Another incredible novel by Steinbeck who's characters are always flawed and vulnerable and so easy to become attached to.This was a very good book. Is it Steinbeck's best work? Probably, but for me it came in second to Of Mice and Men.

This is simply my favorite novel of all time. Steinbeck always leaves me feeling that he loves his characters. His sensitive description even makes me feel a little sorry for Cathy at the end of her life. I have read this book several times, and never tire of Steinbeck's lyrical prose.

This book is truly amazing. It is one that I go back to every few years and fall in love all over again. Mr. Steinbeck you are definitely one of my personal heroes!

If you've read other Steinbeck and have not read this, I highly recommend it. It has everything I look for in classic literature, beautiful writing, a timeless story, and much wisdom. Reading this was a delight.

A tale about good vs. evil and human nature narrated by a master story-teller. This is Steinbeck's magnum opus. Highly recommended

Don’t pride yourself on how fast you can plough through this 600 page novel. Do that and you cheat yourself miserably and tragically. Savour East of Eden. Lose sleep over it. Fall in love with John Steinbeck. I read this book with unrushed excitement. On each seductive page Steinbeck taught me, entertained me, wooed me and of course wowed me. I will forgo the obvious commentary about the themes of good and evil, transgression and forgiveness, biblical reference and historical/geographical context to share some of the things I most loved about East of Eden: • The artful, infinitely patient manner with which the scenes are drawn out and “painted” – Steinbeck seems almost to forgo the “big picture” in favour of pouring every bit of literary muscle into a single complete page – often neatly framed between a particular, incidental and inanimate object like Lee’s comfortable chair. • Steinbeck’s liberal, amusing and original use of personification – how the sun “leans” on the roof of a barn as it sets. • The measured way in which the characters are revealed. They are not served up in the fullness of a banquet but rather as a continued circulation of tempting trays. As stories gradually intertwine characters are revealed by each other seemingly more so than by the author. • Before he sets it down, Steinbeck takes a thought and examines it from all angles. He kneads his thoughts like clay; when he is finished he presents them in delightful, original metaphor. In one memorable scene where three main characters, “Lee”, Adam Trask and Samuel Hamilton meet to name Adam’s motherless twins, Lee provokes illuminating and disturbing thoughts in Samuel’s mind to which Samuel protests, “Let me alone – let me think! Your damned bitch is having pups in my brain already. Oh, I wonder what my Tom will think of this! He’ll cradle it in the palm of his mind. He’ll turn it slow in his brain like a roast of pork before the fire.” I’ve read three other Steinbeck novels – “Of Mice and Men,” “The Short Reign of Pippin IV” and “Travels With Charley – In Search of America.” The different styles of these novels show amazing versatility. Steinbeck is a rare writer with whose body of work I am anxious to become even better acquainted. For what he has taught me in East of Eden about the art of writing I am indebted.

A classic! I love all Steinbeck's work and East of Eden is one of his best.

Do the sins of parents weigh on the lives of their children? Of course they do, but that doesn't mean we must be defined by one's ancestry. East of Eden is as much about America as it is about the Trasks and Hamiltons. And the biblical themes are in turns haunting and inspiring. I hope I always remember the term "timshel", translated by Steinbeck's characters as "thou mayest."

Steinbeck delivers three dimensional characters that seem to live apart from the text. Starting just before the Civil war, East of Eden follows the story of Adam Trask and his family's Biblical struggle with good and evil. The timeline is interesting, including the modern era of industrialization and inserting Steinbeck's extraordinary ancestors who were first settlers in California.

Great book! A must read for any fan of John Steinbeck.