Steinbeck's stories are about people and how they deal with each other. They almost all take place somewhere near the Salinas Valley in California, in the early 20^th century.

Cannery Row was a seedy part of Monterrey, CA. This is a book of characters who live there (most ne-er do wells) and how they relate to each other. The book is very short and the style is very simple, almost elegant. There is almost a complete lack of tone, which is oddly inviting.

Short, harsh, tale of reality. Lenny is the big lovable stupid ox and George is his thinking, caring friend. They struggle through life always dreaming of better times, which don't come. Life isn't fair, and sometimes doing the Right Thing is hard, and in real life, being noble just slides on by.

Sequel to Cannery Row. The character development isn't as good, but the story content and character interactions are better. (In Cannery Row, the story itself isn't very important.)