East of Eden cover art

East of Eden

Penguin Modern Classics

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East of Eden

By: John Steinbeck, David Wyatt - introduction
Narrated by: Simon Manyonda
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

'There is only one book to a man,' Steinbeck wrote of East of Eden, his most ambitious novel. Set in the rich farmland of the Salinas Valley, California, this powerful, often brutal novel follows the intertwined destinies of two families - the Trasks and the Hamiltons - whose generations hopelessly re-enact the fall of Adam and Eve and the poisonous rivalry of Cain and Abel.

Here Steinbeck created some of his most memorable characters and explored his most enduring themes: the mystery of identity; the inexplicability of love and the murderous consequences of love's absence.

©1952 John Steinbeck (P)2022 Penguin Audio Classics Family Life Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Fiction
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Loved the narration, kept my interest throughout. Great book and the narrative makes you draw parallels in your own life with its weaving of biblical paradox’s and the human condition throughout an epic story. Excellent

Philosophy and drama

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Timeless classic, leaves a lasting impression with deep moral questions and vivid characters and story line.
The narrator is easy to listen to.

A classic must read

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What a superb life lesson. By reading twice it made so much more sense. So painful to see how our earlier generations lived by the bible and chastised themselves and even to suicide for the wrongs they perceived in their natures. This story covers many intertwined families, showing us we are simply flawed humans. I guess we all crave family love and acceptance and this can shape our behaviour right through our lives. John’s insite makes him an excellent author. Thank you for this wonderful book.

Read it twice to get the most from it. Wonderful, just wonderful……

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I first read East of Eden years ago, in the late 60's, and have re-read it a few times over the years. I consider it to be one of Steinbeck's best works.
This was my first time listening to it in audiobook format.
I found myself straining to find the same recognition and enjoyment I had experienced reading the book, but it was so difficult getting past this narrator's voice and forced accents!
Why did Simon Manyonda, a British actor, feel he had to assume an unreliable American accent to narrate this book? That unnatural accent jarred from the very beginning and it got so much worse when he attempted to voice other regional accents, eg Sam's Hamilton's Irish or another's French accented English.
But, the worst, the most insulting to the ear, were Manyonda's various female voices! Screeching or whinging or nasal, none of the female characters' voices 'worked' and some of them (eg Dessie's) were positively painful to hear.
Perhaps it would have been better if Simon Manyonda had simply narrated in his own pleasant voice (which we can hear in the credits), but we will never know, unless he tries again. He needs to improve his performance of female voices and widen his ability to produce regional accents.
As it stands, this audiobook does not do justice to John Steinbeck's great words.

Classic Steinbeck, epic story (pity about the narration)

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The book itself is beautiful but I think what really made me connect with this book is was the narrator. Simon Manyonda was a perfect choice to narrate this book. Will definitely read this again.

Loved this book! Will read again for sure.

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Everyone has already written about how great this book is and I stand with them in agreement. What I would like to pay particular attention to is the impressive narration by Simon Manyonda. Just when I thought Steinbeck’s work couldn’t get any better, Simon comes and elevates the book to new heights. The life he brings to his reading; the accents, the emphasis, the storytelling - absolutely superb. Well done, Simon.

Amazing

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A moving saga spanning decades and families, even though a vintage read, still had some excellent moments

East of Eden

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Quite a comprehensive story, and I really enjoyed seeing how all of the events played out to affect other characters’ lives. Gripping narration performance with great attention to different voices throughout meant that that it was only some of the language choices and perspectives that reminded me I was ‘reading’ an old piece of literature. Still an enjoyable tale today, but admittedly with my bias as a cisgender white male. Some scenes, dialogue and narrative perspective are definitely problematic for multiple groups of people (still way better than a Mark Twain though on that front!).

Got a lot more out of this than I expected to!

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East of Eden is a satisfying intergenerational saga that reimagines the Cain and Abel narrative. While this Biblical allusion is not exactly subtle, its recurring presence amidst a sprawling, at times meandering, tale enhances its accessibility and emotional weight. Steinbeck excels in creating a vivid world, from the fertile expanses of the Salinas Valley to the characters who inhabit it. Those characters (almost) all feel layered and real, and though the narrative shifts perspectives over time (arguably its primary protagonist doesn’t appear until the final third), each transition feels seamless and earned: appropriately building off and echoing what came before.

The glaring exception to this masterful character-building, and the major drawback of the novel’s simplicity, is its antagonist, a comically irredeemable and malevolent force. Despite this issue, and some arguably needless digressions within the lengthy tale, East of Eden offers an engrossing journey that imparts a clear and resonant message about choice.

Generational Journey

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A fantastic book read well. Recommended to anyone who hasn’t read it or has read it a hundred times

A timeless classic

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