Thomas Steinbeck writing, and the communication arts. He served as a board member of both the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas, California and "The Center for Steinbeck Studies" at San Jose State University. And once every year, he would personally present the John Steinbeck Award through his foundation, "The John Steinbeck Family Foundation" in affiliation with "The Center for Steinbeck Studies". During his lifetime, Steinbeck was an advocate for authors' rights. In 2009, he and his friend, folk-singer Arlo Guthrie (another son of a famous father), brought a copyright infringement lawsuit against Google which was eventually settled. At the time of his
Thomas Steinbeck two sons, Thomas and John Jr., and had never wanted any children. When she was experiencing problems during her pregnancy with John Jr., Steinbeck told her that she had 'complicated' his life during a busy period of writing. When John Jr. arrived prematurely in 1946, she recalls Steinbeck telling her: 'I wish to Christ he’d die, he’s taking up too much of your fucking time.' She identifies the conversation as 'the moment when love died ... He never cried for me. He never cried for his sons.' " When not in school or on holiday, Thom and his younger brother