Customer Reviews

Down to a Soundless Sea

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I would not want to be Thomas Steinbeck. Imagine: you spend half of your time explaining who you are, the other half explaining who you aren't, and wait for the inevitable question, "Do you write, too?" Steinbeck has blazed his own path, acquiring large if quiet success as a photojournalist, cinematographer, and screenwriter. And, yes, he does write, too. And quite well.

The conundrum one encounters when approaching DOWN TO A SOUNDLESS SEA is approaching it on its own terms without using John Steinbeck as a reference and comparison point. Steinbeck could have avoided at least a portion of the dilemma by writing in a specialized genre, such as science fiction or horror and thus rendered intergenerational comparisons moot. He instead meets the problem head on; the short fiction collected in DOWN TO A SOUNDLESS SEA are Steinbeck's literary transcriptions of tales he grew up hearing from his father and from others who dropped by his household. Steinbeck wisely avoids disclosing to his readers who some of these "others" were, but anyone with even a rudimentary knowledge of John Steinbeck's friends and contemporaries can easily guess. The settings for these stories --- Big Sur and the California coast --- were also frequently used by Steinbeck the Father. Thomas Steinbeck, however, has found his own voice, and his own words. He passes, and surpasses the "John Smith" test: if DOWN TO A SOUNDLESS SEA was written by John Smith, it would be worth picking up, and reading.

DOWN TO A SOUNDLESS SEA consists of seven stories; if there is a common thread it is one of men following dreams and remaining true to their internal vision, though not always wisely, not always successfully. Thus, in "The Wool Gatherer," a young John Steinbeck, retained by a rancher as a wrangler for summer work, finds his attention from the job distracted by his sighting of a giant bear, supposedly extinct. His efforts to find the bear, again, result in his wages being docked and his summer effectively wasted. Yet, there is a nobility found in the story that rings true for its time. The ending to this little tale resounds quietly but is writ large, so that it is not so much an entertainment but more a tacit lesson, not sugarcoated but nonetheless easy to swallow.

"Blind Luck," one of the two longer stories in the book, encapsulates the life of Chapel Lodge, whose childhood was so devoid of love and caring that he at one point believed his name to be "Hey you! Boy!" Possessing an innate, canny intelligence, Lodge comes to believe that his luck --- if it is to be had and utilized --- is to be found not on land, but on the sea.

"The Night Guide" is, perhaps, a tale of the supernatural, but more so it is the story of a quiet, but indestructible bond between mother and child, a fable and a history. It does not seem like much, at first, but it echoes with the reader even as the other stories herein are read and digested. The same is true of "An Unbecoming Grace," a deceptively simple little tale involving a traveling physician who plays inadvertently a most important role in the lives of three people, and in the happiness of two of them.

In "The Dark Watcher," meanwhile, an unassuming, untenured college professor sets out to make his academic mark and succeeds in a way that he did not anticipate. "The Blighted Cargo," one of the shortest tales in the book, is also the weakness, though, it is a fine enough entertainment, being a story of an ill-fated venture in the slave trade where the individual involved is, as is said in some parts, caught in his own juices.

The undisputed gem of DOWN TO A SOUNDLESS SEA is, however, "Sing Fat and the Imperial Duchess of Woo," the final story in the book. Almost one hundred pages long, this tale of romance and traditional Chinese engagement between a young widow and a student apothecary is practically worth the price of admission in and of itself. A quick reading of Steinbeck might leave the reader with the feeling that he takes two long to get the point of his stories and then dispenses with it far too quickly. Such an impression misses the point; every building, no matter how beautiful or utilitarian, is no stronger than the foundation upon which it rests. So too, with Steinbeck's short stories, and particularly with this last one, in which we come to know young Sing Fat, and to a lesser extent his erstwhile bride and the Imperial Duchess. It is unfortunate that stories like this or so rarely written in these politically correct, supposedly liberated days; it makes the beauty of this one resonate all the more strongly.

