Journal of a Novel: The East of Eden LettersEach working day from January 29 to November 1, 1951, John Steinbeck warmed up to the work of writing East of Eden with a letter to the late Pascal Covici, his friend and editor at The Viking Press. It was his way, he said, of "getting my mental arm in shape to pitch a good game."
Steinbeck's letters were written on the left-hand pages of a notebook in which the facing pages would be filled with the test of East of Eden. They touched on many subjects—story arguments, trial flights of workmanship, concern for his sons. Part autobiography, part writer's workshop, these letters offer an illuminating perspective on Steinbeck's creative process, and a fascinating glimpse of Steinbeck, the private man. |
Contents
June 5 Tuesday | |
June 6 Wednesday | |
June 7 Thursday | |
June 11 Monday | |
June 12 TUESDAY | |
June 18 Monday | |
June 19 Tuesday | |
June 21 Thursday | |
February 27 TUESDAY | |
February 28 WEDNESDAY | |
March 5 Monday | |
March 6 Tuesday | |
March 7 Wednesday | |
March 12 Monday | |
March 13 Tuesday | |
March 14 Wednesday | |
March 16 Friday | |
March 20 Tuesday | |
March 21 Wednesday | |
Still March 21 Wednesday | |
March 23 Good Friday | |
Still March 23 still Good Friday | |
March 24 Saturday | |
March 26 Monday continued | |
March 27 Tuesday | |
March 27 continued | |
March 29 Thursday | |
March 30 Friday | |
April 2 Monday | |
April 3 Tuesday | |
April 4 Wednesday | |
April 5 THURSDAY | |
April 76 Friday | |
April 8 7 Saturday | |
Monday April 9 | |
April 10 Tuesday | |
April 10 Tuesday continued | |
April 11 Wednesday | |
April 13 FRIDAY | |
April 17 Tuesday | |
April 18 Wednesday | |
April 19 Thursday | |
April 20 continued | |
April 22 Sunday | |
April 24 Tuesday | |
April 25 Wednesday | |
April 26 Thursday | |
April 30 Monday | |
May 1 Tuesday | |
May 3 Thursday | |
May 4 Friday | |
May 7 continued | |
May 9 Wednesday | |
May 10 Thursday | |
May 11 Friday | |
May 13 Sunday | |
May 15 Tuesday | |
May 16 Wednesday | |
May 17 Thursday | |
May 22 Tuesday | |
May 23 Wednesday | |
May 24 Thursday | |
May 28 Monday | |
May 30 Wednesday Memorial Day | |
May 31 Thursday | |
June 1 Friday | |
June 22 Friday | |
June 25 Monday | |
June 26 Tuesday | |
June 26 continued | |
June 27 Wednesday | |
June 28 THURSDAY | |
June 29 FRIDAY | |
July 2 Monday | |
July 3 Tuesday | |
July 4 Wednesday | |
July 5 Thursday | |
July 9 Monday | |
July 10 Tuesday | |
July 11 Wednesday | |
July 13 Friday | |
July 14 Saturday | |
July 16 Monday | |
July 18 Wednesday | |
July 18 19 Thursday | |
July 23 Monday | |
July 24 Tuesday | |
July 26 Thursday | |
July 30 Monday | |
August 2 THURSDAY Toms Birthday | |
August 3 Friday | |
August 7 Tuesday | |
August 8 Tuesday | |
August 9 Thursday | |
August 10 Friday | |
August 12 SUNDAY | |
August 20 Monday | |
August 21 Tuesday | |
August 22 Wednesday | |
Thursday August 23 Later | |
August 24 Friday | |
August 27 Monday | |
August 28 Tuesday | |
August 30 31 Friday | |
September 4 Tuesday | |
September 6 Thursday | |
September 7 Friday | |
September 11 Tuesday | |
September 13 Thursday | |
September 25 TUESDAY | |
September 27 Thursday | |
October 2 TUESDAY | |
October 5 Friday | |
30 AM again | |
October 11 Thursday | |
October 12 Friday | |
October 16 TUESDAY | |
October 18 Thursday | |
October 22 Monday | |
October 23 Tuesday | |
October 25 Thursday | |
October 27 SATURDAY | |
October 31 Wednesday | |
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Adam afternoon anyway beautiful beginning believe better boys Cathy chapter clear close coming completely continue course dawdling day’s deal don’t know early Elaine everything fact feel finally finish Friday getting give glad go back goes going gone guess Hamilton hand happen hard hold hope I’ll important interested keep kind last night later least leave lives look March matter mean mind Monday month morning move never notes novel opening pencil perhaps pretty probably reader ready reason remember rest Samuel scene seems sense short sleep slow sometimes start started stop story strange sure talk tell There’s things thought Thursday tired tomorrow trouble true Tuesday Valley Wednesday week week end whole wish wonder worry write written yesterday