20th Century To A God Unknown: Amazon.ca: John Steinbeck: Books

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First Sentence
When the crops were under cover on the Wayne farm near Pittsford in Vermont, when the winter wood was cut and the first light snow lay on the ground, Joseph Wayne went to the wing-back chair by the fireplace late one afternoon and stood before his father. Read the first page

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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover

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Customer Reviews

19 Reviews

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

Average Customer Review

4.2 out of 5 stars (19 customer reviews)

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5.0 out of 5 stars Thought-Provoking Steinbeck, April 17 2004

By	JMack (Chicago) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

John Steinbeck has a habit of leaving the reader hanging a little bit at the end of his stories. "To a God Unknown" is no different. This is one of the more admirable qualities of Steinbeck as he does not tell the reader what to think. He trusts the reader's intelligence.

Steinbeck tells this story in the setting that seems to be his trademark, the early agricultural societies of the West. Joseph Wayne is struggling in his faith. He adopts pagan beliefs because they work while his land prospers. When the tree that is the center of his pagan beliefs is killed by his religious brother, the farm and his life begin a downward spiral. While the story almost seems biblical in the beginning, it becomes strange after the tree is killed. While Joseph seems to be a saint in the beginning, his character unravels. After the death of his wife and giving away his only son, Joseph takes to worshiping the moss growing on a rock. Eventually, the moss becomes the center of his life. The mossy rock becomes the scene of his demise as it was the scene of his wife's demise.

The last scene will require some thought and reflection for the reader. Perhaps you will find your own interpretation. In the final scene, the priest hopes Joseph is happy with the rain. He says this unknowing of Joseph's death/apparent suicide. Both the pagan and the priest received what they prayed for in the end. The priest has the last word. I think this tells you who was right. The thought-provoking nature of the book makes it a very underrated classic from Steinbeck.

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5.0 out of 5 stars A California Jewel, Mar 7 2004

By	kkrome25 "kkrome25" (California, USA) - See all my reviews

The story is based on man's relationship with the land. On another level, it re-enacts the ancient ritual of sacrifice in return for rain and thus crops and life itself. It retells the ages-old worship of wooden gods and animism. It leaves one to wonder if we had ever purged ourselves of these "ways" but rather embedded them further within ourselves in these "modern" times. It is a pagan theme that goes throughout. Beautifully written, the heart and feel of the California landscape never left me doubting as to where this is. If you've ever spent time in the valley, the descriptions hit home. If you've never been, it will prepare you mentally and perhaps physically, for the heat. And in the little oases of wood and stream, he has captured the coolness and mystic qualities that still exist today. From a premier California storyteller, this is a California jewel.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Best Steinbeck novel I have yet to read, Nov 17 2003

By A Customer

Granted, I've only also read Totilla Flat and Of Mice and Men. You can tell that Steinbeck spent five years on this -- it pays off. There is so much texture in the book, so many foreshadowings, and a good dose subtle references. It's difficult to put a lot of those in a one book without losing the subtlety, but it works here. It feels like Steinbeck obsessed over every line.

To be sure, when this was written, John was still a rookie, and his style and some of his charetarization would improve over time, but for my money's worth, it repays it's price several times over.

Thanks Penguin!

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Most recent customer reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars To a God Unknown
The novel To a God Unknown, by John Steinbeck is about a man, Joseph Wayne, moving from Vermont to California after his father dies. Read more

Published on May 23 2003 by Samantha

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best books ever
Starting at age 9 and now I am almost 40, I have continuously read literature and "classics." This is one of the best books I have ever read. Read more

Published on Sep 10 2002 by Kali

2.0 out of 5 stars well, he tried
I've read most of Steinbeck's novels and I feel like with this book, he had an idea but didn't quite get there. Read more

Published on Dec 3 2001

5.0 out of 5 stars Quality writing
This was a book that made me think thus appreciate what the earth is really about. The descriptions that J.S. Read more

Published on Sep 13 2001 by Kyle

4.0 out of 5 stars Different but not disappointing
This story is not as powerful as The Grapes of Wrath, or some of Steinbeck's other works, but this is a very well written and lesser know treasure. Read more

Published on Feb 10 2001 by Michelle France

3.0 out of 5 stars underdeveloped brainstorm of a novel
Maybe I read too much Steinbeck, but its only because I usually love his writing. However, I found this particualr novel to be dissapointing. Read more

Published on Jan 7 2001 by Maya Amichai

5.0 out of 5 stars A Forgotten Work Worth Finding
This story is a beauty. Nominally set in Steinbeck's beloved California hills, it has many parts that forcast the writing that would come later in "Grapes of Wrath",... Read more

Published on Aug 3 2000 by Samuel W. Harnish, Jr.

1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing
Steinbeck seemed to be trying to do too much with this novel. After a really good start, with the typically magnificent descriptions of the Californian countryside one can expect... Read more

Published on Jul 27 2000 by Edward Bosnar

2.0 out of 5 stars Overblown
I really must dissent here. Steinbeck later in his life made many a pronouncement concerning how it was the duty of the writer to capture the human spirit, in all its greatness... Read more

Published on Oct 20 1999 by angusmcpresley

5.0 out of 5 stars "To A God Unknown" is a terrible beauty
"To A God Unknown" is Steinbeck's disturbing treatment of spirituality, superstition, and the power of faith. Read more

Published on Aug 21 1999

› See all 19 customer reviews...

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