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Of Mice and Men: Popular Penguins Paperback – 1 Sep 2008

by John Steinbeck (Author)

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John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men is one of the best loved novellas of all time. Two drifters - small, shrewd George and huge, simple-minded Lennie - get work on a ranch, planning to raise enough money to get a place of their own and live off the land, if George can save his childlike, bull-strong friend from getting into trouble. A powerfully moving story of friendship, Of Mice and Men is a simply told masterpiece.

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Product details

Paperback: 132 pages
Publisher: Penguin (General UK); 1 edition (1 September 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 014103842X
ISBN-13: 978-0141038421
Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 1.2 x 17.8 cm
Boxed-product Weight: 81.6 g
Customer Reviews:
Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 2,489 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1722 in Religion & Spirituality (Books)
- #554 in Classic Literature & Fiction
- #955 in Contemporary Literature & Fiction

Product description

About the Author

John Steinbeck was born in Salinas, California, in 17 February 1902. After studying English at Stanford University, he held several jobs including working as a hod-carrier, apprentice painter, laboratory assistant, ranch hand, fruit-picker, construction worker at Madison Square Gardens, New York, and reporter for the New York American. In 1935 he became a full-time writer and was a special writer for the United States Army Air Force during World War II.

Among his most renowned works are Of Mice and Men, Cannery Row, East of Eden and The Grapes of Wrath, which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1940.

In 1926 Steinbeck was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature as a mark of his outstanding contribution to literature, his unquestionable popularity and his versatility. In his speech accepting the Nobel Prize, Steinbeck gave his view of authorship- 'The ancient omission of the writer has not changed. He is charged with exposing our may grevious faults and failures, with dredging up to the light our dark and dangerous dreams for the purpose of improvement. Furthermore, the writer is delegated to declare and to celebrate man's proven capacity for greatness of heart and spirit for gallantry in defeat - for courage, compassion and love.'

John Steinbeck died on 20th December 1968.

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Dodie

A classic Steinbeck short novel

Reviewed in Australia on 25 February 2017

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I have not read this Steinbeck for years. It is such a powerful short novel that I will want to read it again soon. The friendship between two men in California in the depression era leads to some very difficult dilemmas for the man with the stronger personality. He cares for his friend who is intellectually slow. They share a dream to own their own farm. Reality gets in the way! The different personalities of all the cast are beautifully written in the minimum words. The only female in the tale is so sensitively written that even as she causes problems for all the men, I felt sympathy for her.
Steinbeck's talent to create a whole world in a few short sentences has been a source of pleasure to me over my reading history. I think I first read him in the mid 1960s and have reread most of hid books since. I don't know why I hadn't read Of Mice and Men more often.

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The best laid plans.

Reviewed in Australia on 19 December 2014

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I sure would like to get me a place somewhere, a place like George and Lennie dream of having. I could work my arse off, put a little aside each week, till I had enough saved up, then I could buy it.
Wow. This book may have been short but it packs a lot into a very few pages. I must say, that I enjoyed every one of those, very few pages. I found it very hard to put down. If I didn't have to work at 2 jobs and as Lennie puts it, “An’ live on the fatta the lan’.” I would have finished it in one setting. Of Mice And Men, truly is a book that everyone should read at least once.

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Karpy

Another classic from John Steinbeck

Reviewed in Australia on 14 August 2016

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Of course the book is well written, (it's Steinbeck), but don't expect to read a cheerful, uplifting story. The main characters are engaging, the story is compelling, and it gets your emotions going, which is one of the signs of a good book.

There are a number of ways the story could have ended, and the reader is left to dwell on the ending that Steinbeck has chosen. Not a book that you will quickly forget.

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Janice Richie

Sad ending but with such emotions building it was inevitably ...

Reviewed in Australia on 5 August 2014

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I missed the film of this and had not read the book previously, so I decided to catch up on it. Of course very well written,
drew me into it and the characters all well recognised - of course you always felt that something was going to go wrong
with Lennie the way he was, and it built up to that point. Sad ending but with such emotions building it was inevitably
the only way. I enjoyed reading this old story .

