Saturday 6 August 2016

Cannery Row by John Steinbeck


Cannery Row by John Steinbeck
Published in 1945. Hachette audiobook narrated by Trevor White published in 2011.

Where to buy this book:
Buy the audiobook download from Audible via Amazon.comAmazon.co.uk
Buy the paperback from Speedyhen
Buy the paperback from The Book Depository
Buy the audio CD from Waterstones

How I got this book:
Purchased from Audible

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I downloaded Cannery Row from Audible three years ago so this is my second time of listening and I am glad to say that the book is just as good as I remembered it to be. Trevor White does an excellent job of the narration. I love how Steinbeck can get the essence of a character across in just a few sentences and the residents of Cannery Row are a memorable bunch. Even brief appearances such as Mrs Malloy, Franky and the lonely gopher are instantly recognisable. And I am so envious of Steinbeck's talent for poetic and gripping descriptive prose!

Set in a distinct period of American history, I got a very real sense of these people eking out their lives on the margins of mainstream society, yet, other than the put-upon Doc, I never felt sorry for them as they rarely seemed to pity themselves. Doc's speech about Mac and his boys being the only true philosophers gave an interesting perspective on their lifestyle and reinforced that it was essentially a free choice decision.

While the minutiae of daily life makes up much of the book, it never feels mundane so I was engrossed throughout the five and a half hours of listening. This is definitely one of my top favourite audiobooks.


Search Lit Flits for more:
Books by John Steinbeck / Audiobooks / Books from America

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