"Few American literary figures have elicited so much response from the scientific community - and extremely lucid commentary at that - as Steinbeck. What is accomplished is a sharper definition of Steinbeck as environmentalist, a description previously used all too nebulously, an aspect of Steinbeck's political awareness that has not been given its fair share of attention.... A most necessary addition." - Choice "Each of the editors writes an introduction to the book from the perspective of a literary scholar who is new to Steinbeck (Beegel), from the perspective of a Steinbeck specialist (Shillinglaw), and from the perspective of a field scientist (Tiffney). This pattern is carried out throughout the collection by the various contributors who are also non-specialist literary scholars, Steinbeck specialists, or scientists. The essays are well done and some are exceptional, but what raises this book above so many anthologies of criticism on a single author is once again the rich variety of approaches, which are, nevertheless, brought together into a unified whole." - South Atlantic Review"