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John Steinbeck
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Of Mice and Men (Penguin Modern Classics) New e. Edition, Kindle Edition

by John Steinbeck (Author), Susan Shillinglaw (Introduction) Format: Kindle Edition
4.5 out of 5 stars 41,995 ratings
Teachers' pick for school years 1–9
Drifters in search of work, George and his childlike friend Lennie, have nothing in the world except the clothes on their back - and a dream that one day they will have some land of their own. Eventually they find work on a ranch in California's Salinas Valley, but their hopes are dashed as Lennie - struggling against extreme cruelty, misunderstanding and feelings of jealousy - becomes a victim of his own strength. Tackling universal themes of friendship and shared vision, and giving a voice to America's lonely and dispossessed, Of Mice and Men remains Steinbeck's most popular work, achieving success as a novel, Broadway play and three acclaimed films.
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  1. ISBN-13
    978-0141923475
  2. Edition
    New e.
  3. Publisher
    Penguin
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    7 Sept. 2000
  6. Language
    English
  7. File size
    1.8 MB
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From the Publisher

A Room of One's Own, The Lonely Londoners, Of Mice and Men Animal Farm, Women, Race and Class

A Room of One's Own, The Lonely Londoners, Of Mice and Men Animal Farm, Women, Race and Class

A Room of One's Own, The Lonely Londoners, Of Mice and Men Animal Farm, Women, Race and Class

A Room of One's Own, The Lonely Londoners, Of Mice and Men Animal Farm, Women, Race and Class

A Room of One's Own, The Lonely Londoners, Of Mice and Men, Animal Farm, Women, Race and Class

A Room of One's Own, The Lonely Londoners, Of Mice and Men Animal Farm, Women, Race and Class

A Room of One's Own, The Lonely Londoners, Of Mice and Men, Animal Farm, Women, Race and Class

A Room of One's Own, The Lonely Londoners, Of Mice and Men Animal Farm, Women, Race and Class

Product description

Review

A thriller, a gripping tale that you will not set down until it is finished. Steinbeck has touched the quick ― New York Times

From the Inside Flap

A parable of commitment, loneliness, hope and loss, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is a powerful and moving portrayal of two men striving to understand their own unique place in the world. Drifters in search of work, George and his simple-minded friend Lennie have nothing in the world except each other - and a dream. A dream that one day they will have some land of their own.Eventually they find work on a ranch, but their hopes are doomed as Lennie - struggling against extreme cruelty, misunderstanding and feelings of jealousy - becomes a victim of his own strength.Tackling universal themes, friendship and a shared vision, and giving a voice to America's lonely and dispossessed, Of Mice and Men remains Steinbeck's most popular work.'A thriller, a gripping tale that you will not set down until it is finished. Steinbeck has touched the quick' The New York Times Nobel Prize-winning author John Steinbeck is remembered as one of the greatest and best-loved American writers of the twentieth century. His works include The Grapes of Wrath, The Forgotten Village, Cannery Row and The Pearl. His complete works are published by Penguin.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B002RI9VVM
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ 7 Sept. 2000
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ New e.
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.8 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 116 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0141923475
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 12+ years, from customers
  • Customer reviews:
    4.5 out of 5 stars 41,995 ratings

About the author

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John Steinbeck

John Steinbeck

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John Steinbeck (1902-1968), winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, achieved popular success in 1935 when he published Tortilla Flat. He went on to write more than twenty-five novels, including The Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men.

Photo by JohnSteinbeck.JPG: US Government derivative work: Homonihilis (JohnSteinbeck.JPG) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
41,995 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book beautifully written and well-suited for GCSE study, with helpful notes to aid understanding. The story is incredibly moving with an attention-grabbing ending, and customers appreciate the well-developed characters, particularly the strong bond between George and Lennie. Customers consider the book thought-provoking, with one review noting how it explores complex life issues, and they find it good value for money. The heartbreaking story receives mixed reactions from customers.

