Of Mice and Men

By John Steinbeck and Susan Shillinglaw

A controversial tale of friendship and tragedy during the Great Depression

Over seventy-five years since its first publication, Steinbeck’s tale of commitment, loneliness, hope, and loss remains one of America’s most widely read and taught novels. An unlikely pair, George and Lennie, two migrant workers in California during the Great Depression, grasp for their American Dream. They hustle work when they can, living a hand-to-mouth existence. For George and Lennie have a plan: to own an acre of land and a shack they can call their own. When they land jobs on a ranch in the Salinas Valley, the fulfillment of their dream seems to be within their grasp. But even George cannot guard Lennie from the provocations, nor predict the consequences of Lennie's unswerving obedience to the things George taught him.

Of Mice and Men represents an experiment in form, which Steinbeck described as “a kind of playable novel, written in a novel form but so scened and set that it can be played as it stands.” A rarity in American letters, it achieved remarkable success as a novel, a Broadway play, and three acclaimed films. This edition features an introduction by Susan Shillinglaw, one of today’s leading Steinbeck scholars.

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.


From the Trade Paperback edition.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Group
• Release date: Feb 1, 1994

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.

Reviews for Of Mice and Men

[villemezbrown · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I'm pretty sure I read this in 8th or 9th grade, but that was right before I started keeping an organized book list in March of 1982, so I can't be sure of the exact date. Regardless, it was well worth revisiting 35 years later. This is one of the most moving and heartbreaking stories ever told.

[justagirlwithabook · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book was devastating. It's not a book that I love or is near and dear to my heart, but I didn't hate it either. I think I would've liked it more if it hadn't ended the way it did. Things were going as fine as they could be, I think, and then everything went downhill (starting with a puppy), and that was when I decided I didn't really want to keep reading (though I did, and I did regret it to a certain extent). So, all of that to say, I only recommend this one to readers who won't be entirely devastated by animal or human deaths, especially at the end of a book.

[john257hopper · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This short novel (barely 100 pages) is often cited as one of the great classics of 20th century literature and has been studied by countless students in the English-speaking world (as a touch of cynicism, its short nature has no doubt helped considerably with this). It concerns a period in the lives of two itinerant agricultural labourers in 1930s California, George Milton and Lennie Small. The former is the brains of the pair, who looks after and protects, but is also frequently exasperated by, by the unintelligent Lennie. The latter's lack of intelligence is combined with a gentle and naive disposition, but also great strength, the latter combination of factors giving rise to the tragic denouement of the story. There are some other interesting characters, including the black stable hand, Crooks. Despite the background of poverty, oppression and aimlessness in the lives of the protagonists, caused by wider national economic factors, the novel feels as if it takes place claustrophobically in its own bubble, cut off from the outside world. Despite its strong themes and emotional impact, I would say this is not really an all-time classic with long-lasting influence, at least not in the same league as other American classics such as To Kill a Mockingbird.

[igranados-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Strong and hard as life itself. John Steinbeck is a master in telling what the human heart is all about.

[borrows0n0wants · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really wish that this had been required reading for my school, unfortunately it wasn't. Nearly everyone will enjoy and/or get something out of this beautiful, haunting story.

[cassiewinters-2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I finished this last night before bed and I have to say I was a little taken aback by it, but this is largely my own issues with reading. I like happy books for the most part and this is definitely not that type of book. It made me understand why it is considered a "classic", but to me it was full of ignorance, hatred, suspicion, and other things that I currently did not need to read about with everything going on here in American currently. It was a weird read to say the least because of where we are. This book also made me fully recognize that I like contemporary books more than I like books set in the olden days. I will discuss more eventually over on my blog, but this is definitely not a favorite. It is, however, a book you should read at some point of your life, which was the point of my reading it at this point.

[marie2830-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was a great and very beautiful story. Oh, and did I mention tragic. I can't wait to read more Steinbeck.

