in dubious battle book review

• Home
• Blog
• About
• Tutorials

There's the people who pick em' and the people who pay em' to pick em.' In Dubious Battle (1936) is considered novelist John Steinbeck's first major work with its philosophical probes of group behavior, social inequality, human rights, sacrifice, and injustice. Led by the doomed Jim Nolan, the strike is founded on his tragic idealism—'courage, never submit, or yield'. Many of the themes and issues in "Grapes" were first introduced here. The driving force behind the strike are two activists for “The Party,” which Steinbeck … He and Jim, his recently recruited young colleague, set out to start a strike of apple pickers, who are burdened by low wages and poor working conditions. All American workers, the common men, are caught between Communists & Capitalists. The questions are broken out into sections, so they focus on specific chapters within In Dubious Battle. It's one of those that I imagined could be made into a film, which I found out it was in 2016 directed by James Franco. John Steinbeck's In Dubious Battle is really a tale of two tales. In Dubious Battle is a solid book. With this context in mind, the timing of James Franco’s In Dubious Battle appears to be more than fortuitous. He tells the story of a labor dispute in an agricultural community in California. The book follows the character of Jim along, as he joins the "party" and eventually accompanies Mac into apple picking country to organize a strike. This is one of Steinbeck’s best. Movie Review: In Dubious Battle (2017) UK Release Date: TBC Running Time: 110 minutes Rating: 15 Director: James Franco Writers: Matt Rager, John Steinbeck (Novel) Cast: James Franco, Nat Wolff, Vincent D’Onofrio, Selena Gomez, Sam Shepard, Ed Harris, Robert Duvall, John Savage, Josh Hutcherson, Bryan Cranston, Zach Braff What’s clear from reading the book is that Steinbeck had a pretty realistic view of the situation and, perhaps, of the capitalist system as a whole. The strikers face opposition from well organized farmers and law enforcement. As the book opens, one of the main characters, Jim Nolan, joins the Communist Party. So, the people who pick em' have to band together and agitate those who pay em.' This is a forgotten classic that should be mentioned right along with The Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men. One, depicts Steinbeck's views on the Socialist and Communist struggle in the Depression. He is willing to use anyone and do anything necessary to further his cause. While this isn't Steinbeck's best known work, it should rank among his best. The work hasn’t been consistent in quality, but his latest, In Dubious Battle, shows an emerging comfort with developing a complex story for the big screen. I would argue it's his first book that successfully generates these emotions in a serious, non-satirical manner. You remember that I had … I had some sympathy for the agitators--how do you end a system of oppression?-- but felt things would go badly for the. IN DUBIOUS BATTLE. Only one sentence in the book speaks for the Capitalists, the market price of apples has gone down, thus the migrant pickers wages are lower when they arrive than they expected. It's about the farmworkers and their struggle against injustice in California in the Thirties. And study of revenge, immortal hate, It's Steinbeck's first full-length novel considering the others up to this point are more like novellas. It indeed is a dubious battle for both sides, as morality is eroded by desperation, greed and many other factors. He tells the story of a labor dispute in an agricultural community in California. In Dubious Battle will likely slip by without anybody paying it much mind, and that's a shame. Welcome back. This hasn't been my favorite Steinbeck book. It's Steinbeck's first full-length novel considering the others up to this point are more like novellas. I’ve always been a big John Steinbeck fan. Book Review: In Dubious Battle by John Steinbeck, Daily Quote: Being Honest about Mental Health, Book Review: Damnificados by JJ Amaworo Wilson, Interstellar Rorschach Test (graphic art), On Racism and Growing up in the American South, Cooking is a Part of My Soul: Challah French Toast. Sometimes the people doin the payin' ain't payin' enough. Great story, and I'm still thinking about it more than a year after I first read it. An adaptation of John Steinbeck’s 1936 novel of the same name, the film contributes to Franco’s ongoing project of tackling seemingly every author ever taught in an AP literature class, while reminding contemporary audiences of where the true battle resides in an era hopelessly defined by … At once a relentlessly fast-paced, admirably observed novel of social unrest and the story of a young man’s struggle for identity, In Dubious Battle is set in the California apple country, where a strike by migrant workers against rapacious landowners spirals out of control, as a principled defiance metamorphoses into blind fanaticism. And when that 'means' is accomplished how will it 'end' for all who have participated? War wages between the workingman and the owners of the apple orchards. In Dubious Battle (2016) R | 110 min | Crime , Drama , History An activist gets caught up in the labor movement for farm workers in California during the 1930s. “In Dubious Battle” is monotonous in its messaging, working only when it allows itself to be a character piece less tied to Having Something to Say. In Dubious Battle. October 5, 1972 issue. It's about the farmworkers and their struggle against injustice in California in the Thirties. And the result is not good. You can’t beat City Hall, right? My Rating: 3 of 5 Stars Page Count: 355 Date Finished: September 6, 2017 In Dubious Battle is a solid book. Wikipedia has a good article on the book: In Dubious Battle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia John Steinbeck (1902-68) is remembered as one of the greatest and best-loved American writers of the twentieth century. For his first assignment, Nolan is sent with Mac, one of the Party’s veteran labor organizers, to help foment a strike among migratory fruit pickers in a small California valley. That makes it worthwhile.”, “Why, they're the dirtiest guys in any town. Of Mice and Men features these same characteristics. While this isn't Steinbeck's best known work, it should rank among his best. During the 1930s, his works included The Red Pony, Pastures of Heaven, Tortilla Flat, In Dubious Battle, and Of Mice and Men.The Grapes of Wrath, published in 1939, earned him a Pulitzer Prize.In 1962, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. Eve. The book feels like a preview to Grapes of Wrath and all of the social commentary Steinbeck makes in it. When the pickers arrived in the valley for the yearly harvest, the Grower’s Association announced that their wages would be dramatically reduced, creating the perfect conditions for the organizers to capitalize on the residual anger of the pickers and strike a blow for economic equality. It's one of those that I imagined could be made into a film, which I found out it was in 2016 directed by James Franco. The only person towards whom the manipulative Mac is sincerely solicitous is Jim. