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Looking to get into Hemingway, Steinbeck, and Faulkner. Where’s the best place to start?

Looking to get into Hemingway, Steinbeck, and Faulkner. Where’s the best place to start?

Ethan #recommend

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46 Answers

Xochitl

Steinbeck

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EthanQuestion author

@Xochitl anything in particular?

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Xochitl

@Ethan I loved Of Mice and Men

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Ann

I’m not sure you can pick a bad place to start on Steinbeck.

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Laura

I would second Of Mice and Men as a place to start. We read this in high school, but I appreciated it more as an adult.

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Helen

I found Cannery Row entrancing.

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Lisa

@Helen my favorite Steinbeck

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Helen

@Lisa At one level, nothing much happens, at a more human level, there a whole lot going on, all sorts of interactions and emotional entanglements. I listened to it, and it was all enveloping.

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Marc

With that bunch, you could start almost anywhere! For a nice taste of Hemingway variety, I might suggest the unforgettable Nick Adams stories. https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Nick-Adams-Stories/Ernest-Hemingway/9780684169408

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Stacy

Grapes of Wrath is one of my all-time favorites, and is still very timely.

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Safdar

Hemingway is easy to understand so you should start Hemingway

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Rose

Hemingway’s “for whom the bell tolls” is a wonderful read, on so many levels

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Svetlana

I thought As I Lay Dying by Faulkner was fascinating. His style is challenging but worth trying.

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Svetlana

Oh and Farewell to Arms is an easy read.

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James

I loved Fiesta

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Cynthia

Steinbeck. My favorite is ‘Winter of Our Discontent’. To see a good man turned evil and greedy. Well, it’s just a dang good read. I reread it every few years.

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James

Winter of our discontent is my next Steinbeck book to read

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Giovana

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Stacy

@Giovana Those are very cool ?

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Giovana

@Stacy yes, they are mine ?

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Christopher

For Stienbeck: The Pearl (novella) and the classic The Grapes of Wrath
Hemingway The Sun Also Rises

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Lisa

My favorite Steinbeck is Cannery Row.

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Sean

Grapes of wrath and the old man and the sea are my favourites by each of them

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Kathy

Ethan Thomas:

There are several excellent biographies of Hemingway. Why not get to know the REAL man by reading a BIO and then proceed forward to one of excellent novels?

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Tiffany

The Old Man and the Sea is a wonderful short read.

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Shannon

Faulkner- As I Lay Dying.

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Sarah

Definitely Steinbeck ? In fact, forget the other two ?

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Val

Hemingway and Faulkner have very different styles. If you like straightforward and to the point start with Hemingway. If you like more alliterative and nuanced prose start with Faulkner. Steinbeck is a more descriptive writer.

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Suzzy

Steinbeck is one of my favorite authors. I have read all his works with the exception of “East of Eden.” I like Hemmingway, but just can’t get into Faulkner. I’ve tried and tried, but just can’t do it.

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Kimberlee

Of Mice and Men! Most of Steinbeck and Hemingway is good.

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Jennifer

These authors have a complex way of writing in my opinion. You will actually just have to find the one that suits your reading personality I’ve read a lot of their work, but yet some books I just couldn’t get into.

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Taru

Steinbeck……Travels with Charley…..lovely read…..

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Rachel

Maybe for Faulkner you should start with his short stories, and then go from there? ‘As I Lay Dying’, ‘Light in August’, or ‘Absalom, Absalom!’, would all be good picks, depending on what you think looks most interesting

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Philip

Steinbeck-“Grapes of Wrath”

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Nancy

Ethan, Could you try a little Pearl S. Buck, also? You might enjoy!

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Agatha

Old Man & The Sea, Hemingway

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Lucie

Hemingway Paris A Movable Feast.

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Lucie

Steinbeck East of Eden

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Lucie

Faulkner Light in August

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Muffy

Grapes of Wrath. Steinbeck. Loved it

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Karen

They are all awesome! Go for it! Just jump in via serendipity.

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Vickie

Start with Steinbeck’s short novels, Of Mice and Men is my favorite. Grapes of Wrath and East of Eden are both amazing. You will never forget ‘Grapes.’ I love Faulkner, too, but Steinbeck is much easier to read, so give him a chance first. 🙂

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Sreeraj

Faulkner’s Light in August

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Meredith

Either one but Hemingway is best start

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Joan

Hemingway committed suicide so he suffered from depression. Faulkner’s books are dark and at times depressing. Start with Steinbeck. I think Steinbeck is the best of the three.

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Robert

I vote for Steinbeck. Of Mice and Men.

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