There's no doubt Parini is an excellent writer. He's proven that on numerous occasions. But the Steinbeck autobiography proves he is also an excellent researcher and distiller of information. Steinbeck has been one of my favorite writers for years, and, as stated within his preface, he is one of Parini's favorites as well. Parini's admiration for Steinbeck comes across, as he details the many periods of Steinbeck's life, such as the Depression years, the war correspondence days, and the latter novels, such as The Winter of Our Discontent and Travels with Charley. Of particular interest within this biography is Parini's exploration of Steinbeck's psychological background and why he includes so many strong female characters within his novels.