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219 customers mention ‘Writing quality’184 positive35 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, describing it as beautifully written and readable, with one customer noting how it creates a lot in very few words.

"...and Men is of course a brilliant read, with memorable characters, fantastic prose and also a read that allows for a philosophical reading that you..." Read more

"...g.c.s.e exams soon,, they will need this book, a good way to remember the story for the exams, is to make flash cards, or get the family to read..." Read more

"...Indeed, it is highly accessible to all ages and the simplicity of the written text belies the sheer complexity of the plot...." Read more

"...The relationship between George and Lennie is heartbreaking and brilliantly written. The book may be short but that does not mean it is not powerful...." Read more

195 customers mention ‘Use’195 positive0 negative

Customers find the book very useful for GCSE students, providing helpful notes that serve as a good base for home study and can be used as a revision guide.

"...their aspirations, and because of this, Of Mice and Men was incredibly impactful, and a tense reading experience throughout which I have rarely felt..." Read more

"Good for my gcse english.👍🏽 would reccomend...." Read more

"...This particular book is also written for GCSE study, which I don't intend to comment on, as many have already done so...." Read more

"The story is as expected and there are no missing pages and no notes in the book so that’s a plus. The book itself is on its last legs tho’...." Read more

112 customers mention ‘Thought provoking’112 positive0 negative

Customers find the book thought-provoking, with its unique insights and deeper meaning, and one customer notes how it explores complex life issues.

"...characters, fantastic prose and also a read that allows for a philosophical reading that you can return and build on a long time after reading...." Read more

"...that’s what we did, we had great fun, and it helped our daughter remember the answers better." Read more

"...The story though, still comes across as just fine and is never less than interesting and engaging with many topical points to dwell on...." Read more

"...How hopes and dreams keep people going and how the outcome can be turned on a dime" Read more

107 customers mention ‘Value for money’97 positive10 negative

Customers find the book to be good value for money.

"...Steinbeck discusses a wide range of social and economic issues in the Dust Bowl of America...." Read more

"...making my purchase, Amazon delivered swiftly with no fuss and kept costs down. Finally; the content...." Read more

"...Fantastic compact and great quality. Well priced!" Read more

"...A reasonable price and very quick delivery and a lovely looking book too...." Read more

66 customers mention ‘Story length’47 positive19 negative

Customers appreciate the story length of this novella, describing it as an incredibly moving narrative with an attention-grabbing and emotional ending.

"...This short book is brilliantly written and so moving. It's so easy to imagine the characters the way he writes about them...." Read more

"...of Steinbeck's storytelling, that makes Of Mice and Men a profoundly moving and richly rewarding read." Read more

"...For a story as short as this, it is difficult to complicate the plot and resolve all loose ends in so few pages...." Read more

"...readers who enjoy American Social History, Literary Fiction and Classic Fiction." Read more

59 customers mention ‘Character development’52 positive7 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, finding the characters well described and strong, with one customer noting the excellent interplay between George and Lennie.

"...Of Mice and Men is of course a brilliant read, with memorable characters, fantastic prose and also a read that allows for a philosophical reading..." Read more

"...The description of Salinas is majestic and the character development is highly well-crafted...." Read more

"...It's so easy to imagine the characters the way he writes about them...." Read more

"...The characters were likeable, although there are a lot to remember and most beginning with the letter C. So they did become a little inter-mixed,..." Read more

35 customers mention ‘Friendship’35 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's portrayal of friendship, with one customer highlighting the strong bond between Lenny and George, while another notes the trust and compassion in their relationship.

