Vous voulez voir cette page en français ? Cliquez ici.

 

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
 
More Buying Choices
17 used & new from CDN$ 11.55
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
Modern Classics To A God Unknown
 
 
Share your own customer images
Search inside this book

Modern Classics To A God Unknown (Paperback)

by Robert Demott (Foreword), John Steinbeck (Author)
4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
List Price: CDN$ 18.99
Price: CDN$ 13.86 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over CDN$ 39. Details
You Save: CDN$ 5.13 (27%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.ca. Gift-wrap available.

Only 2 left in stock--order soon (more on the way).

13 new from CDN$ 11.55 4 used from CDN$ 65.16

Product Details

Product Description

Product Description

While fulfilling his dead father's dream of creating a prosperous farm in California, Joseph Wayne comes to believe that a magnificent tree on the farm embodies his father's spirit. His brothers and their families share in Joseph's prosperity and the farm flourishes - until one brother, scared by Joseph's pagan belief, kills the tree and brings disease and famine on the farm. Set in familiar Steinbeck country, "To A God Unknown" is a mystical tale, exploring one man's attempt to control the forces of nature and to understand the ways of God.


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.
Inside This Book (Learn More)
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
Search inside this book:

Tag this product

 (What's this?)
Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items.
Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags

What do customers ultimately buy after viewing this item?

Modern Classics To A God Unknown
49% buy the item featured on this page:
Modern Classics To A God Unknown 4.2 out of 5 stars (19)
CDN$ 13.86
Penguin Classics The Winter Of Our Discontent
27% buy
Penguin Classics The Winter Of Our Discontent 4.5 out of 5 stars (57)
CDN$ 13.51
Modern Classics Wayward Bus
24% buy
Modern Classics Wayward Bus 4.5 out of 5 stars (13)
CDN$ 18.99
Explore similar items
 

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)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most helpful customer reviews

 
5.0 out of 5 stars Thought-Provoking Steinbeck, April 17 2004
By JMack (Chicago) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   
This review is from: 20th Century To A God Unknown (Paperback)
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.

Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
5.0 out of 5 stars A California Jewel, Mar 7 2004
By kkrome25 "kkrome25" (California, USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: 20th Century To A God Unknown (Paperback)
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.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
5.0 out of 5 stars Best Steinbeck novel I have yet to read, Nov 17 2003
By A Customer
This review is from: 20th Century To A God Unknown (Paperback)
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!

Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 		 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

Only search this product's reviews


Listmania!

Create a Listmania! list

Look for similar items by category

Look for similar items by subject














i.e., each book must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...

Feedback

Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.