Carol and John Steinbeck

Carol Henning Steinbeck, writer John Steinbeck’s first wife, was his creative anchor, the inspiration for his great work of the 1930s, culminating in The Grapes of Wrath. When they met at Lake Tahoe in 1928, their attachment was immediate, their personalities meshing in creative synergy. Carol was unconventional, artistic, and compelling. During the formative years of Steinbeck’s career, when they lived in San Francisco, Pacific Grove, and Los Gatos, their modernist circle included Ed Ricketts, Joseph Campbell, and Lincoln Steffens. In many ways Carol's story is all too familiar: a creative and intelligent woman subsumes her own life and work into those of her husband. Together, they brought forth one of the enduring novels of the twentieth century.

“". . .Shillinglaw writes with eloquence and grace. . ."-- Publishers Weekly”

". . .Shillinglaw writes with eloquence and grace. . ."--Publishers Weekly-- "Publishers Weekly"
"Shillinglaw -- resident scholar at the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas and professor of English at San Jose State -- draws a compelling portrait of this intelligent modern woman."--San Jose Mercury News

"As biographer Susan Shillinglaw reminds us in her insightful, important, and necessary new work, there was a time when the man who wrote The Grapes of Wrath was a mere struggling writer; an acknowledged talent, yes, but always on the edge of failure with an uncertain future. Thus we have Carol and John Steinbeck: Portrait of a Marriage. And in this new book, Shillinglaw makes a powerful case for the idea that Steinbeck's first wife had everything to do with his ability to persevere, to create a body of work that drew notice to his burgeoning talent, and to carry on despite all the pressures (fiscal, psychological, and otherwise) that plague serious writers attempting to emerge. . . . This wonderful new biography offers plenty of echoes of Steinbeck, but its real value is in restoring to memory the voice, style, and persona of Carol Henning Steinbeck."--M. J. Moore in Neworld Review, vol. 7 no. 48

"Shillinglaw presents the first comprehensive portrait of this dynamic couple. Scholars will benefit from the extensive notes and bibliography; others will particularly appreciate the selection of photographs, some of them especially candid and revealing. Highly recommended."--Choice Magazine-- "Choice Magazine"
"A fascinating story that needs to be made known widely . . . Not just the story of Carol and her relationship to John, but a new and revealing look at Steinbeck himself. So much is new here, and the manuscript pushes so deep into the lives of the Steinbecks, that it might well become the primary biography of that period."--Jackson Benson, author of John Steinbeck, Writer: A Biography
"Fascinating as it lays open the background of two intriguing personalities"--New York Journal of Books
"In Portrait of a Marriage, Shillinglaw sets out to reveal the impact Carol Henning Steinbeck (1906-83) had on John Steinbeck's (1902-68) early works, particularly The Grapes of Wrath. This marks the first time Shillinglaw, or any academic for that matter, has so comprehensively researched the role Carol Steinbeck played in the literary work of her husband. Through extensive research, she tracks the creative synergy of the Steinbeck partnership, which inspired some of the greatest works in the American literary canon."--Resources for American Literary Study
"Nobody knows more or writes better about the life of Steinbeck than Susan Shillinglaw . . . Her superb scholarship and elegant style are equally evident in Carol and John Steinbeck: Portrait of a Marriage, the biography of Steinbeck's marriage to Carol Henning, a Jazz Age rebel with a Great Depression conscience. As Shillinglaw observes, John and Carol were no Scott and Zelda. But their dramatic story book reads like a novel -- unfortunately, one with a similarly unhappy ending."--William Ray, Steinbeck Now
"Scholars and fans of John Steinbeck are fortunate to have two fine biographies available--Jackson Benson's (1990) and Jay Parini's (1995). . . . And now another indispensable source can be placed beside these classics, Susan Shillinglaw's Carol and John Steinbeck: Portrait of a Marriage published by the University of Nevada Press."--Tom Barden, The Steinbeck Review, Fall 2013
"Shillinglaw contends the Pulitzer Prize-winning Grapes of Wrath is their 'shared creation.' She argues that Carol was a much larger influence on the novelist's life and work than has been previously acknowledged. In this lively, absorbing biography, she describes John's and Carol's families, the impact of friends and travel, and the creative process that culminated in John's writing. Carol left few written records or letters, thus her life is portrayed here from previously unavailable scrapbooks, photographs, and poetry. . . . Recommended for Steinbeck enthusiasts as well as readers interested in 20th-century American novelists."--Library Journal, Nov. 13, 2013
"Shillinglaw's primary research makes this book impressive, and her writing is wonderfully clear and effective. A book that will appeal both to sophisticated scholars and the general public. I loved this book!"--Melody Graulich, editor of Western American Literature

Susan Shillinglaw, professor of English at San Jose State University, USA directed the Center for Steinbeck Studies there from 1987 to 2005. Her published works include A Journey into Steinbeck’s California and introductions to The Portable Steinbeck and other Penguin Classic editions. She is currently scholar in residence at the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas, USA.

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