"...fantastically, with their strenuous but genuine friendship being depicted in an authentic manner that was amazing to read...." Read more

"...They raise questions of: loyalty, pity, vulnerability, sadness, anger & inferiority, loneliness / isolation and of course, from that period -..." Read more

"...The friendships and work friendships are a great fit. In all a great gripping and emotional journey. I would rate this book 10\10 ...." Read more

"A lovely, short novel about friendship, responsibility and empathy. How hopes and dreams keep people going and how the outcome can be turned on a dime" Read more

115 customers mention ‘Heartbreaking story’71 positive44 negative

Customers have mixed reactions to the emotional content of the book, describing it as an emotive and heartbreaking tale that is quite sad in places, though some find it boring.

"...The relationship between George and Lennie is heartbreaking and brilliantly written. The book may be short but that does not mean it is not powerful...." Read more

"...Throughout the entirety of the read, there was an air of melancholy and sadness that was leading to the ending that I suspected would occur, but..." Read more

"...They raise questions of: loyalty, pity, vulnerability, sadness, anger & inferiority, loneliness / isolation and of course, from that period -..." Read more

"Short, sweet and beautiful...." Read more

Decent
5 out of 5 stars
Decent
The book itself is excellent, great story and a great read. I didn't like the fact the seller sent me a book that someone named James Stafford from 9B1 had written in for whatever reason. Me personally I'd never write in a book that I'd purchased.
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Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • William Gwynne
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Classic for a reason
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 April 2021
    Verified Purchase
    “Maybe ever’body in the whole damn world is scared of each other.”

    I realised recently that I was one of only a few people who had not studied, or read, Of Mice and Men. As someone studying English Literature, this seemed like a crime, so I instantly set to rectifying that. Of course, everything I say in this review will not be discussing anything that has not already been covered on Of Mice and Men, and I will probably just be expressing myself in a less interesting manner. But, if you’re interested in reading some of the points that stuck out most to me, then go ahead :).

    I think this is a brilliant story, and well-deserving of its reputation. It has a very distinctive style, with unique central characters and a philosophical layer over the entirety of it which appears to act as a commentary on human nature. Being my first exposure to John Steinbeck, I imagine this is the style he is renowned for, and I look forward to engaging with it more in the future, perhaps with Grapes of Wrath in a couple months.

    “Guy don't need no sense to be a nice fella. Seems to me sometimes it jus' works the other way around. Take a real smart guy and he ain't hardly ever a nice fella.”

    This is a story that revolves around our characters, which is driven by several powerful concepts, such as the often paradoxical nature of life, that interweave and act more as a subtle intrusion more as the main focus of the story. George and Lennie are our main protagonists, with George looking after Lennie, who has a mental disability. I think that these are both crafted fantastically, with their strenuous but genuine friendship being depicted in an authentic manner that was amazing to read.

    We have other key characters in Of Mice and Men, but I would say that these were not as well crafted as George and Lennie. But this is no bad thing. Steinbeck obviously made a conscious decision regarding this, and as such makes George and Lennie the focus, with others, such as Curley, appearing to represent the harsh life of the working class during The Great Depression.

    Throughout Of Mice and Men, I felt this air of perpetual melancholia, and a sense of dread that somehow permeated from every word. As George and Lennie discuss their dream, it just felt like the whole time that they would not achieve their aspirations, and because of this, Of Mice and Men was incredibly impactful, and a tense reading experience throughout which I have rarely felt before. To do this, John Steinbeck was obviously a master of his craft.

    “Guys like us got nothing to look ahead to.”

    Of Mice and Men is of course a brilliant read, with memorable characters, fantastic prose and also a read that allows for a philosophical reading that you can return and build on a long time after reading. I have not nearly covered the interesting aspects of this canonical story, nor could I if I tried, but these are just a few reasons you should read Of Mice and Men. For its size, it offers so much, and as a reader you can have the freedom of just enjoying a read, or engaging with with the concepts Steinbeck discusses.

