I went to Salinas and Monterey yesterday with the family. While spending time with my family in close proximity was hardly the joyous occasion my mom wanted it to be, going to the National Steinbeck Center and the Steinbeck house made me that much more complete. What an extraordinary man!
I read East of Eden yesterday for the hell of it. I read that book some three times a year. I reread nearly all of my books at least once, but East of Eden is one of those that I have to pick up just about every time I have a break from school. In fact, the cover is ripping away from the rest of the book and is curling around the edges in a sad way. I'll have to get another copy very soon. I don't think that my current copy will last me another year's worth of re-readings.
Actually, it reminds me of the fact that both my copies of Atlas Shrugged look as though someone tried to shred the books by mistake and then pull it out after some five seconds of publishing doom. (Other well-loved books that I read repeatedly include The Fountainhead, Marie Antoinette, The Journey, The Bell Jar, and White Oleander. Some books that I've read this summer/year that I know I will be rereading for ages are Big Sur, Allen Ginsberg's poems, Incubation: A Space for Monsters.)
One of the first exhibits was the East of Eden one. I started crying over it, I was so happy. Oh the gloriousness that is timshel. If I get another tattoo, it'll say "timshel". I don't have to believe in God to believe in choice. Choice sets me free!
So, that's one more thing off the bucket list.
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