"Outside of a dog, man's best friend is a book. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read."
— Groucho Marx

John Ernst Steinbeck, Jr. (February 27, 1902 – December 20, 1968) was an American author of twenty-seven books, including sixteen novels, six non-fiction books, and five collections of short stories. His most popular works include the comic novels Tortilla Flat (1935) and Cannery Row (1945), the multi-generation epic East of Eden (1952), and the novellas Of Mice and Men (1937) and The Red Pony (1937). The Pulitzer Prize-winning The Grapes of Wrath (1939) is considered Steinbeck's masterpiece, and is part of the American literary canon. In the first 75 years after it was published, it sold 14 million copies.
His works are widely read abroad and many of his works are considered classics of Western literature. Indeed, Of Men and Men has been an integral feature of the UK English GCSE syllabus for many years. The majority of his works are set in southern and central California, and are typically centred upon the themes of fate and injustice, and 'everyman' protagonists.
See below our stock of John Steinbeck First Editions, fine bindings, sets and other collectible material.
New York, NY: The Viking Press, 1952. [American Literature] FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE. Large Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.[6] 602. In publisher's light green cloth with dark green titles to brown backing on spine, and to upper board. With the colour-illustrated dust-jacket, priced at $4.50. First issue ('bite' for 'bight'..... More
New York, NY: Covici Friede Publishers, 1937. [American Literature] FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE. Octavo (19 x 13cm), pp.186 [6]. The first issue of the text, with 'pendula' to p.9. Publisher's cream cloth with titles blocked in orange to spine and upper. With the illustrated dust-jacket priced at $2.00. Quite heavy..... More
London: William Heinemann, 1948. [Mexican Folk Tale] FIRST UK EDITION. Octavo (21 x 14cm), pp.[6] 97 [1]. Publisher's blue cloth with gilt titles to black backing on spine and upper. With the cyan dust-jacket, priced at 6s. Quite heavy rubbing and creasing to jacket, with extensive old tape repairs to..... More
New York, NY: The Viking Press, 1954. [American Literature] FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE. Octavo (21 x 14cm), pp.x; 273 [5]. Publisher's tan cloth with red titles and blue decoration to spine and upper. Top edge pink. With the dust-jacket illustrated by Paul Galdone, priced at $3.50, showing a photo of..... More