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    Cannery Row
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    Cannery Row
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    Cannery Row
    Audiobook6 hours

    Cannery Row

    Written by John Steinbeck

    Narrated by Jerry Farden

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    Steinbeck's tough yet charming portrait of people on the margins of society, dependent on one another for both physical and emotional survival. Published in 1945, Cannery Row focuses on the acceptance of life as it is: both the exuberance of community and the loneliness of the individual. Drawing on his memories of the real inhabitants of Monterey, California, Steinbeck interweaves the stories of Doc, Henri, Mack and his boys, and the other characters in this world where only the fittest survive, to create a novel that is at once one of his most humorous and most poignant works.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateMay 11, 2011
    ISBN9781101530924
    Unavailable
    Cannery Row
    Author

    John Steinbeck

    John Steinbeck (Salinas, 1902 - Nueva York, 1968). Narrador y dramaturgo estadounidense. Estudió en la Universidad de Stanford, pero desde muy joven tuvo que trabajar duramente como albañil, jornalero rural, agrimensor o empleado de tienda. En la década de 1930 describió la pobreza que acompañó a la Depresión económica y tuvo su primer reconocimiento crítico con la novela Tortilla Flat, en 1935. Sus novelas se sitúan dentro de la corriente naturalista o del realismo social americano. Su estilo, heredero del naturalismo y próximo al periodismo, se sustenta sin embargo en una gran carga de emotividad en los argumentos y en el simbolismo presente en las situaciones y personajes que crea, como ocurre en sus obras mayores: De ratones y hombres (1937), Las uvas de la ira (1939) y Al este del Edén (1952). Obtuvo el premio Nobel en 1962.

