East of Eden by John Steinbeck

Thanks to everyone who joined for our discussion of Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray yesterday. As always, it was a pleasure to see both familiar and new faces, and I hope you all enjoyed the conversation.

The next book to read is East of Eden (1952) by John Steinbeck.

Set primarily in California’s Salinas Valley around the turn of the 20th century, the novel follows the intertwined lives of the Trask and Hamilton families across several generations. Drawing inspiration from the biblical story of Cain and Abel, Steinbeck explores family relationships, love, jealousy, betrayal and the struggle between good and evil. At the heart of the novel lies the question of whether our lives are determined by our circumstances and the choices of others, or whether we ultimately have the freedom to choose our own path.

You can read more about the book on Wikipedia) and find it on Goodreads.

The book is also available on Apple Books, and you can look for an audiobook on YouTube.

There are also several screen adaptations.

The best-known is the 1955 film directed by Elia Kazan, starring James Dean in his first major film role. The film received four Academy Award nominations and won Best Supporting Actress for Jo Van Fleet. It is worth mentioning that the film covers only the final part of the novel.

There is also a brand-new Netflix miniseries from 2026, starring Florence Pugh, Christopher Abbott and Mike Faist. Written by Zoë Kazan, the granddaughter of the director of the 1955 film, the seven-episode series offers a new interpretation of Steinbeck’s novel, with particular emphasis on the character Cathy Ames.

For other resources on how to get a hold of classic books, please see the About section on the front page of the group.

We meet up on Saturday, December 12th, at 4 p.m.
The location will once again be the Fireplace Lounge at 25hours Hotel, Pilestræde 65.

Please remember to bring your suggestion for the next classic book to read.
Also, if you plan to attend, please remember to click “Attend” on Meetup.

And, as always, please be mindful and respectful of each other, so that everyone feels welcome and appreciated.

In the meantime, happy reading/listening/watching — or however you prefer to do it.