John Steinbeck is a famous American writer, a classic of 20th century literature. The road to fame was long, but the work and perseverance were worth it: the world saw the novels "Grapes of Wrath" and "East of Paradise".
Childhood and youth
John Ernst Steinbeck was born in the small Californian town of Salinas in 1902. His father was a city official and his mother worked as a teacher at a local school.
Life in a small town brought the boy many days spent on farms in the company of ordinary rural people and illegal migrants. The latter, John sympathized with all his heart. Childhood memories were reflected in the entire writing career of Steinbeck. During these years his mother instilled in him a love of literature.
In 1919, the young man entered an elite educational institution - Stanford, which, however, never finished. His studies interfered with his desire to write, so Steinbeck embarked on a "free float." He wrote novels, short stories and novels, while simultaneously earning his living in a variety of professions. There was barely enough money, and the work was refused to be published. But the young author did not give up and persistently walked towards his goal.
Writing career
Steinbeck's first novel to be published was called The Golden Bowl. It was published in 1929 when the writer was 27 years old. The historical work, which tells about the biography of a pirate, was not warmly received by either readers or critics, like the next 3 novels. From 1936 to 1939, the writer worked on The Grapes of Wrath, which brought him the long-awaited recognition and fame.
After the first success, the author was forced to take a break for as long as 6 years before the next novel. During these years he took part in the Second World War as a military journalist. In 1944 he was badly injured and submitted his resignation letter. His first post-war work was the book "Cannery Row".
In 1947, the writer visited the USSR, after which he wrote documentary notes: "Russian Diary". Many works from the time of the novel "Grapes of Wrath" could not repeat the same success, but the work "East of Paradise", published in 1952, came close to it.
Personal life
The first wife of John Steinbeck was Carol Henning, whom he met at a fishing enterprise. The couple legalized their relationship in 1930, but the marriage ended 11 years later. The second darling of the writer was Gwindoline Conger, a Hollywood singer. This relationship gave Steinbeck two sons. But this relationship also ended in divorce after only 4 years.
The author met his true love in 1949. Elaine Scott was a popular actress and director. The two creative people developed a romantic relationship, which they legalized in 1950.
In 1968, John Steinbeck died. Diseases of the cardiovascular system became the cause of his death. His widow did not remarry, remaining faithful to her husband until her death in 2003.