One person found this helpful

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Geoffrey M Moss

Steinbeck Classic

Reviewed in Australia on 1 February 2018

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I love this story. It’s surprisingly candid about sex and violence but seems to me about men and their dreams.

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Paul House

A brilliant work of art

Reviewed in Australia on 4 September 2016

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I enjoyed the intro with some of the history and context to the book. The philosophy of Steinbeck that we each have to try to understand others - no time in history has this been more important

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QuiQui

Reviewed in Australia on 26 July 2018

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I didn’t like the plot, it wasn’t interesting, but the writing skill was okay and it was a good length for the plot.

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Angela Carr

Five Stars

Reviewed in Australia on 9 February 2015

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

A classic story of friendship written with an authentic voice of the time.

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Top international reviews

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Spider's Web

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 8 September 2016

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My daughter had to buy this book for her English Literature GCSE Exam and she told me it was very convenient. The pages that summarise the chapter helped her find the main points she needed to revise for her exams. They were also a useful way to go back and remember what happened without having to re-read the entire chapter.

There were questions at the end of the book that you could answer that helped her to understand the context, content, author and characters better.

My daughter tells me Of Mice and Men is a detailed and intricate story written in the 1930s by John Steinbeck. It tells the story of George and Lennie, two migrant ranch workers, sharing a dream of one day owning their own ranch and also their struggle of trying to survive due to lack of money. The book also includes the most important issues regarding society in America during the great depression which were my daughters GCSE topics for this novel such as racism, sexism, prejudice and the American Dream. It is a highly thought provoking story wherein the simplest of sentences has a profound deeper meaning.

Overall it’s a very good book with useful summarised pages and questions that make it easy to understand and use as a revision tool for GCSE English Literature. I would definitely recommend it for anyone who either is doing this for their GCSEs or has a teenager that is.

18 people found this helpful

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Peter

A wonderful classic

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 May 2018

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Before you finish the first page you realise that you’re reading an authentic poetic piece of literature. As with other John Steinbeck works, his recognition and homage to hard economic times in America, and the transient workforce is so subtly and vividly portrayed.

Lennie and George are two immortal characters that live well beyond the pages of this book. It is a heart-breaking story of loyalty and love, of friendship and society, and of hope and despondency. Lennie is the main discussion point in the book and it is such a sad story about the impact of a serious personality disorder, and how it can have devastating consequences to the person and those around them. I did, however, think a lot about George and how he had enabled the friendship to grow and how he tried to provide a protective shield around Lennie. He was constantly driving Lennie to remember statements he needed to recite if challenged or actions he needed to follow if confronted. They dreamed and talked constantly about the smallholding they had been saving for. They would have different crops and animals (particularly rabbits for Lennie) and be masters of their own domain. Life can be cruel when hope and aspirations can be dashed with an unforeseen event and twist of fate.

The story does have a sexist feel to it in the sense that the woman (no name) was the downfall of Lennie and was only ever referred to as Curley’s wife. There is an inference that she was Curley’s possession and perhaps her behaviour was to illustrate she was not the possession of one, but free to be with many.

George showed sincere and deep love for Lennie in resolving the issue in a way which was best for Lennie while leaving himself with remorse, guilt and loss for the rest of his life.

Why oh why did it take me so long to read this book – don’t make the same mistake.

6 people found this helpful

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Thespionic

A Thought Provoking Book & Mini Classic

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 24 February 2015

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The film, `Of Mice and Men,' - 1992 version, will always be one of my favourites. It encouraged me read this book. Firstly, I was amazed at just how short the book is at 150 pages! It's a book you can read in day with time to spare! The story though, still comes across as just fine and is never less than interesting and engaging with many topical points to dwell on.
This particular book is also written for GCSE study, which I don't intend to comment on, as many have already done so.
For me the main player here, and centre of attention, is Lennie. He is intellectually disabled, with a childlike imagination. A comparison to some degree would be Forest Gump or `Karl' from `Sling Blade.'
He drifts during the Great Depression, and looks for work under Roosevelt's 'New Deal' , with his best and only friend George, who continually mothers him and keeps him out of mischief. They are like chalk and cheese but need each other? They follow the American dream of one day owning their own bit of land - it eventually transpires that they are not the only ones?
Eventually they end up on a farm in California and this is where we meet several different characters and the story unfolds. Steinbeck's writing style describes them all perfectly well and this is a feature of his writing. It is also quite clear that he is very knowledgeable about farm life and also the countryside that surrounds it.
Whilst I'd seen the film first, I still found the book totally engaging, even though it was very similar to the film. The characters (including the leads) do leave a lasting impression and stir the old grey matter! They are all so different - even though the tale is so brief. They raise questions of: loyalty, pity, vulnerability, sadness, anger & inferiority, loneliness / isolation and of course, from that period - racism.
Finally, what helps to make this book such an interesting read is the dialogue and slang used - the book's glossary is very helpful.

