John Steinbeck: The Errant Knight: An Intimate Biography of His California Years [VINTAGE 1975] [FIRST EDITION]

Language: English

Published by Chronicle Books, San Francisco, California, 1975

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  • Hardcover
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Seller: Vero Beach Books, Vero Beach, FL, U.S.A.Vero Beach Books

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Hardcover

Condition: Used - Fine

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Item description from seller

Fine unread condition blue cloth boards with a silver front cover illustration and silver spine lettering contained in a very good condition price-clipped photographic dust jacket. Includes Author Dedication; Author's Note; Acknowledgments; Prologue; Epilogue and Index. Illustrated with a section of black-and-white photographic plates and a black-and-white photographic plate frontispiece. Also includes a tipped-in February 24, 2002 neatly cut out newspaper article entitled "Author Honored in Town Than Shunned Him" by Kim Curtis, Associated Press Writer. "This personal biography of Steinbeck the man is written from personal recollection and years of research by the friend and writer Steinbeck knew would one day be his biographer. So, rather than another critical treatise on Steinbeck's work, this is a kaleidoscopic view of the flesh and blood Steinbeck. The book emphasizes Steinbeck's formative years: his Tom Sawyer boyhood in Salinas; his experiences as farmhand, seaman, road-gang flunkie, hod carrier and dam builder; his rip-roaring pursuit of the traditional wine, women and song. These California years, which shaped the life and work of the Nobel prize winning author, come to life in this book which follows Steinbeck's career through his most productive period and the years of his finest work." - from the rear outer jacket. "LIke the heroes of the Arthurian legends he loved from childhood, John Steinbeck's life was a quest: for truth, for love and, most of all, to right wrongs. In the process he became a legendary figure himself, a folk hero many of whose exploits were exaggerated or simply invented. This was due, in part, to his desire for privacy; in part to his occasionally indulged mischievous impulses to give reporters "a good story." Perhaps these are the reasons why there have been numerous critiques of Steinbeck's work but, up to now, no intimate study of the man himself. Nelson Valjean - a friend of John Steinbeck, his family and limited circle of intimate friends from the earliest days in Salinas, California - is one of the few writers able to compile a definitive Steinbeck biography. From his personal recollections emerges the story of John Steinbeck's formative and mosts productive period: the California years. It is filled with revealing anecdotes of escapades in Salinas during an idyllic small-town, Tom Sawyer boyhood; inconclusive college days at Stanford; his search for himself through years of drifting as farmhand, seaman, mill-worker, construction worker; and always his insuppressible need to communicate the secret, private portion of his being through writing. Many of the characters, places and experiences presented so factually and graphically in this book appear in Steinbeck's books and plays; the pony he loved, the hills he roamed, the paisanos he drank with and, of course, Ed Ricketts, the biologist-philosopher of Cannery Row. Unlike Nelson Valjean, few of us were privileged to be an intimate of the most human of Nobel prize winners. Yet, through Valjean's vivid portrait (enhanced by photographs from the Steinbeck family and friends) we can share an appreciation of a man as lusty and warm-blooded as any of the unforgettable characters - Lennie, the Joads, "Doc" - who will live forever in Steinbeck's works." - from the inner front and rear jacket flaps.…

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Bibliographic details

Title
John Steinbeck: The Errant Knight: An Intimate Biography of His California Years [VINTAGE 1975] [FIRST EDITION]
Author
Valjean, Nelson
Publisher
Chronicle Books, San Francisco, California
Publication year
1975
Condition
Fine
Dust jacket
Very Good
Binding
Hardcover
Language
English
Edition
1st Edition
Dimensions
8vo - over 7¾ - 9¾" tall

Vero Beach Books

Vero Beach, FL, U.S.A.

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Vero Beach Books is an antiquarian bookseller with a constantly updated inventory of rare out-of-print books, signed books, children's books, plus a large inventory of ephemeral items such as major U.S. city newspapers going back 100 years and more, golden and silver age fine condition comic books (soon to be added), and many other ephemeral items as well as much more recent popular volumes. We have been in business for 25 years, originally known as Emerson Books (named after one of our owner's favorite authors, to wit, Ralph Waldo Emerson) located back then in Westport, Connecticut. That said, we are here to serve you, to offer you fine quality items that are conservatively described so that you will always be pleasantly surprised and delighted with your purchase. Twenty-five years in the bookselling business has borne out our stellar service oriented reputation; the only difference is that now we are located in the almost always sunny and warm climate of Vero Beach, Florida. Again, we are here to serve you and, as was the case when we were previously known on ABEBooks.com as Emerson Books, we will continue to offer our very popular 100% free search service for those hard to find books rare and out of print books. Oftentimes we are also able to obtain these rare finds at very good discounts to our customers' so it is always worth contacting us in such cases! RECENT CUSTOMER ACCOLADES: "Hi Steve, just received the mega sized Atlas Shrugged. Great service, great packaging, and excellent book condition. Looking forward to reading it again. All the best, Gunter." "Thank you so much for my book! It was packaged so nicely! Great end to my day! Have a great day!" - Lisa. "Thanks for the great send. Well done!" - Valdo. "Steve, I received the book today. It is a very clean copy just like you described, and I am extremely happy to now own a first edition copy in such wonderful condition! Thank you very much". - Ray." "No questions or issues. I just wanted to thank Steve for doing such a nice job packaging the book and shipping it out. Everything is Great! Have a Merry Christmas!" - Brad S. "Dear Steve - I just received my book from you, Bob Dylan: Chronicles Vol. One and I am so impressed with your services. It came early, was a new copy just as advertised, and you packaged it just perfectly. It is a Christmas gift for my sister, who is a huge Bob Dylan fan. Thank you so much for your outstanding service, Steve! I will not hesitate to order from you again, and recommend you to others. Have a safe and joyous holiday season! Best Regards, Kathleen" "Greetings STEVE - Thank You for sending the COSMOS DVD set. It arrived in good condition last week. THANK YOU for your meticulous care in wrapping the DVD set package!!! This COSMOS Collector's Edition DVD set will be making a cherished Christmas gift for someone who grew up with COSMOS in 1981 era. Appreciate you offering it for sale at a reasonable price. Best wishes to you for a Christmas Holiday." - Alan C. "His Steve, no queries - just to say thank you. Book arrived in good condition and looking forward to reading what Mark Lane had to say about the Warren Commission's findings ...so long ago!" - Cheers, Nigel. "Just received my copy of Angle of Repose. Congratulations on both timely processing and the excellent copy of the book all at reasonable price. Well Done!!!!" - Beth B.…

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Vero Beach Books

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