East of Eden by John Steinbeck

"In his journal, John Steinbeck called East of Eden "the first book," and indeed it has the primordial power and simplicity of myth. Set in the rich farmland of California's Salinas Valley, this sprawling and often brutal novel follows the intertwined destinies of two families--the Trasks and the Hamiltons--whose generations helplessly reenact the fall of Adam and Eve and the poisonous rivalry of Cain and Abel."

Dana says: This was my first choice for my Ladies' Book Club. Ever since seeing it at the Friends of the Library book sale I was intrigued by it. Its a large book at around 600 pages and I have to admit I hated it until around page 325. After that I found few things to like about it. No doubt about it Steinbeck is a good writer and the story was interesting enough to keep me reading it but if I hadn't been reading it for the book club (of which I am the host) I am not sure I would have finished it. I found all the reading about and the attitude toward prostitution in the book to be almost more than I could bare. Without the relief given by the inclusion of the characters  of Samuel Trask and Lee I am sure I would not have made it through the book. All this being said I will give this book 3 stars, but just barely. Steinbeck is very good at character development and he definitely tackles big issues in this book but I really yearned for some redemption. And even though I am at odds with the Steinbeck's view concerning man and his nature I am glad to have read this and do think it will make for some good Book Club discussion.