John Steinbeck has had a big influence on people lives. John Steinbeck was born in Salinas, California. He mostly lived in Monterey Bay where most of the setings for his fiction stories took place. Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, Milton's Paradise Lost, and Le Morte d'Arthur were some of his early favorites. Steinbeck attended a local high school and on his vacation from school he worked on farms and ranches.
In 1930 on January 14 he marries Carol Henning and he meets Edward F. Ricketts, his longtime friend, in October. Ricketts was a marine biologist and a philosopher. In February 6th a play-novelette Of Mice and Men published by Covici-Friede. November 23 there was a New York opening play for Of Mice and Men.
In the fall of 1941 Steinbeck sepreated with Carol and moves to New York City with singer Gwyndolyn Conger. Carol Henning sued for divorce in March of1942. In March 29, 1943 he marries Gwyn Conger in New Orleans. Conger had a baby boy ,Thom, on August 2, 1944. And in  June 12 of 1946 had a birth of second son, John IV. The Pearl was published by Viking in November of1947.

John Steinbecks first three novels went unoticed, Cup Of Gold (1929), Sea Of Cortez (1941), To A God Unknown (1933) but in 1935 his funny novel Tortilla Flat. Steinbeck was the first author from California to recieve a Nobel Prize in 1962.