Of Mice and Men

by John Steinbeck

Book Overview

A controversial tale of friendship and tragedy during the Great Depression They are an unlikely pair: George is "small and quick and dark of face"; Lennie, a man of tremendous size, has the mind of a... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0140177396
• Release Date: September 1993
• Publisher: Penguin Books
• Length: 107 Pages
• Weight: 0.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 5.4" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Wish I could read it through the scribbles

I ordered this book in "very good" condition. EVERY single page has writing, brackets, and arrows written through the pages... Lines through whole paragraphs to the point that it's very difficult to even read. The cover was at least intact so that was the only good thing. I'll have to order another copy elsewhere. Such a waste.

Life Changing

it’s lifechanging. the quality of the book was really good. the book was so good.

A classic novel that will move your heart

A wonderful book of surviving harder times and a friendship that lasts forever. The characters are written excellently and the plot is easy to follow. "Of Mice and Men" is a moving story that you'll never forget.

Worlds greatest book

When I had to read this book last year for school I wasn't excited. I don't like older books all that good but after reading one chapter I fell in love. Its a book full of good memories, exciting times and tragedy. George and Lennie have a friendship no one could compare to. John Steinbeck really knows how to put his thoughts into words.

OF Mice and Men

I am a tenth grade student and I recently read "Of Mice and Men" for a school project. I thought it was an excellent book. I felt that the author, John Steinbeck, did a first class job with this novel. It portrayed the relationship between George and Lennie in a way that made you become very attached to the characters. You wanted to read more to find out if they ever accomplished their goals and to see if their dreams became a reality. George and Lennie are complete opposites; George is a small, quick intelligent man, while Lennie is a man of huge dimensions but has the brain of a child. Throughout the story Lennie acts in ways that infuriate George, but George will always be there for his friend because he knows Lennie needs him to survive. Lennie can buck barley like no one else because of his pure strength, but would probably starve to death if he didn't have George to provide his daily meals. I think that has to do with why this book has been banned in the past by schools across the country. Some people may be offended by how the mentally challenged person is shown in this story. It seems as though the view being expressed is that people with mental problems can't do anything for themselves. They are also a constant threat to others because they cannot control themselves. Lennie didn't realize what he was doing was wrong until it had gone too far. These are stereotypes of mentally retarded people that some people may believe are reinforced by this novel. They are lead to believe that this book is discriminatory towards the mentally challenged. Parents whom believed this did not want their children reading this book because they did not want them to be exposed to these types of ideas. Also, Curly's wife does not fit the traditional mould. She is unhappy with her marriage and is not completely loyal to her husband like a conventional wife should be. She is always flirting with the men that work on the farm. Some adults believed that this was unacceptable behavior to expose to children. I don't think that a school today would even consider banning this book because cultural standards have changed greatly from when this book was first published in 1937. I also don't believe that this book should have ever been banned. It is a great book that takes you on an emotional roller coaster. Once you get started it is almost impossible to put down. The ending is also written to perfection. It is unpredictable and is incredibly moving. I really enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it anyone.

A masterpiece -- and I will never forget it!

John Steinbeck wrote this classic gem in 1937. It's been a Broadway play and there have been several adaptations of it in movies and TV. I was generally familiar with the story but this was the first time I actually read the book. Wow! I was completely blown away! This is the story of a two lonely and alienated men who work as farm laborers, drifting from job to job in California. Lennie is gentle giant, physically strong but mentally retarded. George guides and protects Lennie but also depends on him for companionship. Together, they have a dream to someday buy a little farm where they can grow crops and raise rabbits and live happily ever after. This, of course, is not to be as the title suggests. "The best laid plans of mice and men" is a line in a poem by Robert Burns, which describes how a field mouse's world is destroyed by a plow.Steinbeck's narrative voice is seemingly simple in his descriptions of nature of as well as the details of the bunkhouse. His characterizations of the people are magnificent. We meet the other workers, all loners, and appreciate the beauty of the unique friendship between Lennie and George. We meet Candy, the old man who is outliving his usefulness. We meet Crooks, the black stable hand, shunned by the men and therefore turning to books for companionship. We meet the cruel Curley who taunts Lennie into a fight. And we meet Curley's wife, another lonely soul who uses her femininity to get the wrong kind of attention.There's tension in every word and I found myself holding my breath, knowing that something awful would happen, my eyes glued to the page, the world of Lennie and George deeply etched into my consciousness. I was pulled right into the story, wanting to shout warnings as I saw the inevitable consequences. The ending was incredibly sad, but yet satisfying. It couldn't have ended any other way. It's a small book, only 118 pages long. But it is a masterpiece and I will never forget it. I give it my highest recommendation.

PEQUENO, CONCISO, EXCELENTE

esta pequena historia, que aun no se si calificar de novela por su brevedad, me deja pasamado al final. es un hombre que carga con un lastre espiritual a lo largo de su existencia, viajar siempre con su amigo retrasado hasta que un dia algo que el hace en su inocencia rompe con esas andanzas para siempre. siento que en esa muerte hay una especia de liberacion por parte de ambos. el nunca creyo que su amigo le haria dano y aquel aunque triste se vio liberado de el . es algo que nos pone a pensar, una cosa que a a steinbeck le gusta mucho, fascinar al lector y dejarlo con la incertidumbre en la ultima pagina... LUIS MENDEZ

Between a dream and the dreadful reality

I have recently read "Of Mice and Men" and I've found it beautiful. Athough short, it's very descriptive and very well told. You actually 'feel' what is happening. For some reason, I've found the end of the story really sad, maybe this is what it makes it truly wonderful.So long.