John Steinbeck B I O G R A P H Y

John Steinbeck was one of the best- known and most widely read American writers of the 20th century.

About John Steinbeck´s Life (year) (event) John Ernst Steinbeck was born in Salinas (CA) on February 27. 1902 J.Steinbeck´s family: His father John Ernst Steinbeck, Sr., was a County Treasurer, his mother Olive Hamilton Steinbeck was a teacher. J.Steinbeck was their third child. He had two older sisters: Elizabeth and Esther and a younger one, Mary. information Graduated from Salinas High School in June. 1919

1919 1925 J.Steinbeck started to study at Stanford University. information information During his studies he worked periodically at various jobs to earn money. He left Stanford University without a degree and pursued his writing career in New York. 1925 information He left Stanford because he disliked the university lifestyle. In New York he was not successful in getting his writing published, so he returned back to California.

1929 1930 His first novel Cup of Gold was published. He married his first wife, Carol Henning ( divorced 1942). 1930

Tortilla Flat was published turning point in his literary career. 1935 information T. F. marked the turning point in his literary career when he was awarded the California Commonwealth Club's Gold Medal for best novel by a Californian author. Now he was famous and people knew his name. 1937 Of Mice and Men is published.

1939 1940 1942 The Grapes of Wrath won the Pulitzer Prize. He travelled around the Gulf of California with his friend Ed Ricketts. Both were very interested in marine biology. 1940 1942 He divorced his first wife, Carol Henning. That same year he married Gwyn Conger, his second wife.

1943 In the Second World War Steinbeck was a war correspondent for a New Yorker newspaper. His first son, Thomas Myles Steinbeck, was born. 1944 1946 John Steinbeck IV was born. information Thomas and John were Steinbeck´s only children. 1948 He divorced his second wife, Gwyn Conger.

1949 Ed Ricketts died. He married his third wife Elaine Scott. 1950 information Elaine Scott was the ex-wife of actor Zachary Scott. They stayed married until his death. 1952 He wrote one of his most popular novels, East of Eden.

1960 He wrote Travels with Charley. [Charley was Steinbeck‘s dog.] information He wrote the book during a coast-to-coast road trip he took across the U.S. The reason for the trip was that he knew he would die and he wanted to see his country one last time. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature “...for his realistic as well as imaginative writings, distinguished by a sympathetic humor and a keen social perception.” 1962

1964 He got the United States Medal of Freedom from President Lyndon B. Johnson. 1967 He went to Vietnam as a war correspondent. 1968 John Steinbeck died in New York City on December 20th after a heart attack. information His body was cremated and his ashes were put in an urn at the family gravesite, like he had wished.

parents J.S. Olive Hamilton Steinbeck John Ernst Steinbeck Sr. Elizabeth Esther Mary J.S. best friend: Ed Ricketts first wife: Carol Henning (12 years) third wife: Elaine Scott (18 years – until his death) second wife: Gwyn Conger sons: (6 years) John St. IV Thomas Myles

To John Steinbeck his hometown Salinas played an important role To John Steinbeck his hometown Salinas played an important role. When he lived in big cities like New York, he often visited Salinas. That was the place where he felt „at home“. In his childhood he spent summers working on nearby ranches and he often worked together with migrant labourers. So he got to know a lot of information about them. He also explored the area when he walked across local forests, fields and farms. All this material is the background for most of his short stories. Many stories were made into film, for example East of Eden and also Of Mice and Men.

Franka Dreyer & Kristina Gessat resources: steinbeck.org / wikipedia.de a presentation by Franka Dreyer & Kristina Gessat

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