John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men - Penguin 1964

Reader's note

This classic piece of literature has been studied in depth over the years. John Steinbeck beautifully describes the story of the itinerant worker George as he reflects on the time he spent traveling with his best friend Lennie, a huge childlike man. The two men drift through California during the Great Depression, looking for work. They find jobs on a ranch and Lennie develops an infatuation with the owner's daughter-in-law referred to only as Curley's Wife. However, when George and Lennie are handed an opportunity to own part of the ranch, Lennie's fascination with the beautiful woman threatens to destroy their dreams.