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    Reviews for Cannery Row

    4/5

    2,484 ratings117 reviews

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    • 3/5
      This is my third (and final) book by Steinbeck. I really wanted to like this one better than The Grapes of Wrath or Mice and Men; but I couldn't. Underwhelming series of character studies with lots of profanity, and thin on the plot. (if there even was one). The story of bums, prostitutes, and n'er do wells living on the coast of Monterrey during the Great Depression. I listened to this on Audible and the narration was good; the story just average-low average
    • 5/5
      It would be fair to say that our group takes on the classics with a healthy amount of uncertainty. No one is widely read of the classics and in previous years have struggled through Austen, Hawthorne and Bronte with the best of intentions (and at times a glimmer of enjoyment). So it was quite a surprise to find that everyone thoroughly enjoyed Cannery Row and Steinbeck’s imagery and narrative style that brought his characters so plausibly to life.The individual stories of each character tended to give the novel a ‘short stories’ feel, but some of us found some intriguing connections within the district and its inhabitants. Extremely well-written with poise and empathy, Steinbeck has a natural insight into the lives of the down-trodden and underprivileged and cast his magic over the humble dwellers of Monterey during the Great Depression.For many of our group, this was their first foray into Steinbeck’s world and they were genuinely excited about venturing further. The humour and honesty was not lost on us and no one felt the story stilted or bogged down in any way.We had a thought provoking discussion on the homeless and marginalised in our community and came to the conclusion that literature such as Steinbeck’s is still relevant and important today.
    • 5/5
      I’ve only read Steinbeck way back in high school, so my experience of his work is very limited. I was thoroughly charmed by this short novel which I found rich, warm and full of good humor. The writing is deliciously good and his characters are lightly, yet fully drawn. So glad I read this fine literary work.
    • 3/5
      This is a tough book to rate. I think I would give the writing 4 stars because Steinbeck is such a beautiful writer, but I would give my enjoyment of the book 2 stars. I found the story disjointed, really did not enjoy any of the characters, and there was no real buildup in the story at all. It was just a sad expose of a small part of a town full of the poor and downtrodden. That was likely the point, but I just found it tough to turn the pages.
    • 4/5
      What I loved most about this book was that it didn't tell a big story, nothing huge happens really. It's a group of residents living in a poor area but living the way that makes them happy. Some squat in an old fish building and some squat in an old furnace that they have gutted and made into a home. They all could change their situation, but they are all content with the way things areCannery Row tells a lot about human nature, without preaching. It's a simple book where not much happens, but I found I didn't want to put it down anyway."It has always seemed strange to me...The things we admire in men, kindness and generosity, openness, honesty, understanding and feeling, are the concomitants of failure in our system. And those traits we detest, sharpness, greed, acquisitiveness, meanness, egotism and self-interest, are the traits of success. And while men admire the quality of the first they love the produce of the second."
    • 5/5
      This is my first Steinbeck novel. Brilliant. I am not sure whether to feel happy for the residents of Cannery Row, or sad to think that they might live in such a way for readers to find nobility in degradation. I tend to think this novel makes one sad to think that such stories could be noble, yet at the same time glad that despite the gloom, they can be. Steinbeck truly achieves the artist's role of making sense of a cruel world.
    • 4/5
      Love his portraits. Tells of life amidst hardship, so life, on a street lined with sardine canneries in Monterey, CA during the Great Depression from the interesting and illuminating perspectives of, among numerous others, a: madame, quasi-doctor, Chinese grocer, lady who tea parties with cats, gopher, and layabouts."Cannery Row in Monterey in California is a poem, a stink, a grating noise, a quality of light, a tone, a habit, a nostalgia, a dream."
    • 5/5
      This book thoroughly surprised me with its combination of simplicity, humour, wit, and intelligence. Having read only a few other Steinbeck novels, this was not what I expected; I was pleasantly surprised!
    • 5/5
      As good as I remembered from the 60s.
    • 5/5
      One of my all time favorites. The characters and setting are magnificent!
    • 3/5
      Cannery Row is the main character in this book. A little study on characters that lived back in the days.
    • 5/5
      'Cannery Row in Monterey in California is a poem, a stink, a grating noise, a quality of light, a tone, a habit, a nostalgia, a dream.' So begins John Steinbeck's novel Cannery Row and this magnificent first sentence captures the mood of the book perfectly. In what follows, the author sets out to capture the atmosphere of the book's main character - Cannery Row. The novel is not so much about plot, but rather about a feeling. It is a vivid slice of life.The inhabitants of Cannery Row want to do something good for Doc, a marine biologist, who helps out everyone in the area. That is why Mack and the boys living in the Palace Flophouse with him plan a party for Doc to show him how well he is liked and to pay him back for everything he has done for them. In the end, however, Doc ends up paying for the party anyway as the party is finished before he is home and his house is trashed in the process. Plotwise there is not much more to expect, but you want to read this novel for the atmosphere Steinbeck creates and the characters he portrays. Living with Mack are Hazel and Eddie, the former a rather uneducated young man who helps out Doc by doing odd jobs for him time and again. Eddie is a bartender who brings home alcohol by pouring leftovers in glasses into a jug under the bar. This mixture of beer, wine, whiskey and everything else his customers do not finish serves as the main drink of the boys at the Palace Flophouse. When one of them offers the idea to have several jugs under the bar so as not to be forced to mix all sorts of alcohol in one jug, the idea is readily dismissed as the punch would lose its distinct character. The actual owner of the Palace Flophouse is Lee Chong, who is also the proprietor of the local grocery store providing everything the town needs. However, he lets Mack and the boys live there