Customer Reviews

The Long Valley

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Of Steinbeck's short stories, I wonder if "The Red Pony" is perhaps the best known, or at least the most widely read in high school or college literature survey courses? Or perhaps that distinction belongs to "The Chrysanthemums." In any event, those are the only two stories from this collection that I can recall having read elsewhere, leaving the other eleven to delight me with their novelty. The "delight," however, is that which comes with the discovery of intensely thought-provoking stories, not, with one exception, the delight that comes from encountering light-hearted, uplifting tales of an optimistic bent, for that is far from Steinbeck's style.

For the most part, the short stories reveal the same dark universe in which unenlightened and certainly unsaved men struggle to survive, a struggle that they occasionally lose, spiritually if not physically. A certain hunger, an unfulfilled need, and a pre-ordained suffering doom most of Steinbeck's characters. Existence is filled with cruel ironies that dash hope upon the vicious and inescapable rocks of reality. We see happiness in a vicarious dream of escaping the entrapment of an unchanging existence dashed by a pile of flowers unceremoniously dumped in the road. A youth's attainment of manhood is marked not by joy but by the guilt of a murder, ruthless pursuit, and a hard rifle bullet. We see the cultural anchor of a town destroyed by an unimaginable sin. And so the stories go.

Apropos of Steinbeck's view of the human condition is the title of the collection. While "the long valley" certainly describes California's Salinas River valley, the general setting for many of Steinbeck's stories, it also suggests the spiritual valley in which his characters typically dwell.

One may argue that the people in Steinbeck's stories bring suffering upon themselves through their own ignorance and unthinking acts. Yet, if we look closely at their intents and motivations, we often see situations unfold that seem to force the characters into the acts that in turn become their undoing. It is as if the Fates play with men and rejoice in their destruction.

Earlier, though, I mentioned an exception to this dark, brooding atmosphere and theme. The exceptional story is "Saint Katy the Virgin." This story is not what one expects to find in Steinbeck. It is a wonderful bit of humorous satire, lightheartedly poking a little fun at some of the tenets of Catholicism. Had Steinbeck written his major novels in this vein, his reputation would have been that of a sublime humorist.

I recommend this collection of short stories to two very different groups of readers, those who have never read Steinbeck before and wish to sample several brief selections before investing their interest in a major novel, and those who have enjoyed Steinbeck's other works already and should not neglect his short stories. All will discover that these stories are fast paced, interest holding, and thought provoking. I believe I shall now go light a candle to Saint Katy the Virgin. Won't you come along and join me by enjoying her story also?

My first Steinbeck book! O.K., I should have read "Mice and Men" when it was assigned in the 9th grade, but you know how that goes. The five years I have spent in college have awakened a love of the classics, making Steinbeck essential reading at some point. This book is a collection of his short stories written in 1933-34. In the introduction, written by John Timmerman, we find Steinbeck slaving away on these stories while taking care of his ill mother. We also discover that Steinbeck wrote his stories on a notebook copped from his father's desk. Timmerman points out that "The Long Valley" stories constitute an important bridge between Steinbeck's earlier efforts and the later canon of literature that secured his lasting fame.

The first two stories are the kind of works that English teachers love to assign; they involve women trying to break out of social roles. In the first story, Steinbeck starts his tale with: "The high grey-flannel fog of winter closed off the Salinas Valley from the sky and from all the rest of the world. On every side it sat like a lid on the mountains and made of the great valley a closed pot." Obviously, someone is trapped. I don't care for these two stories because I've read so many like them over the years, usually at the threatening point of a grading pen.

But as the book progresses, I quickly discovered that Steinbeck is an excellent writer. My favorite stories were "The Harness," "Johnny Bear," "Saint Katy the Virgin," and "The Red Pony." In "Johnny Bear," Steinbeck writes a freaky tale about an idiot savant that has an odd talent, much to the chagrin of the community. I figured out how it was going to end ahead of time, but it was still great fun. "Saint Katy the Virgin" is a strange tale, set in the Middle Ages, about a pig who converts to Christianity. This story does seem to be a criticism of the Catholic Church, but there is enough ambiguity in it to make me wonder if the story is actually pro-religion.

"The Red Pony," which is actually a cycle of four stories, has to be the best of the lot. I seriously believe Steinbeck could have made a comfortable living by turning this into a series. The stories focus on Jody, a boy living on a ranch in California. What impressed me most about these stories is the emphasis placed on discipline, hard work, and clean living. Along the way, Jody learns valuable lessons about death, old age, and respect for his elders. While reading about Jody, it is impossible not to draw comparisons with the pampered youth of our era. Almost no child living in this country today could maintain the patience Jody shows while waiting for the birth of his colt.

I thought Steinbeck would be stodgy reading; I was quite worried when I pulled this off the shelf and made a go of it. I can't say I'm going to dive right into his other works right away, but if his other stuff matches up to some of the stories here, they will be good reading.

I'd have to give this one a slightly lower cheer than the other of the pair if I was forced to see the two as separate works. Pastures of Heaven and The Long Valley are a matched set in the Steinbeck library. The two should probably be included together as a single work. It's difficult to separate the two books because they overlap so. With a writer of the Steinbeck sort a reader might experience difficulty declaring, "This is my favorite." I agree completely. However, if John Steinbeck had never written Of Mice and Men, Tortilla Flat, Cannery Row, Sweet Thursday, and Travels with Charlie, I'd probably have to say Pastures of Heaven and The Long Valley are my favorites.