[bookomaniac-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Mooi uitgebalanceerd verhaal over de thematiek van de migrantenarbeiders in het westen van Amerika. Erg toneelmatige opbouw en uitwerking; zeer eenvoudig gegeven, niet meer dan een novelle. Diverse thematieken: de onkunde om te gaan met zwakzinnigheid, de vriendschap tussen twee mannen, de omgang met verval en ouderdom, de droom van een betere toekomst, racisme.

[terrapinjetta_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

So terribly sad...

[magadri-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really wish that this had been required reading for my school, unfortunately it wasn't. Nearly everyone will enjoy and/or get something out of this beautiful, haunting story.

[maxernst11 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Mooi uitgebalanceerd verhaal over de thematiek van de migrantenarbeiders in het westen van Amerika. Erg toneelmatige opbouw en uitwerking; zeer eenvoudig gegeven, niet meer dan een novelle. Diverse thematieken: de onkunde om te gaan met zwakzinnigheid, de vriendschap tussen twee mannen, de omgang met verval en ouderdom, de droom van een betere toekomst, racisme.

[luiise_5 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

i hated this book

[katherinegregg · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Gary Sinese beautifully reads this Steinbeck story about George and Lennie, migrant workers who go from farm to farm looking for work during the depression. Lennie is mentally disabled but a good worker and enormously strong. He is unaware of his own strength and loves petting soft things like bunnies and puppies which both lead to his demise. George, who is of sound mind, watches over Lennie to make sure he doesn't get into trouble. The two of them dream of saving enough money so they can buy a plot of land. George will tend the soil and Lennie will watch over the rabbits. Their dream seems to become almost a reality when they meet another farm hand who is willing to pitch in some money as long as they take him along. One evening George goes to town with most of the other work hands leaving Lennie to fend for himself back at the farm. Lennie finds himself alone with the flirtatious daughter in law of the farm boss who encourages him to touch her soft hair. When she asks him to stop, Lennie gets scared and breaks her neck in panic. Once his deed is discovered the farm mob is ready to lynch Lennie. George finds Lennie in a hiding spot and after he gently retells the story of how they are going to get their own land, George shoots Lennie knowing that someone else will do it if he doesn't.

[lord_boris-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I must be one of the few people who didn't read this novella as part of their school curriculum. So I was coming at this with barely an inkling of what the book was about. Suffice to say it was an excellent read that seemed to draw me in and make me read faster as the ever looming tragic ending unfolded. Or maybe that was the wine I was drinking with it. Anyway, it turns out that the American dream is not for the disabled (Candy, Lennie), the carer (George) and the disenfranchised (Crooks).

[stef7sa-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A little gem, straightforward but effective. More a play than a novel and very reminiscent of Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman in its tragical theme: the impossibility of the poor to escape their destiny, the unavoidable failure of their hopeless dreams. But also: the origins of violence and the question of guilt. The writing is beautiful, especially the descriptions of nature (the little paradise) and the barn where the tragedy takes place. The way the mentally deficient Lenny is depicted is a classic.

[tracy_tomkowiak · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A quick read. Splendid.

[durgaprsd04-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A real good book.

[jillkenna · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I had heard of this book going in but knew no details. I was not prepared for how sad this was going to be. I still loved it.

[ameise1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

George and Lennie are reflected as migrant workers through life and dream of a better future. The work is hard. Drag from farm to farm, from harvest to harvest. The tall and burly, but mentally retarded Lennie combines a comradely friendship with the skilful and clever George who constantly looks after Lennie. At the campfire he tells Lennie how difficult he finds it to have to constantly take care of him. But serving as Lennie, only to move on, George takes back everything he'd rather stay with Lennie. He noted that migrant workers as he and Lennie are among the loneliest people without family, without a home, the hew their savings right back on the head. But with Lennie he wants to invest his earnings one day in a piece of land, with house, cows, pigs, chickens and rabbits.They find work on the farm of Curley and soon realize that this will only bring trouble. There they meet Slim and Crooks, but even both accept Lennie they can not turn him away from his fate.I was very touched by this story.

