This was the perfect book to read after Moby Dick. Moby Dick was long and difficult. Of Mice and Men was short and simple. Simple and easy and a little fun. I don't see why it was such a classic but I guess it was a nice story.
I think I will like this more when I get to reading Grapes of Wrath. I think as I read more Steinbeck that I will appreciate it more. This story just seemed too short and kind of pointless. Not much happened. I liked the characters but it was just a tale of about a three day span in the life of these two Depression era workers.
It was a bit of a sad tale. A bit that I think people can relate to. These two guys were dealt a bad hand in life and had a dream. It was a simple dream and they lived a simple life and all they wanted was to reach that dream and own their own piece of land. George wants the land and Lennie wants the rabbits, oh he wants the rabbits. But like most things in their lives, things get out of hand and the dream is ruined.
I won't ruin it, the end is sad and the book is like 100 pages so check it out. Just based on the length of the book it is worth checking out. Maybe you can enjoy the simplicity better than I. It wasn't a great book but I have read a lot worse and I'm sure I will read a lot more.
NEXT UP: #22 Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
Monday, February 7, 2011
Saturday, February 5, 2011
#31 Moby Dick
I will be happy if I never read this book again. It lost me at "Call me Ishmael". It can be a classic all it wants but it was a literal struggle to read and if I hadn't made it part of this challenge thing I am doing, I would have quit it a long time ago.
Now as many people know, the book is about a sailor named Ishmael who joins on to a ship with Captain Ahad. Captain Ahab had a run in with a great white whale some time ago and lost his ship and leg to the beast. Now he vows revenge on the whale. [SPOILER ALERT] They finally track Moby Dick down and Ahab dies after he gets dragged under by his harpoon line from sticking the whale and everybody else dies except Ishmael who floats along until rescued. There, now you don't have to waste your time.
About the only thing I liked about the book was that the first mate's name was Starbuck. Then through some research found out that the coffee chain is named after him.
Maybe I am just not smart enough but I got frustrated with the Olde English speak and long drawn out, outdated and confusing descriptions. But I guess I can understand why people like it. It's like how some people call a bunch of squiggly lines art. But on to the next one.
NEXT UP: #20 Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Now as many people know, the book is about a sailor named Ishmael who joins on to a ship with Captain Ahad. Captain Ahab had a run in with a great white whale some time ago and lost his ship and leg to the beast. Now he vows revenge on the whale. [SPOILER ALERT] They finally track Moby Dick down and Ahab dies after he gets dragged under by his harpoon line from sticking the whale and everybody else dies except Ishmael who floats along until rescued. There, now you don't have to waste your time.
About the only thing I liked about the book was that the first mate's name was Starbuck. Then through some research found out that the coffee chain is named after him.
Maybe I am just not smart enough but I got frustrated with the Olde English speak and long drawn out, outdated and confusing descriptions. But I guess I can understand why people like it. It's like how some people call a bunch of squiggly lines art. But on to the next one.
NEXT UP: #20 Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
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