This collection of stories, all of them written in the early 1930s, includes several classic Steinbeck tales.

The most famous is, of course, "The Red Pony"; all four "parts" appear here and comprise a third of the volume. Some readers mistakenly identify these four tales as a novella, but the stories, while interrelated, are self-contained. (Only the first part is about a red pony; it is also the best of the lot. The fourth part, "The Leader of the People," was added to "The Red Pony" years later, when the four stories were collected into a separate edition.) While often taught in schools, these stories were never meant for very young children--in spite of the title and the subject matter. Concerning a young boy and his relationship with his parents and a wise ranch hand, they are about aging and dying, growing up and growing old, and learning that one's elders are not invincible.

But there are other treasures in "The Long Valley" as well; what is unique about a few of the stories is that, for once, Steinbeck creates distinctive female characters. My favorites are "The Chrysanthemums," about a young woman's dashed dreams; "The White Quail," about a husband's betrayal of his wife's trust; "Flight," about a hunted fugitive; and "The Vigilante," about a lynching--told from the point of view of one of the perpetrators. Far less impressive are "The Snake," which aspires to Poe but is mostly unpleasant, and "The Raid," one of Steinbeck's many (and least inspiring) narratives concerning labor conflict.

The odd story in this collection is "Saint Katy the Virgin," a satirical fable set in the Middle Ages about a demonic pig that converts to Catholicism. It's a hoot.

Recently, I have been on a John Steinbeck binge. I am not a lover of short stories, I find them too brief, like a wonderful treat taken away too soon. However, the skill in which Mr. Steinbeck writes each short story represents a condensed novel. They are truly capable of fulfilling the promises of longer novels. Flushed and sifted, he carefully extracts his words into a version just as promising and thought provoking as a longer story. One need not feel unsatisfied, these stories are utterly amazing, absolutely incredible and without doubt some of the best literary work I have ever read.

These are beautiful stories, all taking place around Steinbeck's favorite place on earth, Monterey and Salinas Valley in California. The stories are diverse, rich, stunning and original. Please allow yourself the opportunity to read these stories. You will not be disappointed, and the beauty is to feel the heart and soul of the author, John Steinbeck.

I particularly liked the details. Steinbeck just so well paints his stories- you can see what's happening, even though I have never seen the details myself in real life. I wish I had! I wish I could see life as clearly as he does. I find myself realizing for the first time the difference in a woman's chin from that of a man, though subconsciously from a distance you can tell the gender without knowing why. How a man looks old only because of the way his heel touches the ground. I fully understand the uncomfortability of someone with coal black eyes, though I don't remember ever seeing such a person. I see how a peddler can get a buyer by becoming a buyer himself. Or what it is like to be in a mind of a self-justified racist lyncher. Sometimes Steinbeck gets so into the minds of others I am uncomfortably unsure of where he stands- it is as with a consummate actor, who becomes his character. But of course my favorite story of all is Saint Katy the Virgin, of a demonic pig become Christian and saint, "stretched prostrate on the ground, making the sign of the cross with her right hoof and mooing softly in anguish at the realization of her crimes." I've always known that pigs were worthy of salvation...

I was blown away by the power of these stories, amazed at the Steinbeck's craft and attention to detail. This book would go with me to that proverbial desert island if my choice was limited to one text alone. Truly timeless. I also saw that C-SPAN program on Steinbeck, and was pleased to learn that his reputation is growing again to the stature he deserves.

All of the short stories are unforgettable. My favorite is Johnny Bear, which is almost Hitchcock in its eerieness and structure. Get this in hardback. Definitely a keeper for one's library.

`The Long Valley' is yet another outstanding Steinbeck book, this time a collection of short stories set around, and in, the Salinas Valley in California. From the betrayal of `The Chrysanthemums', via the simple evocation of `Breakfast' and the look at husband and wife dynamics in `The White Quail', The Harness' and `The Murder' this book leads you from beautiful story to another until it leaves you satisfied and breathless at the characterisation and imagery in `Red Pony'. This last story is in 4 part and covers nearly 80 pages and it moved me through a wide range of emotions. From contentment, sorrow, happiness, pity and more besides, this story has the ability to connect with you at a deep level and make you feel things as keenly as the characters. The only story to stand out from the others is `Saint Katy the Virgin' which is about an almost demonic pig that gets converted to Christianity. If nothing else this story is original! This edition has a good introduction looking at the themes of the stories and makes for interesting reading in it's own right. All in all, if you're a fan of Steinbeck you won't be disappointed. You'll recognise the vivid imagery and beautiful writing and this is perfect to dip in and out of, or even read in one sitting. Simply wonderful.

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Of the story The Snake, another reviewer wrote that it was "a revelation..sure the symolism is almost Victorian, but the eerie combination of perfectly observed rituals of nature and the almost primeval sexual hunger of the woman to see the mice being eaten was incredibly subversive and unexpected in a setting of such clinical austerity..it was almost Hitchcockian in its perversity."

Fact is, according to Steinbeck in "About Ed Ricketts," that incident occurred almost exactly as described -- and all the author had to do was write it down.