"Memorial Day is right around the corner, the weather in New York might finally actually get nice and stay nice, and it's time to start reading John Steinbeck. The obvious reason: Zoe Kazan's adaptation of East of Eden will be out on Netflix this fall, and it would be the perfect thing to be pedantic about for months on end with your friends and loved ones at dinner. Steinbeck's epic is widely considered his best novel, and at around 650 pages, it's a modest tome without being a nightmare to tote to the Rockaways."
"It tells the story of two families, the Hamiltons and the Trasks, and it is based on and inspired by both Steinbeck's maternal grandfather and the Bible. East of Eden also features Cathy - 2026's second evil-ish Cathy - who is played by Florence Pugh in the miniseries and has some of the novel's best scenes and lines. 2026: The year every woman wanted to be Cathy, and no, not that one."
"For what it's worth, BookTok is already going nuts for East of Eden. Should its taste be trusted? Not always, but it's right about The Secret History, and it's right about Steinbeck too. But you don't have to stop with East of Eden. In fact, Steinbeck's bibliography is kind of perfect for the feel-bad vibe that has set in this year."
"You could experience the profound joy and guilt of pet ownership in reading The Red Pony or catch up with your old high-school English teacher after you finally crack open Of Mice a..."
Memorial Day and improving New York weather create a good moment to start reading John Steinbeck. East of Eden is positioned as Steinbeck’s best novel, with a manageable length for summer reading, and it follows the Hamilton and Trask families. The story draws on Steinbeck’s maternal grandfather and the Bible, and it includes Cathy, portrayed by Florence Pugh in a 2026 miniseries adaptation. BookTok interest is noted as a reason to trust the recommendation, with comparisons to other popular reading trends. Other Steinbeck works are suggested for different emotional tones, including The Red Pony and Of Mice and Men, to match a feel-bad mood.
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