as he fears they would burn the house down otherwise. And then there is Dora Flood, the owner of the Bear Flag Restaurant which also serves as a brothel frequented by the fishermen of Cannery Row.Cannery Row provides a range of themes. Living a happy life despite circumstances is one of those. The novel is set during the Great Depression and while there is a lot to be sad about living in Cannery Row, the inhabitants seem to be rather content with their lives. For instance, Steinbeck describes the time between day and night as 'the hour of the pearl', a the time when everything is calm and time seems to stop. This 'hour of the pearl' seems to be a feeling that is deeply ingrained in the inhabitants of Cannery Row. Take a look at Doc, who lives in a very simple house where he also does his work as a marine biologist. He lives alone and his days consist of work and helping others. In the evening he drinks a beer or two, listens to records and reads before he crawls under a blanket that is almost falling apart as it so very old and worn. And the next day is just the same. While this loneliness and monotony would make many people very sad, Doc seems content and to enjoy what he has. His reflections on life show that he is well aware of his situation but does not want to change it. Doc's understanding of the human condition is thoughtful and very true, especially today: "It has always seemed strange to me," said Doc. "The things we admire in men, kindness and generosity, openness, honesty, understanding and feeling are the concomitants of failure in our system. And those traits we detest, sharpness, greed, acquisitiveness, meanness, egotism and self-interest are the traits of success. And while men admire the quality of the first they love the produce of the second." (p. 107)To my mind, Cannery Row is one of the great American novels. 5 stars.
    • 5/5
      Funny as hell.
    • 4/5
      John Steinbeck's short novel focuses on the lives of the overlooked working-class people who live near Monterey, California's fish canneries. The slight plot involves Mack and his gang's efforts to show appreciation for Doc, the marine biologist who seemingly holds the community together. The real point of these slices of life is to expose the joy and sorrow, hope and despair (along with a lot of alcohol) that lurk just beneath the surface of the impoverished characters' lives. A beautiful book, well worth reading.
    • 5/5
      I would tell you I'm a big fan of Steinbeck, and that one of my favorite books is "Of Mice and Men", but for some reason along the way I've never read "Cannery Row". I realized this when I had the chance to visit Monterey at Thanksgiving and see the now VERY touristy Cannery Row with it's cheesy wax museum and Steinbeck statue.
      I've since rectified my lapse and finished this American classic. I love Steinbeck's prose, and his characters. It's making me want to reread everything he's ever written and take another trip to Northern California to visit the Steinbeck Museum is Salinas!
    • 3/5
      The inhabitants of Cannery Row are not the wealthiest or most sober of citizens, and that's quite the understatement. The characterization and scene setting in this novel are magnificent, if the characters are not terribly sympathetic or relatable.
    • 4/5
      Great book but the recording quality was a little bit muffled.
    • 5/5
      Beautifully; written and read, an interesting, yet realistic view of a town and it’s people
    • 5/5
      This book and it’s sequel, Sweet Thursday, Are among my favorite books of all time. I’ve read these books many times in my life and listening to them now feels brand new. I was captivated by the title suite Thursday when I was in junior high. Then I found its prequel.Such sweet and simple but lively stories. John Steinbeck was a genius. Read these books you will not be disappointed.
    • 5/5
      This book is like a meditation, there's not much plot but the writing is poetic and atmospheric and the cast of characters is colourful and idiosyncratic, with lots of curious incidents. Theres something humane about Cannery Row that I really liked.
    • 4/5
      Not a novel so much as a series of vignettes involving the denizens of Monterey's Cannery Row. Characters were nicely drawn, writing is exceptional, but I didn't detect too much of a plot.
    • 5/5
      Cannery Row's main unifying thread is the novel's namesake. It's the place where the characters passing through Steinbeck's tale call home. The book feels more like a collection of short stories with some strong connectors, but it works. Each character, no matter how rough and tumble is redeemed in a way. Steinbeck doesn't get too flowery in his writing, but it is still magnificent to read.
    • 5/5
      Without a doubt one of the best novels I've ever read, plot is almost no existent, the enjoyment of wonderful characters, weaving through each others lives. I liked it even more then Of Mice and Men which I also loved. I'm going to read a lot more Steinbeck this year.
    • 4/5
      I read this many years back, possibly the 50s, and remember very little of the text because I believe my memory was overshadowed by seeing the movie in the 80s. Thus my rating is more a guess at how the book struck me. That I remember reading it is a testament since I remember so little of what I read so long ago.
    • 5/5
      This was a wonderful book to read while the whole world is trying to figure out how to survive during a global pandemic. We think we are the only ones facing this sort of crisis but we forget that past generations had their own crises and the Great Depression of the 1930s was one of the worst. Cannery Row is set in Monterey California during the Depression and it shows how people with very little or, in some cases, nothing not only managed to survive but to help one another.I can't possibly encapsulate this book in a short review. I think the first sentence of the novel does a much better job than I can:Cannery Row in Monterey in California is a poem, a stink, a grating noise, a quality of light, a tone, a habit, a nostalgia, a dream.There is a diverse cast of characters in the novel and I gather from the foreward that most of them are based upon real people who lived on Cannery Row in the 1930s. A central character is Doc who runs a biological specimen supply business. Doc is based upon Steinbeck's real life friend Ed Ricketts and Steinbeck dedicated the book to Ricketts. Steinbeck and Ricketts shared a love for marine biology and had an ecological philosophy long before it was popular to do so. I've not spent nearly enough time by or in oceans and this book makes me wish I wasn't landlocked. Although I wonder how much of what they experienced would survive now.It is an exquisite read and I am so glad I got my hands on a copy.
    • 4/5
      I read this book many years ago but I still remember it quite vividly.

