A masterpiece of Biblical scope and the magnum opus of one of Americas most enduring authors in a deluxe Centennial edition In his journal Nobel Prize winner John Steinbeck called East of Eden the first book and indeed it has the primordial power and simplicity of myth. Set in the rich farmland of Californias Salinas Valley this sprawling and often brutal novel follows the intertwined destinies of two familiesthe Trasks and the Hamiltonswhose generations helplessly reenact the fall of Adam and Eve and the poisonous rivalry of Cain and Abel. The masterpiece of Steinbecks later years East of Eden is a work in which Steinbeck created his most mesmerizing characters and explored his most enduring themes the mystery of identity the inexplicability of love and the murderous consequences of loves absence. Adapted for the 1955 film directed by Elia Kazan introducing James Dean and read by thousands as the book that brought Oprahs Book Club back East of Eden has remained vitally present in American culture for over half a century. This Centennial edition specially designed to commemorate one hundred years of Steinbeck features french flaps and deckleedged pages. For more than sixtyfive years Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the Englishspeaking world. With more than 1500 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 uptodate translations by awardwinning translato show more