1. Author Introduction John Steinbeck

2. Author Introduction John Steinbeck  John Steinbeck is considered one of the greatest American writers of all time.  Brilliantly captured the strength and determination of the human spirit.  Steinbeck grew up in Salinas, California – in the agricultural section.

3. Author Introduction John Steinbeck  Salinas became the setting of many Steinbeck novels.  At age 14, he decided to become a writer.  Attended Stanford University, but never finished.

4. Author Introduction John Steinbeck  Steinbeck wrote his first novel, Cup of Gold, in 1929 after returning to California.  He was often able to capture the realistic side of human life that he witnessed firsthand in Salinas.

5. Author Introduction John Steinbeck  Of Mice and Men was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize, but The Grapes of Wrath won it in 1940.  After a rocky marriage, Steinbeck hit the road to travel, which inspired a few of his novels.

6. Author Introduction John Steinbeck  The Nobel Prize in Literature 1962 was awarded to John Steinbeck "for his realistic and imaginative writings, combining as they do sympathetic humour and keen social perception”. 1  1 "The Nobel Prize in Literature 1962". Nobelprize.org. Nobel Media AB 2013. Web. 3 Dec 2013.  1 "The Nobel Prize in Literature 1962". Nobelprize.org. Nobel Media AB 2013. Web. 3 Dec 2013.

7. Author Introduction John Steinbeck  Steinbeck died in New York, December 20 th, 1968, at the age of 66.  Steinbeck’s ability to capture deep issues of human existence made his novels a powerful platform for social and political issues