      I think I'm sentimental about it in a way that a lot of people wouldn't be - I've been to Monterrey and Carmel and a whole bunch of other places mentioned in the book, and while it's set in a completely different time to when I visited it, it made me nostalgic.

      I love that Steinbeck can write such a beautiful book in so few pages. He focuses a lot on character rather than plot, and I love that too. This book is full of melancholy hopefuls chasing the elusive American dream.

      This book is beautiful, and a classic Steinbeck novel. This was the first book I read by him, and it started a love affair that I think will last a while~.
    • 3/5
      Cannery Row was the name given to the street in Monterey, California where all the firms that processed the sardines resided. Horns would blare when there was a catch, and the locals would pile in to process the fish. Other residents of that road were the type who were down on their luck, or didn’t particularly want to live in the more salubrious areas of the town. The story centres around Doc; he is a marine scientist at a biological supply company who promises that he can get hold of anything provided you are prepared to wait. Mack and his friends want to throw a party for him, and spend a fair amount of time collecting drinks and other items for the party. Most they source from Lee Chong’s establishment, driving him slightly crazy as they barter for goods. The Doc is off on a sourcing trip so they decide to set it up, ready for when he returns. He is very late returning and when he does step through the door, he finds his place is wrecked.

      There are a lot of bad vibes on the street after the party. It takes a fair while for everything to settle back down again. Mack and his friends decide it is time to try again with the party…

      This is a great little book about one road in California. It is full of the misfits, bums, whores and drunks that live on the fringes of society. Steinbeck is a great author for getting across the gritter and seedier life and those that have to live there. He is not afraid to not make every character likeable, and the wit and humour add to the constant interaction between the residents deepening the richness of the plot.

      Great little book.
    • 3/5
      This is my third (and final) book by Steinbeck. I really wanted to like this one better than The Grapes of Wrath or Mice and Men; but I couldn't. Underwhelming series of character studies with lots of profanity, and thin on the plot. (if there even was one). The story of bums, prostitutes, and n'er do wells living on the coast of Monterrey during the Great Depression. I listened to this on Audible and the narration was good; the story just average-low average
    • 3/5
      Not my favorite book and not even my favorite Steinbeck, but nonetheless an important American classic that paints a vivid uniquely American feel for the era it represents. Recommended.
    • 4/5
      Cannery Row is like a View-Master™ of Steinbeck's best. You remember the View-Master, right? Anyway, in Cannery Row you get these glimpses of wonderful scenes, memorable characters, breathtaking settings, humor and heartbreak, but they're just glimpses, and they're all just a bit out of focus. It's classic Steinbeck, and I love it for that, but I wasn't able to connect with the story as much as I'd hoped to.Cannery Row was adapted twice for screen. Once in 1982, starring Nick Nolte, and prior to that, in 1950, starring a young Tweety Bird. I have been told that the 1950 version is the more accurate of the two, but I have not been able to personally verify this.