Tortilla Flat (1935)

Steinbeck's first major success is either a novella, or a series of short stories, to be read as a philosophical rumination or a comic opera, featuring a cast of characters who are misogynistic alcoholics or mystical ethereal beings...what ever floats your tortilla.

In a series of wordy-titled chapters, (main character?) Danny and his many friends hang around a poor part of Monterey, California known as Tortilla Flat. They live to drink and drink to live, getting into various shenanigans all in the misguided effort of helping each other out, when in fact they commit petty crimes to follow through on what they see as nobler pursuits.

I almost tossed this aside before I got halfway through. I couldn't stand Danny or any of the other characters- mixed race lay-abouts without any ambition. Steinbeck reportedly thought this was not a racist tome, but a funny one, so I then approached it from a comedic angle, and that sometimes helped me get through the chapters. I didn't like what I was reading, but not taking things so seriously was a good choice. One thing I couldn't get past is how women are treated in this book. They are second class citizens, good for sex and kids, with a number of characters having children in their early teens. The group of paisanos put their wine over the women, and alcohol wins out every time. The dialogue often reads like it was translated with a little too flowery Spanish/English dictionary, however, and I grew tired of reading the word "wine" on every page, sometimes half a dozen times. Their hooch of choice is a dollar a gallon, and its pursuit takes up most of the chapters. As the story grew darker toward the end, I finally began to become interested in this ragtag group of mental deficients, alcoholics, war veterans, and single mothers, but it was too little, too late. I read Steinbeck's "The Pearl" way back in college, and liked it much better than this slapdash affair.

I was moved by the final few pages, and some of the chapters. Maybe a more focused narrative and a dependable lead character would have helped, but I probably won't read this again in order to find out. ( )

The story of Danny and his freeloading friends who you would never want for fiends in this world or the next. How they use their friend Danny and steal and drink themselves drunk through life. ( )

Had a rough start given my antipathy toward those who can but won‘t responsibly take care of themselves, but Steinbeck pulled me in. Many reviews site racism and sexism, and I can see where you can go there, but I didn‘t. To me it was a story of people. There are Tortilla Flats across the globe, populated by all races, none better or worse than the others. Overall this book was enjoyable. Don‘t set your sights too high & you won‘t be disappointed. ( )

Grapes of Wrath is an all-time favorite but I had never read Tortilla Flat. I love California history, so recent and distant at the same time - a setting so completely different from The Great Gatsby (which I’m also currently rereading) even though they are take place at almost the exact same time. So much of Tortilla Flat feels outdated - full of language, situations, and prejudices that are no longer tolerated in society or literature. But that’s also what’s so interesting about it - what really places you in that time and place, understanding their condition, behaviors, and biases. That’s what is so captivating about Steinbeck’s work. He simultaneously captures what is magnificent and awful in the human experience. ( )

My favorite of John Steinbeck's works - his paisanos are role models for us all. Dolores and her vacuum can always make me cry, and the thud of bags of beans on Teresina Cortez's porch always makes me cry with pride. ( )