Special Collections Staff Favorites: Of Mice and Men 1st Edition

John Steinbeck has been my favorite author since I first read East of Eden back in my high school AP English class. After finishing East of Eden and being thoroughly entranced by Steinbeck's writing, I ventured into our school's library and checked out the only other Steinbeck book available at the time, his 1937 novel Of Mice and Men. I became so engrossed by Steinbeck's story that I finished it during the course of that school day. Admittedly reading it under my desk during my math and science classes, sorry Mrs. Clarke and Mr. Beckers! I was thrilled to discover a first edition of Of Mice and Men in the Special Collections and Archives during my first week of employment at Payson Library.

Of Mice and Men was published in 1937 and remains one of Steinbeck's most celebrated titles, even if it is on the shorter side when stacked up against Grapes of Wrath or East of Eden. Like a lot of his books, Of Mice and Men serves as a social commentary on the economic problems of laborers and as a social criticism on the perception of laborers. Both of which are still relevant topics today. Steinbeck's writing style finds a unique blend of the natural and organic with a dark biblical tone, a combination I have yet to find replicated anywhere else.

Of Mice and Men is a great place to start if you are interested in diving into the works of John Steinbeck and Payson Library has a copy available to checkout once it is safe to return to campus.