John Steinbeck

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John Steinbeck

• B I O G R A P H Y

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John Steinbeck was one of the best- known and
most widely read American writers of the 20th
century.
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About John Steinbecks Life
(year)
(event)
John Ernst Steinbeck was born in Salinas (CA) on
February 27.
1902
J.Steinbecks 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.
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Graduated from Salinas High School in June.
1919
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1919
J.Steinbeck started to study at Stanford
University.
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During his studies he worked periodically at
various jobs to earn money.
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He left Stanford University without a degree and
pursued his writing career in New York.
1925
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.
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1929
His first novel Cup of Gold was published.
He married his first wife, Carol Henning (
divorced 1942).
1930
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Tortilla Flat was published turning point
in his literary career.
1935
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.
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1937
Of Mice and Men is published.
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The Grapes of Wrath won the Pulitzer Prize.
1939
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.
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In the Second World War Steinbeck was a war
correspondent for a New Yorker newspaper.
1943
His first son, Thomas Myles Steinbeck, was born.
1944
1946
John Steinbeck IV was born.
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Thomas and John were Steinbecks only children.
1948
He divorced his second wife, Gwyn Conger.
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Ed Ricketts died.
1949
He married his third wife Elaine Scott.
1950
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Elaine Scott was the ex-wife of actor Zachary
Scott. They stayed married until his death.
He wrote one of his most popular novels, East of
Eden.
1952
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1960
He wrote Travels with Charley. Charley was
Steinbecks dog.
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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
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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.
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His body was cremated and his ashes were put in
an urn at the family gravesite, like he had
wished.
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Olive Hamilton Steinbeck
John Ernst Steinbeck Sr.
parents
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
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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.
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resources steinbeck.org / wikipedia.de
a presentation by Franka Dreyer Kristina
Gessat
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THE END