12 people found this helpful

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Yvonne

A great short story.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 August 2018

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Of Mice and Men is the story of George and Lennie. They work various jobs and travel around looking for new work as one job runs out or they run out. The story begins as they head towards their next job. George has a dream to one day own his own plot of land and Lennie is happily caught up in this vision of the future. Lennie is a gentle giant of a man and is referred to as being not very bright but will work hard and do as he is told.

George looks out for Lennie and knows that many would not want a man like Lennie working for them, prejudice at this point in history is ripe so anyone being slightly different is not acceptable to many. Even though George is often frustrated by the simple nature of Lennie, he is a friend and will support him. They are each other has.

This is a simple tale of friendship between two men travelling for work. Rather than being loners as many travelling labourers are, they have a bond in their friendship, they are able to talk about their dreams for the future and it gives them hope. George tries his best to keep Lennie out of trouble, but this is not always possible and misunderstandings do happen.

This is a quick read at only 121 pages and is easy to read in one sitting. It’s style is one I like, a slow meandering yet descriptive and emotional one. It explores various inequalities and prejudices that were relevant at the time. A wonderful read that slowly rolls along until it picks up speed as a sense of tension begins to build.

This is a book I would recommend to readers who enjoy American Social History, Literary Fiction and Classic Fiction.

One person found this helpful

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Michelle

5 stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 25 June 2019

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

The best laid plans of men and mice often go awry.

Such a short book, only 112 pages, but its powerful.

Not an awful lot happens, the pace is slow, your strolling. Your meet George, Lennie, spend two days together and finish where you started but I'm sure you wont feel the same.

I didnt expect much from this novella, total credit to Steinback, he has created a lot in very few words. In fact I've read much longer books that will prove to be less memorable.

This is a definite cigarettes and whiskey kind of book and well worth reading.

One person found this helpful

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Vicuña

Sparse and persuasive

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 25 March 2018

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

It's difficult to believe this was first published some 80 years ago; it still feels fresh and relevant. I first read it some 50 years ago. At the time, I think I was swept away by Grapes of Wrath, a more detailed work compared to this novella.

Revisiting the text, I understand why it's a true classic. Although very short, Steinbeck, explores so many themes through the story of the two central and very different characters. Both are migrant workers during the Depression and this resonates with current movement of people and austerity, worldwide. The themes explored are universal and timeless. Loneliness, loss, impoverishment, intellectual challenges for example. It's not all quite PC, but don't let that detract you. It's much more than a set text; it explores the human condition with conviction and persuasion.

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InTheDark

A must-read for everyone!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 8 February 2016

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Of Mice and Men is a well-known classic, and with valid reason. The book may seem rather boring (as many books about the Great Depression may seem) but it is actually a great tribute to literature.

Steinbeck is a great writer who makes brilliant use of description for his characters and in his reflective prose shows how children are, in some cases, better people than adults in the way that they do not judge or do not see people or things from that point of view.

The book shows some of the other characters' feelings about the situations they are being put in and shows how Steinbeck feels about racism and sexism. The book covers a variety of topics including racism, sexism, the Depression, in very little time. A well written though-provoking book that is a must read for anyone.

4 people found this helpful

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LORD BEAU

Still has the ability to shock, despite attempts to ban it.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 6 January 2014

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This is a mercifully thin book that tells a deep story very quickly. Right from the start we learn that Lennie is not right in the head; we're not sure to what extent he `has issues' but his comforts in life are a dead mouse that he plays with, and reassurance from his guiding hand, George, who has taken him under his wing. The dead mouse plays its part in preparing us for the senseless waste that is to follow and the indifference to it.

