East of Eden

| 4.54 | 830,087 ratings and reviews

Recommended by Oprah Winfrey, Emma Watson, John Lilly, and 5 others. See all reviews

Ranked #1 in California, Ranked #2 in Oprah — see more rankings.

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... more
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Reviews and Recommendations

We've comprehensively compiled reviews of East of Eden from the world's leading experts.

Oprah Winfrey CEO/O NetworkIt's the perfect summer read...a novel so rich and full of drama you won't be able to turn the pages fast enough! (Source)

Emma Watson Recommends this book

John Lilly @ben_mathes @kevinakwok @samhinkie @aweissman Amazing book. Ive always liked it better than Grapes of Wrath. (Source)

Steve Benjamins My favorite non-business book is East of Eden by John Steinbeck. I think all of John Steinbeck’s books are uplifting. He sees the best in humanity and it leaves me feeling warm and generous. (Source)

Tim Lott What interests me in East of Eden above all is the reference to Cain and Abel. That story is absolutely key to the relationship between Adam and Charles. (Source)

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