[sdaisy-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Of Mice and Men was a breeze to read through. I ended up liking it, although I can't remember any other book that made me cry as much at the end! There could have been several alternative endings that would have been a lot better, but you know, Steinbeck chose that ending knowing it was going to make the reader emotional and dissatisfied, so he must have understood what he was doing. The ending surprised me, that's for sure. I never saw it coming. But all in all, it was a great book, and I'd really like to get a copy so I can read it again some time. (The copy I read was borrowed from a family member.)

[brakketh-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Love this book though find it emotionally wrenching. This book is how I picture rural America during the Great Depression.

[kassilem · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This is probably a good book for discussion, but ultimately, I didn't like it. I struggled a lot to find motivation to even finish this book even with its short length. I didn't like the ending, nor the prevalent negativity throughout the story. I understand that this was written during the Great Depression, so in context it makes sense, but I wasn't in the mood for it. Maybe if the book had taken longer to develop the characters I would have cared about them more, but I doubt it. Not a book for me.

[auntieknickers · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Read many years ago. A very sad story which shows Steinbeck's feeling for the people our society tends to throw away.

[sammii507 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wow. This book was emotional, bleak, and very, very sad. But a book that can emotionally move a person to this extent is without a doubt a well written and good book.

At it's heart, this book is all about dreams. Lennie and George have their dream of their future - a future that is very unlikely, but that keeps them going through their difficult lives. Curly's wife had dreams of being something more than she was, of seeing the world and having the attention she doesn't get from her husband. Candy and even Crooks find strength and hope in George and Lennie's dream, for a moment daring to dream of something better than what they have.

This was also a theme of "The Grapes of Wrath" - the idea of the power of human hope, the idea of dreams as a sustaining force.

Wonderful, fantastic book, despite the less-than-happy ending.

[5hrdrive · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I'm almost fifty-two years old and feel like I've been punched in the gut. Powerful story. Damn it, won't get much sleep tonight.

[mclesh-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I took this off the bookshelf last night when I was looking for something short to read, having a miserable head cold and not wanting to start a long novel. First off, there is nothing happy in this book. If a person is looking for a cheerful, light read, they should probably keep looking.

John Steinbeck is a wonderful writer, painting a full picture with words, but doing so without being too wordy. This story flows so well, it can easily be read in one sitting or over the course of a couple of hours.

George takes care of Lennie, a very large man-child who doesn't know his own strength. Lennie loves to pet soft things and "loves" the poor little mice he catches to death. He doesn't mean harm; he just doesn't understand things. George feels saddled by Lennie, forced to watch over him and is perpetually getting him out of situations when he does something "bad," but the two are very close. The other men working the farm remark on their closeness as if it's something unique and special; so many of the farm workers travel solo, relying on themselves, not trusting others.

The two are itinerant farm workers but long for the day when they can get their own piece of land to work and live by their own rules, where Lennie can take care of their rabbits.

When the two men arrive on the farm and are introduced to their bunkmates, they're warned about Curley, the owner's son, a mean spirited, cruel man with a Napoleon complex who looks for bigger guys to harass. This does not bode well for the men. The reader feels the tension and futility of their situation.

This is a beautifully written but bleak story.

[imaginationzombie · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Depressing and marvelously written. The book shows Loneliness is the plague of mankind. I'm sure I've read this before, but don't remember when. Glad I re-read. 5 stars!

[aliceanna-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Absolutely heart-breaking, but so full of depth, fabulous characterizations, etc. One can understand the motivations of these characters and the tragic ending even though it is painful to witness. Some very lost souls inhabit the book.

[corinnet-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I like the internal conflict of George (one of the main caracter) all through the story and the loneliness as a feeling is very well felt amongst those men. The writing technic is very good.

[teresamcg · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book broke my heart. It takes true friendship and loyalty to do what George did. A big contrast between the two main characters really emphasized each others' strengths as it did their flaws. Though the ending is evidently foreshadowed it still takes you by surprise. You can't help but feel sorry for George and Lennie.