East of Eden

By: John Steinbeck

Narrated by: Richard Poe

The masterpiece of Steinbeck’s later years, East of Eden is a sprawling epic 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.

Critic reviews

"A novel planned on the grandest possible scale...One of those occasions when a writer has aimed high and then summoned every ounce of energy, talent, seriousness, and passion of which he was capable...It is an entirely interesting and impressive book."
—The New York Herald Tribune

"A fantasia and myth...a strange and original work of art."
—The New York Times Book Review

"A moving, crying pageant with wilderness strengths."
—Carl Sandburg

"When the book club ended a year ago, I said I would bring it back when I found the book that was moving…and this is a great one. I read it for myself for the first time and then I had some friends read it. And we think it might be the best novel we've ever read!"
—Oprah Winfrey

Very compelling book and great narration

What about Richard Poe’s performance did you like?

Richard Poe did a great job. Very professional and pleasant all around. He really brought the book to life and his voice suited the material very nicely.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Well, one sitting would be a bit much, but, yes, I was always eager to listen too more.

Any additional comments?

Glad I was finally able to experience this classic. I've been enjoying Steinbeck lately. I'm new to Audible, and this is the type of book that I'm most interested in: classics with great narration.

Good, but not my Favorite Steinbeck

I love Steinbeck but this is not one of my favorites. The prose were wonderful and there is marvelous imagery and strongly developed characters, yet I found something missing. Most of Steinbeck novels have a structure and flow quite different from most modern American novels. This is strongest in his short story collections and The Grapes of Wrath and To a God Unknown, but is also true of the Cannery Row novels. These all have a bit of a mystical flow and lack formulaic structures. East of Eden, in a few places, becomes slightly preachy and is slightly more formulaic than the best of Steinbeck. It is nevertheless very good and quite well worth reading. I really enjoyed the narration which was clear and had subtleties that enhanced the experience. I give this four stars only relative to the greatest of novels, which one might expect from Steinbeck.

The best book I've ever read

The book was perfect - wise beyond all expectations, a book to live your life and understand the world by, and yet a total page-turner. The suspense kept me listening for seven hours at a stretch. The performance was perfect - full of humanity, gravitas and a true understanding of the words. I recommend every word.

Amazing book if you can get past the racial slurs.

I almost put this down in the first 10 minutes. Glad I soldiered on. New fav.

An American Allegory, If It's Anything!

This is a luxurious read. Take it slow and let Steinbeck's mastery revitalize your mind. Anything I say will likely be perceived as absurd because I loved this book so much. Steinbeck is more than an author. This book is more philosophy than mere fiction. One might even classify it as allegorical in its exploration of deeply human and universal themes.

Everyone who reads this will likely get something wildly different out of it but one thing I think can be felt by all; this book epitomizes American literature. In fact, in the final chapters, Lee and Caleb discuss what it means to be American and it's brilliant. Not in the patriotic sense but in the core character of American rebellion and ingenuity and our sense of moral rightness (as held at the turn of the century). While much has changed in modern society, the values and evils and joys of American life are still prominent today.

One last note. I lived in Monterey, California, which sits just west of Salinas, where the bulk of this tale takes place. Steinbeck captures the charm and character of the setting so perfectly. He does so with a loving fondness that made me ache to spend more time in that wonderful county.