The Log from the "Sea of Cortez": The Narative Portion of the Book "Sea of Cortez": Amazon.ca: John Steinbeck: Books

Product Description

Book Description

In 1940 John Steinbeck and his great friend Edward Ricketts, director of the Pacific Biological Laboratories and the original of Doc in "Cannery Row", joined forces for a six-weeks' fishing trip to collect marine specimens in the Gulf of California, once known as the Sea of Cortez. In 1948 Ricketts was killed in an accident, and Steinbeck was moved to write down everything he could remember about his extraordinary friend - scientist, philosopher, eccentric and womanizer. This affectionate profile is published alongside the day-to-day account of their maritime expedition, a blend of scientific research and riotous adventure. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Nobel-Prize winning author John Steinbeck is remembered as one of the greatest and best-loved American writers of the twentieth century. His complete works will be available in Penguin Modern Classics. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Customer Reviews

14 Reviews

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4.6 out of 5 stars (14 customer reviews)

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars First Rate, Sep 8 2003

By

C. Ebeling "ctlpareader" (PA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Log from the Sea of Cortez (Paperback)

John Steinbeck had a high interest in marine biology, one that helped forge an extraordinary friendship with Ed Ricketts in the 1930s. Ricketts, the model for Doc in CANNERY ROW, was a professional biologist living in Monterey. He proposed an exploration of the Gulf of California and in the spring of 1940 he and Steinbeck set sail on a rented boat with a colorful crew that should have suggested a sea novel along the lines of CANNERY ROW and TORTILLA FLAT. The original result from this trip was the book THE SEA OF CORTEZ, which included the "log" fashioned by Steinbeck and an extensive inventory of the scientific information collected. It was published in the fall of 1941 and promptly forgotten when Pearl Harbor was struck. A decade later, the scientific catalogue was removed and Steinbeck added another section, a moving and often hilarious appreciation of his friend Ed Ricketts. The title became THE LOG FROM THE SEA OF CORTEZ and that's what we have here.

This is a great book for the beach, where I read it. It is filled with the imagery of a warm coastal area. It is several things, really: a book filled with the wonder and scientific knowledge of marine life, a how-to (and sometimes how-not-to) guide for collecting specimens, a travelogue that captures the wilderness communities of Baja California in its time, and an often hilarious account of staying amused at sea with the likes of a crew with names like Tony, Tex, Sparky and Tiny. Steinbeck also takes the occasion to explore his own philosophy as inspired by their studies. Especially interesting is his Easter Day entry, in which he defines and explores at length what he calls "teleological" and "non-teleological" thinking. He gives us much to think about, and does so in clear, fluent prose. If you pay close attention, you will see him forming the idea for what years later became THE PEARL.

One caution: read the critical introduction AFTER enjoying the text. Like most introductions, it contains some spoilers and it also makes references that are better understood once one is familiar with the material it limns.

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Profound, Aug 20 2001

By

Currahee (South Mississippi) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Log from the Sea of Cortez (Paperback)

I was compelled to read this book several years ago, as it made a list of "Most inspirational books to Marine Biologists." Since I consider myself a marine biologist and was then taking some free time to revisit the classics I couldn't resist. I had appreciated Of Mice and Men and other Steinbeck work in highschool, but was tragically unaware of his interest in marine science. Needless to say I now read this book at least once a year.
The Log From the Sea of Cortez starts out as a factual telling of a tail about the crew of a boat, seamen, fishermen and scientists who journey to the little traveled Gulf of California (sea of Cortez). The book does an wonderful job of describing the day to day toil of the journey where they must stop every day and collect large numbers of specimens at each low tide. The work is drudgery but it is offset by the fact that they are doing something new, learning things unknown. Throughout Steinbeck explores the metaphysics of being a scientist and an explorer. The characters, who happen to be real people, are excellent vehicles for this exploration. We feel as if we are there with them and appreciating the things that they are, thinking their thoughts and feeling there pain. The trip on the Western Flyer (the boat) would have been the trip of anyone's lifetime. If you read this book it is almost as if you made it also.

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4.0 out of 5 stars collection of animals and a sense of adventure, Jan 19 2004

By

William D. Tompkins (New York, New York USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Log from the Sea of Cortez (Paperback)

steinbeck's darwinian novel that captues a sense of adventure as well with his good friend. there may be a need to be interested in the science of animal classification to really enjoy this book.

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Most recent customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars My Favorite From Steinbeck
As someone who has been reading and admiring Steinbeck since childhood, this was by far my favorite of all his books. Read more

Published on Oct 29 2003 by Donald Chewms

4.0 out of 5 stars Not the usual Steinbeck fare
But still a good read. If you are an aficianado of Steinbeck you are gonna find few less pleasurable than this one. Read more

Published on Sep 19 2003 by Jack Purcell