The Wayward Bus

The Wayward Bus by John Steinbeck

Category: Fiction Grade: B+

This'll be a pretty short review. John Steinbeck is, in my mind, the best novelist ever. While this book isn't quite up to the standards of classics like Of Mice and Men, East of Eden or Grapes of Wrath, its still classic Steinbeck. Steinbeck writes terrific stories but his strength is in the way he creates characters that you feel like you know and he does it in the briefest, most visual way possible.

Just one example of Steinbeck's efficiency. In describing Juan Chicoy, the lead character, he says "He walked as though he were going to some exact spot." Think about.

If you haven't read Steinbeck, start.