The Life of John Steinbeck

Birth

Feb 27, 1902

John Steinbeck is born in their Salinas, California home. He was the third child and the only son. His mother was a school teacher and his father was a county treasurer

High School Graduation

Dec 31, 1919

From 1919 to 1925 he graduated from Salinas High School, attended classes at Stanford University for six years and left without a degree. Afterwards he had jobs like sales clerk, ranch worker, factory worker, stuff like that.

New York City

Dec 31, 1925

Moves to New York City. He worked as a construction worker while he wrote. No one wanted to publish his work, so he returned to California.

First Novel

Dec 31, 1929

Finally his first novel, Cup of Gold was published.

First Wedding/ Ed Ricketts

Jan 14, 1930

Steinbeck marries Carol Henning. Moves to Las Angeles, then to a family home in Pacific Grove. He became great friends with Ed Ricketts who was a marine biologist, an ecologist and philosopher. He also influenced Steinbeck to write The Sea of Cortez which was later published as The Log from the Sea of Cortez.

Death of his Mother

Dec 31, 1934

Steinbeck's mother dies in their Salinas home before he succeeded as an author. A short story set in Monterey County, "The Murder" wins the O. Henry Prize.

Death of his Father

Dec 31, 1935

His Father dies before Steinbeck reached fame with Tortilla Flat. After the death of both parents, he lost tie with his home town of Salinas.

Published Works

Period: Dec 31, 1936 to Dec 31, 1939

1936, Indubious Battles is published. 1937 Of Mice and Men is published as a novel and produced as a play. It becomes the second most banned book in America. 1939 The Grapes of Wrath is published.

Prizes and Awards for The Grapes of Wrath

Apr 1, 1940

Steinbeck recieves the National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize for The Grapes of Wrath.

Seperation

Dec 31, 1941

Seperates from Carol Henning, they had no children.

Second Marriage/ Work

Dec 31, 1943

He married a singer named Gwyndolyn Conger, they had two sons Thom and John IV. He worked at The New York Herald Tribune as a war correspondent.

The Pearl

Dec 31, 1947

Takes a tour of Russia with a photographer Frank Capa and wrote The Pearl.

Seperation

Dec 31, 1948

Steinbeck divorces his second wife and is elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Earlier in the year he did a little research for The East of Eden.

Third Marriage

Dec 31, 1950

Steinbeck married his third wife, Elaine Anderson Scott. She was active in theatre before she met Steinbeck and remained married to him for the rest of his life until his death.

Published Work

Dec 31, 1952

East of Eden, a history of Salinas Valley is published and Viva Zapata! is releases as a film by director Elia Kazan.

Noble Prize

Dec 31, 1962

Accepts Nobel Prize in Stockholm.

Honor

Dec 31, 1963

Becomes an honorary consultant in American Literature to the Library of Congress.

Medal

Dec 31, 1964

Presented the United States Medal of Freedom by President Johnson.

Published Work

Nov 30, 1966

America and Americans is pulished. Became a memeber of the National Arts of Council.

Death

Dec 20, 1968

Dies of Arteriosclerosis in New York City. On March 4 of 1969 his ashes were buried in the Garden of Memories Cemetery in Salinas, California.