Carol and John Steinbeck

By Susan Shillinglaw,

Book cover of Carol and John Steinbeck: Portrait of a Marriage

Book description

Carol Henning Steinbeck, writer John Steinbeck's first wife, was his creative anchor, the inspiration for his great work of the 1930s, culminating in The Grapes of Wrath. When they met at Lake Tahoe in 1928, their attachment was immediate, their personalities meshing in creative synergy. Carol was unconventional, artistic, and…

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Why read it?

1 author picked Carol and John Steinbeck as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

In Portrait of a Marriage, Steinbeck scholar Susan Shillinglaw beautifully brings John Steinbeck’s first wife Carol into the spotlight. The impeccably researched narrative lays out the path of a ten-year marriage doomed to fail, even as Carol shapes John into one of America’s great writers. I couldn’t put it down. 

Want books like Carol and John Steinbeck?

Our community of 10,000+ authors has personally recommended 91 books like Carol and John Steinbeck.

Browse books like Carol and John Steinbeck

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in marriage, San Francisco, and modernism?

10,000+ authors have recommended their favorite books and what they love about them. Browse their picks for the best books about marriage, San Francisco, and modernism.

Marriage Explore 121 books about marriage
San Francisco Explore 195 books about San Francisco
Modernism Explore 30 books about modernism