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The Winter of Our Discontent cover art

The Winter of Our Discontent

By: John Steinbeck
Narrated by: David Aaron Baker
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Summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

Ethan Allen Hawley has lost the acquisitive spirit of his wealthy and enterprising forebears, a long line of proud New England sea captains and Pilgrims. Scarred by failure, Ethan works as a grocery clerk in a store his family once owned. But his wife is restless and his teenage children troubled and hungry for the material comforts he cannot provide. Then a series of unusual events reignites Ethan's ambition, and he is pitched on to a bold course, where all scruples are put aside. 

Steinbeck's searing examination of the evil influences of money, immorality, greed and ambition on America drew acclaim from the Nobel Committee, who hailed him as an 'independent expounder of the truth'. 

©1961 John Steinbeck (P)2020 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Returns to the high standards of The Grapes of Wrath and to the social themes that made his early work...so powerful." (Saul Bellow, author of Herzog)

What listeners say about The Winter of Our Discontent

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What makes a good man?

Oh boy, where to begin. For someone like me, who is not terribly familiar with the American greats and who is completely new to Steinbeck, this book was a dish - a true delicacy. Ethan Allen Hawley is a man of high moral standards living in a world marred by dishonesty and corruption. He is a well educated war veteran down on his luck. An heir to a proud family name who does not seem to be able to live up to his ancestral legacy. Some might say that he is too honest, too good. Then as the novel unfolds the contradictions start piling. Is he just a bit out of touch with reality? Maybe too self-righteous, too self-obsessed? Or is he a rattlesnake waiting to shed his skin? At the end of the day, what makes a good man? A part of me dearly wishes the author had provided a clear-cut answer. But that would not do, would it? It is up to each of us to reckon with the mess of questions and contradictions that is the reality of Mr. Ethan Allen Hawley an come to his own answers and conclusions.

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Great, balanced narration

Lovely reading of a classic novel. The novel is very deep even though the form is reserved and the language is accessible

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Wonderful writing.

This is my favourite book.I’ve read it many times and now that my sight isn’t so good I thought I’d listen to it but was slightly worried that the narration might jar with what I had in my head.In fact it couldn’t have been better.John Steinbeck was a genius and I think this is his best novel and beautifully read.

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