Such is my passion for John Steinbeck, that it’s always a big day for celebration when an unowned work arrives at my home, and yesterday was one of those days when a copy of Steinbeck’s journalistic work, A Russian Journal hit the doormat, courtesy of biscotti_mio over at BookMooch.
Ironically brought to me by the other Steinbeck in my life (yes we’ve already taught puppy to bring us the mail, without ripping it up 
)), I tore open the packaging to reveal a mint copy of the Penguin Classics reprint of Steinbeck’s 1948 publication.
Just one glance at a single paragraph confirms that the book is wholly the work of the literary master, and that he is just as accomplished scribing reportage, as he is with writing fiction:
‘We moved onto a flowered meadow where there were hundreds of beehives, and a little tent where the beekeeper lived. The air was filled with the soft roar of bees working in the clover of the meadow. And the old bearded beekeeper came walking rapidly toward us, with nets to put over our faces. We put them on and shoved our hands into our pockets. The bees buzzed angrily about us.’
Geez, that makes my heart pound ). And if Steinbeck’s sublime prose wasn’t enough to excite, A Russian Journal also includes the photojournalistic record of the trip, as captured by Steinbeck’s travel partner, the acclaimed war photographer Robert Capa (he’s the photographer who captured the iconic ‘Falling Soldier’ image) .
So all in all then A Russian Journal looks to be one amazing and unique work, and I’m so delighted to finally have a copy in my hands. If you’re reading this biscotti_mio, you have no idea just how grateful I am to you for ‘gifting’ me such a valuable title. Thank you from the very bottom of my fuzzy and warm Steinbeck-filled heart, biscotti_mio. Thank you so much! )
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