    This was a good read, with unique central characters and a very distinctive, page-turning prose. Throughout the entirety of the read, there was an air of melancholy and sadness that was leading to the ending that I suspected would occur, but dreaded throughout.
    14 people found this helpful
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  • John Moseley
    5.0 out of 5 stars The book that GCSE students love to hate
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 16 January 2012
    Verified Purchase
    The introduction to this edition tells us that Of Mice and Men continues to be banned by school boards throughout the US, mainly because of the earthy, racist language used by the characters throughout. There are plenty of UK students who wish the same applied here. For some reason, Of Mice and Men occupies the same risible space in the minds of many english students as that other course staple To Kill a Mockingbird - that is, they hate it. A pity, because Of Mice and Men is superb, and touches on universal themes such as loneliness, poverty, friendship, jealousy and cruelty, which are part of its enduring relevance and appeal. It is a dream within a dream - the dream of two itinerant farm workers, Lenny and George, to scrape enough money together to buy a small farm of their own, become independent and 'live off the fat o' the lan'.

    Susan Shillinglaw writes a revealing introduction to this edition, which also tells us that Steinbeck conceived a new narrative form - the 'playable novel' i.e. a story that could equally be read as a conventional narrative or seen in dramatic performance. The plot is staged as a play, with theatric scenes and a narrative that guides us carefully from one set piece to the next. It is clear from the outset that this will be a tragic 'play', and so it proves. The intro also tells us that Steinbeck saw with his own eyes a hired hand kill a ranch foreman with a pitchfork when working as a farm hand himself. This episode is reimagined as one of the pivotal points of the narrative, and leads to the tragic ending.

    GCSE students may hate it, but Of Mice and Men has stood the test of time as an enduring, precautionary tale of what happens when man is pitched against fellow man in a society that has lost its true sense of morality. It is this universality and the razor-sharp tightness of Steinbeck's storytelling, that makes Of Mice and Men a profoundly moving and richly rewarding read.
    7 people found this helpful
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  • J
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 16 February 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Good for my gcse english.👍🏽 would reccomend.
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  • Melanie Jane Coe
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful, brilliant writing, do not miss this novel.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 9 May 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Wonderful short story, not to be missed. I will never forget it!
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  • case4240xl
    5.0 out of 5 stars As described
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 April 2025
    Verified Purchase
    As described
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Honza
    5.0 out of 5 stars This book is a classic
    Reviewed in Spain on 30 July 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I love the way Steinbeck plays with the language – flowery descriptions of sceneries and situations are in contrast with the way how the characters, un-educated man of the time speak. The story is brilliant, captivating, sad and beautiful.
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  • Gerardo
    5.0 out of 5 stars Bonita historia.
    Reviewed in Mexico on 3 April 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Buen libro, para alumnos de inglés avanzado.
    Report
  • Katalina
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good book, bad package
    Reviewed in the Netherlands on 9 January 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Would give 5 stars but amazon puts stickers on the book directly, instead of maybe wrapping the book in plastic and putting the sticker on the plastic. Sticker leaves a stain on the book that's ugly and can't be removed to my knowledge
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  • Jack
    5.0 out of 5 stars Special book
    Reviewed in Italy on 8 February 2018
    Verified Purchase
    This is truly one of the most interesting books I've ever read so far. It's amazing how Steinbeck is precise in the descriptions and in the psychological analysis of the characters.
    The language is expressive and very easy to understand also for a foreigner like me.
    Very recommended book.
    Customer image
    Jack
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    Special book

    Reviewed in Italy on 8 February 2018
    This is truly one of the most interesting books I've ever read so far. It's amazing how Steinbeck is precise in the descriptions and in the psychological analysis of the characters.
    The language is expressive and very easy to understand also for a foreigner like me.
    Very recommended book.
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  • amazons
    5.0 out of 5 stars Muhteşem bir kitap ve baskısı da mükemmel
    Reviewed in Turkey on 14 September 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Fazla söze gerek yok muhteşem bir kitap ve baskısı ise videodaki gibi son derece kaliteli.
    Report

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