Steinbeck is reportedly working on his first novel. It will be interesting to see what he is able to do when given the room, and the inclination, to stretch his stories out to cover a larger canvas. He will certainly, on the basis of DOWN TO A SOUNDLESS SEA, have an audience ready, and waiting, to greet him on his own terms. Highly recommended.

--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub

Living on the central coast adds to the richness that is this book of short stories created by the son of John Steinbeck. I'm sure that many readers will gauge what Thomas Steinbeck does here by the works of his prestigious father. But I chose to read them for the sheer enjoyment of discovering a new author who happens to live in the same area I do. I wasn't disappointed.

It is worth noting that Mr. Steinbeck likes to tell his stories with narration, not dialogue. You'll find little of the latter in this collection. But what you WILL find is an anthology of stories that all take place on or near the sea (thus the title), and more readable while sitting around a campfire, giving your kids or family an earful as you read the tales aloud. They'll get a peek into the local legends around the Monterey area that will surely remain with them for years to come.

The first story in this collection, 'The Night Guide', is about a young boy named Frank Post (of local Post Ranch fame) and his early heritage growing up as a half-breed Native American. When his mother (a native Rumsen Indian) goes missing during a terrible storm, young Frank is visited by a vision and shown where his mother is at. The child rescues his mother from underneath a downed tree. The boy becomes somewhat legendary because of this event. That, and he was probably 'the first child born in the high Sur under the American flag.'

'The Wool Gatherer' pays homage to Thom Steinbeck's father. Young J.E. Steinbeck Jr. works his summers as a ranch hand down in Big Sur on The Post Ranch, and on his way to the ranch one summer, John sees a legendary beast staring down at him from a high cliff vantage point. Then it vanishes. John squanders away his entire summer trying to find the creature again, but never does.

'Blind Luck' is the story about a boy named Chapel Lodge who has to make his own destiny and his own luck after his parents abandon him on the central coast. Chapel becomes an able seaman and heroic figure during the sinking of the Los Angeles near Point Sur.

'An Unbecoming Grace' is a cute little junket that ponders the fate of men based on their social graces and caring of one another. When a local doctor (Doc Roberts) is called upon to care for a cranky and mean-spirited central coast patient, his ability to uphold the Hippocratic oath will be tested.

'The Dark Watcher' is an intriguing tale about Professor Solomon Gill who tries to find out about the ancient tribes that used to encamp on the hills of the Big Sur area. And he soon sees a dark specter just ahead of him . . . on every rise. Is this friend or foe? The tale seems quite dark in the beginning but becomes very light-hearted by the end. This was one of my favorite stories.

'Blighted Cargo' is the tale of Simon Gutierrez O'Brian and his evil ways helping in the slave trade on the central coast during its mining days. And fate WILL catch up to him in the end.

'Sing Fat and the Imperial Duchess of Woo' is the final story in the book. With a chuckling title like this, who couldn't help but be drawn into it. At near novella length, this is the longest story in the collection and shows Mr. Steinbeck's powerful grasp of characterization. Sing Fat was born in China but forcefully relocated to California. Here he goes from working the mines to an apprenticeship for an apothecary named Chow Yong Fat. And it is with his apothecary teacher that Sing Fat will find the love of his life, the beautiful Sue May Yee. Thom Steinbeck shows us the power of love and loss during a Chinese 'revolution' on the central coast.

Again, a great book to read out loud. Enjoy.

A+ short stories.

I thoroughly enjoyed Thomas Steinbeck's storytelling. Vivid images, superb words, lots of nice surprises. I plan to read several of these stories to my 12 year old son -- who I know will also enjoy. Should be recommended high school reading.

A mesmerizing collection of seven short stories, narrated with grace and power. Thomas Steinbeck remains the rightful heir to his father's gift for writing, as well as the landscape of Monterey, Pacific Grove, and especially Big Sur, which captivates the reader and initiates one into the mystical aura of its setting, with the sea being a unifying motif. Hauntingly beautiful is the final novella "Sing Fat and the Duchess of Woo."

