This was clearly a book that grew on me as I read it.
I must confess, I’m not the biggest fan of American literature. I often find it overly quaint with unnecessary descriptions. Generally, I dislike stories that exist for authors to proclaim themselves as writers rather than being enjoyed as stories
That said, I had that feeling with this book.
I had often seen Steinbeck’s books for sale, but it was only through an exchange that I got my first one in hand.
“The Long Valley” is a collection of short stories, and it also seems to be a record of Steinbeck’s writing evolution by the way they are ordered (good job by the editors).
I felt there was a certain anxiety in telling the first stories. The exaggerated detail in the landscape that extended to the meticulous account of the characters’ emotions broke the classic narrative rule of “show, don’t tell,” and at times left me confused.
Since it was a “gift,” I decided to continue with the book, and I’m glad I did.
Despite the weak beginning, the improvement is steady. I realised this in the story “The Raid,” and I was devastated by the story “The Red Pony.” It seemed to be a more refined writing style, without unnecessary elements, just beautiful prose mixed with sometimes harsh, real, and ambiguous plots.
Notable stories include “The Harness,” “The Murder,” and “Johnny Bear,” in addition to those already mentioned.
Steinbeck’s “magnum opus” is, according to what I´ve seen, “The Grapes of Wrath,” which was written after this book. I am willing to give it a chance, simply because it was written after this book.
