This sprawling and often brutal novel, set in the rich farmlands of California's Salinas Valley, follows the intertwined destinies of two families--the Trasks' and the Hamilton's--whose generations helplessly reenact the fall of Adam and Eve and the poisonous rivalry of Cain and Abel. The story of two brothers, Aron is a clean-cut model student, engaged to be married, the pride of his hardworking father. Cal is a rebellious loner, sternly rejected...

the chrysanthemums;the white quail;flight;the snake;breakfast;the raid;the harness;the vigilante; johnny bear;the murder;st. katy the virgin;red pony,the gift,the great mountains,the promise;the leader of the people

Adam and Charles Trask grow up in the shadow of their father, Cyrus. Cyrus prefers Adam, inciting jealousy in his younger son. Adam is signed up for the cavalry, while Charles works on the family farm. Reuniting years later, the brothers live in peace until a beautiful woman nearly beaten to death arrives on their front porch. Adam nurses her back to health and falls blindly in love. But Cathy hides a cruel past. Adam and Cathy marry and have twin...

Adam and Charles Trask grow up in the shadow of their father, Cyrus. Cyrus prefers Adam, inciting jealousy in his younger son. Adam is signed up for the cavalry, while Charles works on the family farm. Reuniting years later, the brothers live in peace until a beautiful woman nearly beaten to death arrives on their front porch. Adam nurses her back to health and falls blindly in love. But Cathy hides a cruel past. Adam and Cathy marry and have twin...

Tells the story about the strange relationship of two migrant workers who are able to realize their dreams of an easy life until one of them succumbs to his weakness for soft, helpless creatures and strangles the farmer's wife.

Best friends Lennie and George find themselves unemployed in Depression-era California, unable to maintain a stable working pattern for long because of Lennie's infantile mental capacity. They get hired at the Tyler Ranch but soon their work is ripped apart by tragedy when Curly's beautiful but unhappy wife becomes the innocent victim of Lennie's compassion.

This sprawling and often brutal novel, set in the rich farmlands of California's Salinas Valley, follows the intertwined destinies of two families--the Trasks and the Hamiltons--whose generations helplessly reenact the fall of Adam and Eve and the poisonous rivalry of Cain and Abel.