Of Mice and Men in popular culture Of Mice and Men in popular culture Of Mice and Men is a novella by John Steinbeck, which tells the story of George and Lennie, two displaced migrant workers in California during the Great Depression (1929–1939). The story is set on a ranch a few miles from Soledad in the Salinas Valley. Since its initial publication in 1937, it has been frequently referenced in popular culture. Homages to the characters Lennie and George have been especially popular in American cartoons and animated films. The "New York Times" reviewed the 1939 film based on the novella thusly: Theatrical cartoon shorts of
John Steinbeck was published. According to his third wife, Elaine, he considered it his "magnum opus", his greatest novel. In 1952, John Steinbeck appeared as the on-screen narrator of 20th Century Fox's film, "O. Henry's Full House". Although Steinbeck later admitted he was uncomfortable before the camera, he provided interesting introductions to several filmed adaptations of short stories by the legendary writer O. Henry. About the same time, Steinbeck recorded readings of several of his short stories for Columbia Records; the recordings provide a record of Steinbeck's deep, resonant voice. Following the success of "Viva Zapata!", Steinbeck collaborated with Kazan on "East