After all that is why we read. It doesn't get any better than this. I just purchased the book the day before yesterday and only read 4 of the 7 stories. "Blind Luck" was great and "An Unbecoming Grace" had me laughing out loud at the end of the story.

I wish T. Steinbeck had several voulmes like this, looking forward to his 1st novel-

Don

Being a life-long John Steinbeck fan, I began reading this book with the clear objective of "being gracious" and trying not to expect too much, since it might fall short of his father's talents. I was so pleasantly proven wrong! Thomas Steinbeck has NOT had to fall back on his family name to be successful. His writing can stand alone on its own merit. I love this book, and while I have already recommended it to friends and associates, I will not be getting rid of it by passing it on, as I often do. It's a "keeper" and I will read it again. Thomas Steinbeck can clearly turn a phrase, and it appears that he can do so naturally. He clearly possesses acute observational skills, and knows human personalities. His characters are full of life and are fully three-dimensional. One does not walk away from this book wondering "Why was this guy or that girl in the plot?" They all hold intrinsic and valuable places in the whole. Not only are these stories interesting and often entertaining, they hold social redeeming values. Thomas Steinbeck, with one book, has shown serious readers that a new kid is on the block, and is a force to be reckoned with. This book is a must read.

Ballantine isn't a small publishing house, but few would have bothered with a book of short stories.

Down To A Soundless Sea by Thomas Steinbeck, son of the California literary legend, John. A collection of seven (which must be a magic number) short stories, all of which takes place in Big Sur. A limited geography with unlimited stories to tell. Steinbeck is every bit the writer that his father was, and it was better that the son waited until he was absolutely ready before he tossed his fate upon the fickle tastes of the reading public. This book is a gem and like all good things, was worth the wait.

When I put the book down I thought, Thomas Steinbeck uses words like Monet's brush.

This book, which is a collection of short stories that the author has collected or researched over the years, is a promising start. It's hard not to look at Thomas Steinbeck's writing and not think about his illustrious father, John, but Thomas does seem to have a knack for writing too, however rough around the edges it is. There are seven stories in here set between the 1850's and 1930's in the Salinas and Monterey area. My two favorite stories in here are "An Unbecoming Grace," which follows the travels of a local doctor and how his rescuing of a runaway cowboy affects a big change on a local ranch, and "Sing Fat and the Imperial Duchess of Woo," which tells of a former Chinese royal son and his story of love and loss in the Monterey area. The rule of thumb when it comes to these stories is that the longer it is, the better it is. The shorter ones are definitely not as good as the longer ones, but no less interesting. One thing Thomas needs to work on though is smoothing out some of the wordings and transitions a little. Often he uses the "something something something WHEN SUDDENLY..." line, which feels kind of jerky and could have been served better with a new paragraph or the beginning of new section for the story. He accomplishes that in the last story, "Sing Fat," which makes me think this is just a practice run for Thomas' future writing career. And judging by how enjoyable this collection was, I foresee a bright future for John's son.

If I told you John Steinbeck's son was as good a storyteller his dad would I exceed credibility?

I had the great pleasure of reading "Down to a Soundless Sea" by Thomas Steinbeck (yes, the son of John Steinbeck) on the airplane, today. It is, without a doubt, the most beautiful collection of stories I have read in decades. I was just stunned. And it's easily the best historical fiction ever written about the early days (for non-native people) on the Monterey Peninsula and Big Sur coast.

His historical accuracy of the people and events of early Monterey County 1850 - 1940 is profoundly scholarly, entirely educational, and masterfully told. He captures the characters, the language, and the landscapes perfectly; it's a remarkable achievement. Simply a must read for any lover of Monterey Peninsula history.

Thomas Steinbeck writes in the "Author's Note": "I was drawn to the stories of my father's youth and the history of the period, anything that depicted the backdrop of his narratives. It became an effortless practice to immerse myself in the details of life in Monterey County from the turn of the century to the 1930s."

All I can say is if you only read one book of short stories this year, read "Down to a Soundless Sea" by Thomas Steinbeck. You will never forget it.