A masterpiece of Biblical scope, and the magnum opus of one of America's most enduring authors, in a deluxe Centennial edition

In his journal, Nobel Prize winner John Steinbeck called East of Eden "the first book," and indeed it has the primordial power and simplicity of myth. Set in the rich farmland of California's Salinas Valley, this sprawling and often brutal novel follows the intertwined destinies of two families--the Trasks and the Hamiltons--whose generations helplessly reenact the fall of Adam and Eve and the poisonous rivalry of Cain and Abel.

The masterpiece of Steinbeck's later years, East of Eden is a work in which Steinbeck created his most mesmerizing characters and explored his most enduring themes: the mystery of identity, the inexplicability of love, and the murderous consequences of love's absence. Adapted for the 1955 film directed by Elia Kazan introducing James Dean, and read by thousands as the book that brought Oprah's Book Club back, East of Eden has remained vitally present in American culture for over half a century. This Centennial edition, specially designed to commemorate one hundred years of Steinbeck, features french flaps and deckle-edged pages.

For more than sixty-five years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,500 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translato

Item Information Item Information

Format: TradePaperback
Author: Steinbeck, John
ISBN: 9780142004234
Condition: Used
Dimensions: 8.40 x 1.70
Number Of Pages: 608
Publication Year: 2003

Customer Reviews

Rating Snapshot

5 ★ 89%

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4.9

9 Ratings

0 Recommendations

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Fast-paced and intimate...

Kelley D. - 6 months ago

A beautifully written multi-generational story involving deep personal and interpersonal relationships. You are never left out of the characters mind or thought process, making the book highly relatable and easily accessible to the casual reader. East of Eden is daunting, just by sheer volume, but once began it is easy to see Steinbeck has used simple language to create a classic that delves into the human psyche.
HPB Staff Review
An emotional journey.

Alexander T. - 4 years 7 months ago

East of Eden is a work of the heart and the soul. Reading this novel will insist upon you tackling your inner self, and confronting all of the worlds problems you chose to set aside. It is beautifully written and very confrontational at times. One of the things I enjoyed most is Steinbeck's use of character development; the novel follows two intertwining families whose lives progress and falter right before our eyes. His use of religious satire is brilliant, and often the key to getting larger points across that are normally difficult to conceive. Overall, East of Eden is a stunning masterpiece of love, hate, and a will that cannot be broken. This novel will change your perception of family and morality as we know it, and I cannot recommend this book enough to any serious thinker.
HPB Staff Review
It is a bit of a longer book, but stick with it -- in the end you will be a better person because of it.

Leah K. - 4 years 11 months ago

This is a book I believe everyone one should read at some point in their life. Steinbeck has taken the classic Tales of Adam and Eve, the Garden of Eden and the brothers Abel and Cain and shone a whole new light on them. While the entire book is known as Steinbeck's magnum opus, the true masterpiece is the ending. It will leave you staring at the ceiling contemplating everything you thought you knew, he ties the whole story together beautifully. It's marvelous to see the way a persons brain works especially through their writing, I think East of Eden is a prime example of this. If you ever have to chance to read this book I strongly advise you do, it ranks up there among Orwell and Hemingway and the great classic writers of the world. #SpringPicks
Summer Reading

sarah H. - 5 years 9 months ago

Great Book. This book had so many twist and turns. The book though over 500 pages is never dull. The action starts immediately in the first chapter. This book is a hard one to put down. #SummerReading
One of my absolute favorite books of ALL TIME

Skylar T. - 5 years 9 months ago

This book changed my life. As a high-schooler, my book loving mom would often recommend it to me, saying over and over how I would love it. Uninterested, I brushed her off again and again. I didn't get to reading East of Eden until my sophomore year of college, after I declared an English major and I thought it necessary to read such a prolific classic. When one of my professors saw the book on my desk, she said "Oh, what I would give to read that again for the first time." Reading this book is like experiencing another life. The characters are explained in such detail that you feel as if you've known them forever. The natural landscape is described with such passion and presence that I felt sure I was walking in the fields myself. I finished the books during a spring break road trip through the Redwoods, reading in the back of my best friends dads VW Westfalia van and after a long, hard year, everything felt bright. I've never not taken one of my mom's recommendations again. #SummerReading

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Customer Reviews

Rating Snapshot

Review Images

Fast-paced and intimate...

An emotional journey.

It is a bit of a longer book, but stick with it -- in the end you will be a better person because of it.

Summer Reading

One of my absolute favorite books of ALL TIME