Of Mice and Men
Read by Gary Sinise
Listened to late Oct/early Nov 2016
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Synopsis (via GoodReads): Of Mice and Men was John Steinbeck’s first masterpiece. Originally published in 1937, it’s the timeless story of George Milton and Lennie Small, ranch hands who drift from job to job, always one step ahead of the law and a few dollars from the poorhouse. George is small, wiry, sharp-tongued and quick-tempered; slow witted Lennie is his opposite—an immense man, brutishly strong but naturally docile, a giant with the mind of a child. Despite their difference, George and Lennie are bound together by a shared vision: their own small farm, where they’ll raise cows, pigs, chickens, and rabbits, where they’ll be their own bosses and live off the fat of the land.
My Thoughts
This review is a follow-up to my previous post on challenged books for 2016 (click here to refresh your memory) . Of Mice and Men is my first Steinbeck. I must admit I’m impressed.
Best banned book I’ve read this year. And most previous years. I completely understand why this would be challenged but Steinbeck drags you relentlessly along. Compelling and tragic.
I need to read more Steinbeck. What do you suggest? East of Eden? Cannery Row? or the Pulitzer Prize winning The Grapes of Wrath? Post of comment with your recommendation.
***
Gary Sinise delivered an incredible performance. Normally, I don’t care for American narrators. I prefer British voice actors. It sounds like better diction to my ear. Gary’s voice was at first difficult to understand, but I attribute that to poor audio engineering. I’m grateful that the app I use to listen to audiobooks includes an equalizer so I can boost certain frequencies to better hear the reader’s voice. Despite this hurdle, Gary Sinise did the seemingly impossible. Whenever he spoke as a character, his personal voice faded away and my mind believed I was hearing George or Lenny or Slim speak as individuals.
And I’ve just added the 1992 version Of Mice and Men directed by Sinise to my Netflix queue. Can’t wait to watch it!
The Grapes of Wrath and The Pearl are generally considered the next best of Steinbeck’s novels (I think The Grapes of Wrath is better). But my favorite is probably East of Eden.
Thanks for the recommendations. I’ll try East of Eden, then the Grapes of Wrath. Glad you stopped by, May!