This and Cannery Row are the two best Steinbeck books. With Steinbeck, it’s always good to stay away from anything moralistic, or with religious connotations. Unfortunately, growing up in California, we read a lot of Steinbeck in schools, but it was all his rotten boring stuff! and none of the really good stuff.

Steinbeck and friends go out onto the Sea of Cortez to collect specimen samples for his marine biologist friend. High jinks ensue!