Ralph White 2008-11-17

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"During the millennia that frogs and men have lived in the same world, it is probable that men have hunted frogs. And during that time a pattern of hunt and parry has developed. The man with net or bow or lance or gun creeps noiselessly, as he thinks, toward the frog. The pattern requires that the frog sit still, sit very still and wait. The rules of the game require the frog to wait until the final flicker of a second, when the net is descending, when the lance is in the air, when the finger squeezes the trigger, then the frog jumps, plops into the water, swims to the bottom and waits until the man goes away. That is the way it is done, the way it has always been done. Frogs have every right to expect it will always be done that way. Now and then the net is too quick, the lance pierces, the gun flicks and that frog is gone, but it is all fair and in the framework. Frogs don't resent that. But how could they have foreseen the horror that followed? The sudden flashing of lights, the shouting and squealing of men, the rush of feet. Every frog leaped, plopped into the pool, and swam frantically to the bottom. Then into the pool plunged the line of men, stamping, churning, moving in a crazy line up the pool, flinging their feet about. Hysterically the frogs displaced from their placid spots swam ahead of the crazy thrashing feet and the feet came on. Frogs are good swimmers but they haven't much endurance. Down the pool they went until finally they were bunched and crowded against the end. And the feet and wildly plunging bodies followed them. A few frogs lost their heads and floundered among the feet and got through and these were saved. But the majority decided to leave this pool forever, and to find a new home in a new country where this kind of thing didn't happen. A wave of frantic, frustrated frogs, big ones, little ones, brown ones, green ones, men frogs and women frogs, a wave of them broke over the bank, crawled, leaped, scrambled. They clambered up the grass, they clutched at each other, the little ones rode on the big ones. And then--horror on horror--the flashlights found them. Two men gathered them like berries. The line came out of the water and closed in on their rear and gathered them like potatoes. Tens and fifties of them were flung into the gunny sacks, and the sacks filled with tired, frightened, and disillusioned frogs, with dripping, whimpering frogs. Some got away, of course, and some had been saved in the pool. But never in frog history had such an execution taken place. Frogs by the pound, by the fifty pounds. They weren't counted but there must have been six or seven hundred. Then happily Mack tied up the necks of the sacks. They were soaking, dripping wet and the air was cool. They had a short one in the grass before they went back to the house so they wouldn't catch cold."

T. Jenanian 2008-11-16

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John Steinbeck's Cannery Row really makes literary history as a book of rare type and content.Though as similarly put by Steinbeck at the beginning of this book, it's stories come and go like tidal waves -all different, some to come back and some not; I have to say it was interesting and made it hard to pin-point any main characters of the book. (In my opinion the main characters were Mac & the boys and Doc -perhaps Mr. Lee.)
Comparatively with some of Steinbeck's other work, like Of Mice of Men, Cannery Row was much more easygoing and calm than his other works that have been thrilling and page-turning. In contrast, it is also a book about low-income, working people who's life is of hard work.
The little fishing town of Cannery Row had people with dark pasts and aimless ambitions in life, yet it was warm with friendship and community closeness.
There was a sense of philosophical wonder in both the typical and tragic events that occurred throughout this book. It was a simply told story about people living life, most trying to be as a good as they could, with some failing and moving on. A simply put moral of this story would be the will of human perseverance.
Never before have I read a book with such an indirect storyline so simply told, whose little thoughtful foreshadowing of events left me so wistful.

cluricaune 2008-11-08

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Cannery Row is a rundown street in Monterey, California - one that, presumably, takes its name from the sardine canneries based there. It's home to much more besides, though - honky-tonks, grocery-stores, flop-houses and whorehouses, even a laboratory...and a whole host of likeable, memorable characters.

Lee Chong, who runs Cannery Row's grocery store, is the first to be introduced. He's a fairly astute businessman, though probably a little unorthodox at the same time. He's willing to extend a line of credit (within reason) and he'll accept some alternatives to cold, hard currency when it comes to settling up. When Horace Abbeville comes in to settle what is reputedly the biggest grocery bill in Monterey, he offers a small warehouse across the way as payment. Although it's not much of a building, Lee knows it could be worth quite a bit if one of the canneries decides to expand - and, therefore, he quite happily accepts.

When word gets out, Mack - the leader of Cannery Row's small group of homeless men - pops in for a visit. The boys kindly offer to move into Lee's warehouse...Lee agrees, even though he knows that 'token' rent of five dollars a week will never be paid. On the other hand, he has willing bunch of security guards on call, guaranteed (legitimate) custom whenever the boys have money and absolutely no pilfering when they don't...which is more than the other grocery stores in Monterey are able to say. It also means that his warehouse - subsequently renamed the 'Palace Flophouse Grill' - is always well looked after. No-one ever breaks in, no windows are ever broken and it never 'mysteriously' burns to the ground. Mack's group - despite what you might think - are a good-hearted, likeable bunch. They're all unmarried and only Eddie - who fills in fairly often as a barman at La Ida - has anything like fairly regular work. When they need some cash, they're happy to collect frogs and cats for Doc, over at Western Biological.

Dora, meanwhile, runs the 'Bear Flag Restaurant. Here, you'll be able to negotiate for the one thing you'll not be able to buy in Lee Chong's Grocery Store - and, despite the name of her establishment, we're not talking about hot dinners. Nevertheless, the restaurant's twelve female members of staff are all kept pretty busy. Despite earning the wages of sin, Dora proves a lot more charitable than many who work in a more respectable trade. Then there's Henri the French painter - who, technically, isn't either French or a painter. (He explores art through alternative materials). For the last ten years, he has been living on a boat he has built himself...though, since the boat isn't complete, it's still moored on dry land. (Henri never intends to complete it - while he loves boats, he hates the ocean).

The book's lynchpin proves to be Doc - a kind, gentle, generous and sympathetic soul, who runs the Western Biological Laboratory Doc. Despite having dug himself right into the heart of Cannery Row, he still appears a rather lonely character. He sometimes has a few lady friends over, but he never visits Dora's. He only has a few simple pleasures in life - the occasional beer, a touch of poetry and a spot of music - and everyone who meets him wants to do something nice for him. 'Cannery Row' follows what happens when Mack and the boys decide to throw him a party.

Oscar Wilde - who, interestingly, is buried in Paris - once quipped 'when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life'. I suspect, had he read a little more Steinbeck, he'd have been quipping about Cannery Row instead. Life may not always have been easy there, but it proves to be a 'quiet and magical' community with genuinely likeable characters - a place where people look out for each other. A very easy, very enjoyable read.

PATH12 2008-11-07

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John Steinbeck portrayed the characters in his book to with such detail as i read i felt like i knew the people he was describing. The clerk in the store was i have to say is my favorite he was your typical laid back type of guy. The story line was well written every chapter opened up a broader view of their world. Its genuine in its writing how they added emotion and feeling in his word and showed how his characters shared a bond. over all it was a good book.

C. Ryan Quinnelly 2008-10-07

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One of my all time favorite books has been Tortilla Flat, and for reasons unknown, i waited a long time to finally read Cannery Row.

Both novels center around a motley crew of small town, simple folk, who all seem to have sound moral qualities otherwise lacking in those of privilege. Steinbeck suggests to us here that success spoils us, and the best human qualities; kindness, honesty, generosity--- are often prevalent of those of least success (which apparantly is the trade-off). There is no better example of this than in Mach and his crew who inhibit the Palace Flophouse.

One of the other great things about Cannery Row is Steinbecks mastery of local color and vernacular, and truly brings the town to life.