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Written by Pulitzer Prize-winning author John Steinbeck and published in 1937, Of Mice and Men tells the experiences of two migrant workers who move from place to place in search of new job opportunities during the Great Depression in the United States. The title of the book comes from a 1785 Robert Burn’s poem titled  - To A Mouse. The poem tells of the regret the narrator feels for having destroyed the home of a mouse while plowing his field. Although written in a Scottish dialect, for both our sakes, I’ll just recite the main stanza in from the English translation. But Mouse, you are not alone, In proving foresight may be vain: The best-laid schemes of mice and men Go oft awry, And leave us nothing but grief and pain, For promised joy! Without question, Of Mice and Men has been included on nearly every teenagers reading list for over 50 years, and along with Steinbeck's other books such as Grapes of Wrath, many consider it an American classic. In the United Kingdom, Of Mice and Men is one of the key texts used by the examining body in English Literature. Personally, John Steinbeck has written some of my favorite books, which is why I wanted to make this episode. Sadly, not everyone has the same view of this story or of the author. Perhaps this is why I struggle with the criticism. Continue listening to hear about Steinbeck's timeless novel and why it appears on the American Library Association's list of the Most Challenged Books in both the 20th and even 21st Century. Mad at the World: A Life of John Steinbeck: https://amzn.to/3q11n36 https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5325/steinbeckreview.10.2.0118 https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/banned-of-mice-and-men/ https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/features/john-steinbeck-author-anniversary-death-of-mice-and-men-grapes-wrath-east-eden-a8690851.html --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app