates me like a drug. I must have great violence in me because I react to violence in nature with great joy.” (7/17/51)

“My sweet Elaine sat many hours with me last night while I put out a thundering silence.” (8/1/51)

Rating Based On Books Journal of a Novel: The East of Eden Letters

Ratings: 4.1 From 1175 Users | 150 Reviews

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This is the diary John Steinbeck kept while writing East of Eden. It is interesting to read what Steinbeck's concerns were while writing this novel of his home town. He interweaves family history in with the fictional Trasks to create a counterpoint in the novel, especially concerning the evilness of Cathy. This was something he worried about from a critical standpoint as no one is pure evil and he created a purely evil female. The parts of his family history also concerned him in the novel, but

Im really glad I read this. Its not often that I get to read another persons journal and (more or less) unfiltered thoughts, worries, hopes etc etc. and it was so instructive in terms of what a creative process requires, and how much of oneself (must?) be given to output something that is infused with passion, honesty and heart. Also how much planning, thought and discipline is required Super duper

Probably would have been better if I had read it in parallel with the novel. Cool to get insights into the author's mind when he was writing East of Eden, but I struggled to get through it.

Only someone of the stature of John Steinbeck, flying in the fame of his seminal, Pulitzer Prize winning novel, Grapes of Wrath, could have pulled off publishing a diary maintained through the months he wrote his longest and (in his eyes) best book, East of Eden.The diary was written to his editor Pascal Covici and has an entry for each working day on the novel. Steinbeck followed a Mon-Fri routine and only broke it to write a short story on one weekend. The daily diary entry was a warm-up to

I am coming to the end of my Steinbeck opus and this was such an interesting insight into him and his writing process (in some ways). It reminded me how much I liked East of Eden and enriched my experience of it. I like these 2 quotes from Steinbeck about his hopes for East of Eden:I planned it as a huge thing. I have been afraid that it narrowed down from the big thing rather than expanded. As a matter of fact Ive wondered whether it was not becoming little. What I would like would be for it to

There were a couple of nuggets of gold here that made me wonder if Steinbeck thinks as beautifully as he writes. The behind the scenes info on EOE was mostly very vague, but sometimes insightful. It was fascinating seeing how an author at his prime has plotted out his novel and executes it. I'd recommend this to hard core Steinbeck or EOE lovers, but the casual reader won't get much from it.

Such a great journal. I enjoyed every word. Steinbeck was certainly an interesting man. This book gives us an inside look at how he worked. Myself, not so much a plot-driven devotee, but Steinbeck clearly had a plan and he carried it out to perfection. I admire him for that and respect his process.