Suddenly, I don’t feel so bad about struggling with the fact that all these years, I’ve been unable to stand John Steinbeck.
Mr. Steigerwald, a former newspaperman, said he was planning to pay respectful tribute last year when he retraced Steinbeck’s 1960 journey — 10,000 miles from Long Island to Maine to California and back. But as he explained in a blog and an article in this month’s Reason magazine, facts got in the way.
He checked the book against Steinbeck’s actual itinerary, letters from the road, the book’s draft and revisions. They convinced him that Steinbeck misrepresented dates and places and had not spent all that time alone with his dog. His wife, Elaine, was along for most of the trip; they often stayed in deluxe hotels and camped hardly at all.
Mr. Steinbeck apparently thought he’d be able to pull one over on the public, but not so much.
Obviously enough, he isn’t the first person to lie. Really, he’s just another author to add to the list.
It seems that some just don’t give a crap though…
It is irritating that some Steinbeck scholars seem not to care. “Does it really matter that much?” one of them asked a Times reporter.
So, does it matter that Steinbeck lied?
My answer is YES. You lied to the public, to the people who read your books, to those who love your writing. All that does is destroy your credibility and hurt your followers.
Just a closing thought, don’t lie – it’ll catch up with you.
Among Stories 
I’ve always had a really hard time reading Steinbeck as well, like his novels are ones I should read and like, but never do. I feel less guilty about it now too 🙂
It’s good to know I’m not alone! Most everyone I know who’s read him swears by his books, but I just never could love his writing.