John Steinbeck

John Steinbeck (1902-1968) was an American novelist and Nobel laureate whose writing captured the struggles of ordinary people during the Great Depression. Born in Salinas, California, he drew heavily from his surroundings, producing classics such as "Of Mice and Men" (1937), "The Grapes of Wrath" (1939), and "East of Eden" (1952). His early novel "Cup of Gold" (1929) marked his literary debut, though it is less known than his later works. Steinbeck's realistic style and deep empathy for the dispossessed earned him the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1962. His legacy endures as a chronicler of American life, with his books remaining widely read and adapted for film and stage.