The two men are looking for work and headed to a ranch where the situation is set to explode. None of the characters in this book are attractive; nor are their situations any more appealing. More disturbing that any of the events in this book is the news that many schools (and even libraries) have banned it because of the racial prejudice shown by the characters in the book. This is rather like banning a book about a diamond robbery on the grounds that it contains illegal acts. Rather than allow our corrupt society to rewrite history and censor the past, we should be allowed to read this sort of book and judge for ourselves the sort of society that there was then and is now.

The hopelessness of the two men's plight is demonstrated in the final chapter. Don't look forward to a happy ending but prepare to be treated intelligently by a book that will stay with you for a long time.

6 people found this helpful

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Victoria

Outstanding

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 12 November 2012

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Unlike many reviewers, I wasn't lucky enough to read this back when I was at school (having Lord of the Flies thrust upon me instead.) However I'm on a mission to read all the classics and modern classics of the literary world, and yesterday I read this. Wow. WHAT a read. It amazes me that 100 pages can be so brilliantly written, so powerful, and so profound, that I was left a sobbing mess for a good thirty minutes after I turned the final page. I already want to re-read it, because the motifs and themes are so intricate and yet so simply portrayed that I think it will all gain more meaning on further reading. However I am still too sad about the tragedy of Lennie and George to consider reading it again just yet!

Please, if you are reading this review because you aren't sure whether it's worth paying nearly a tenner for such a short book, I promise you it will be the best tenner you have ever spent. I wish I hadn't waited until I was 27 to discover it, but I'm definitely glad I got there in the end.

NB - A note on the Kindle edition. I got it on my Kindle because it was cheaper and kind of got my just desserts - the formatting isn't great, so where there should be paragraph breaks that break up scenes or time of day, the text just carries on, which in places was a bit confusing. So I'd recommend spending the extra on the paperback!

3 people found this helpful

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truth and trust

A must read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 October 2019

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What a great read. If like me you have heard this saying......are you a man or a mouse ? This book gives some understanding to the saying...in my view anyway. A moral story of dependence, independence and caring and the stark truth of racial injustice which left me with cold chills down my spine!!! Really? Just like that?!!! Maybe she got what she deserved!

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Nes T

A book that every young adult should read.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 5 March 2016

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The powerful story of two unlikely travelling companions,Lennie and George,at the time of The Great Depression. This book is full of interesting and complex characters.With themes of friendship,control,vulnerability, racism,sexism and prejudice- to name but a few.You can't help but get drawn in as you read.
I have had to read and study this novel 11 times,as part of my job in education,supporting teenagers and I still find something new to discuss,new insights and opinions are brought out every time we return to it.It is a timeless classic.

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Essex Mark

Stunning but so sad

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 30 August 2017

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

A book I was supposed to read at school, but, hey, I'm nearly 48 now, so better late than never ! I loved this book - it captured the California landscape beautifully and the intertwined lives of the two main characters, George & Lennie, and their hopes & dreams for the future. Wonderfully written - Steinbeck is a descriptive writer and a great storyteller. This really is one of the best books I have ever read, and I look forward to reading more of his books

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Ms T

A powerful read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 September 2019

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

John Steinbeck has been incredibly clever with this novella in creating real depth to a story that is a mere 116 pages long. You are left with a feeling of great empathy for the two main characters and root for them both from the start. A quick, captivating and tragic read.

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David Bisset

A poignant tale

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 May 2018

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

This is a beautifully crafted novella set in the California of the Great Depression. It deals with two rootless itinerant who are bound together by deep friendship. They dream of possessing land and becoming self sufficient, but nemesis overtakes them. The dialogues in the story caused much offensive, but possess verisimilitude. Steinbeck's descriptions of rural California are exquisitely poetic.

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megmerrett

Classic

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 March 2020

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

For me, this classic has the atmosphere, rhythms, characters, set, claustrophobia and sense of impending doom that make it ripe for the stage. The topping and tailing with exquisite description of nature and location clearly make this more than a book of dialogue.

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