Long unavailable, this lyrical collection of early stories from Steinbeck, set in a lush Californian valley, is rich in the feeling of the land and its people so characteristic of this great writer.
In these carefully crafted and poignant stories, Steinbeck traces the gradual disintegration of a peaceful farming community. He describes the destructive impact one family's actions have on the lives of those around it - a retarded boy's tenuous hold on reality is wantonly destroyed; a family is suddenly made to feel poor through he charity of their neighbour; and a respected farmer becomes suspicious of the attentions paid to his daughter.