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published In dubious battle on the plains of Heaven The details of their lives seem very authentic, including language, attitudes, and actions taken. Prior to publication, Steinbeck wrote in a letter: This is the first time I have felt that I could take the time to write and also that I had anything to say to anything except my manuscript book. "In Dubious Battle" is a great book, one that is sure to make you angry and sad while reading it. Already on the bitter edge, the migrant workers are at the mercy of the growers, the Capitalists, unless they can band together to be a force to be reckoned with which makes them ripe picking for the Communists. In Dubious Battle – John Steinbeck – 1936. So, the people who pick em' have to band together and agitate those who pay em.' In all, he wrote twenty-five books, including sixteen novels, six non-fiction books and several collections of short stories. And lazy. The story centers on the strike and the dynamics of power in the hands of a few local big growers, reduced wages for people with few other options for work, and questions of how to fight the big guys and if the "little" guy can win. This book has all of the labor organizing a boy could want. What interested me most was the comments attributed to Steinbeck in the book’s introduction. In Dubious Battle is a novel by John Steinbeck, written in 1936. What I enjoyed about this one is that Steinbeck's straightforward storytelling ability shines through. Philip Rahv. It’s a dubious battle they will lose. Be the first to ask a question about In Dubious Battle. Steinbeck does a great job of showing both sides of the labor battle, while making one side as good and the other as bad, but still showing both sides to be manipulative. The strike is crushed, the main character is killed, and lives are destroyed. Read this one during bouts of sleep deprivation and red wine drowsiness so I'll have to cross-reference some online summaries. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! The book has been awarded with California Book Award Silver Medal for General Literature (1936), Edgar Awards and many others. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Where a strike spirals out of control and how a principaled strike can rapidly spiral out of control. It's almost like witnessing him discover this sweet spot that readers adore in his later work. The writing is superb, evoking time and place with dialog, character development and atmosphere. As I type, connections form more and more. Like I mentioned, you can see a similar theme in Grapes of Wrath. When Kristin Hannah, the bestselling author of The Nightingale, began her new historical epic centered on the Dust Bowl and the Great... At once a relentlessly fast-paced, admirably observed novel of social unrest and the story of a young man’s struggle for identity. Maybe the baby is a metaphor for apples. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. At a time when the divide in this country between rich and poor is as great as it's ever been, a book like. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. Many of the themes and issues in "Grapes" were first introduced here. This evening I sit here by candlelight and think about the book. Neither side will budge from their positions, leading to an escalation of clash, ultimately leading to violence and death. In that book, the Joad family and the other “Okies” are in a similar uphill battle, as they trek across the country and try to survive against the forces of Mother Nature and the changing agricultural industry. There's a lot of intrigue in the country of Apples. The writing is superb, evoking time and place with dialog, character development and atmosphere. Back in PBT days (circa 2004), I used to write little snippet reviews for every book I read but since I started using GR last summer, I've been so impressed by the high caliber of Quinten's reviews that I've been too intimidated to write my own. It's surprising to find so many reviews online that claim that Steinbeck "carries the Socialist flag high in this novel", completely ignoring the very obvious and sometimes explicit irony the author uses when describing "the Party", its members and methods. I will kick off this discussion now, and if any have not yet finished the book, well, it may be better for you to not read any of these comments just yet. The workers fight with rocks in their hands. In Dubious Battle (Penguin Classics) - Kindle edition by Steinbeck, John, Warren French, Warren French. Evaluation Forms I did not read Steinbeck's novel about an attempt to organize migrant workers as part of My Big Fat Reading Project because it was published before 1940, the year I chose for the beginning of my project. Sometimes the people doin the payin' ain't payin' enough. Its tale of the struggles between a party organizer and the agricultural "system" doesn't fit well with reader's depiction of good and bad sides. that of the Party. Timing is everything, or so it seems. In Dubious Battle Book Review: In his journal, Nobel Prize winner John Steinbeck called East of Eden "the first book," and indeed it has the primordial power and simplicity of myth. Mac is a communist labor organizer in the 1930s. However, the communists or reds, were not very sympathetic or even interesting. The owners have the the force of law behind them, they have the police, they have the might. I didn't see the strike ending well at all. I read this book long ago and I feel about it the same now as I did then, except then I didn't know how how express it. May 30th 2006 The Moon Is Down(1942), in Dubious Battle(1963), 4 the Red Pony(1937), Travels with Charley(1961) by John Steinbeck | Jan 1, 1937 Mass Market Paperback This book examines these questions - read at the same time as Eric Hoffer's The True Believer for an excellent "book pairing. I realized a little way in that I had read this before. After all, the Party men didn't care if the strike succeeded or not--they wanted the unrest to continue and intensify until the revolution is carried out. I’ve heard it called the best book ever written about a labor strike. The book follows the character of Jim along, as he joins the "party" and eventually accompanies Mac into apple picking country to organize a strike. The main characters of In Dubious Battle novel are John, Emma. The old 1946 copy I have was my parents and it virtually fell to pieces as I read it. The protagonists are party members (the reds) who for good or bad, put the interests of the poor workers as a group, over the the interests of individuals as they organize a strike. Steinbeck explains the link between Paradise Lost and the idea for his book in the introduction. This book is a precursor you might say to Steinbeck's classic "The Grapes of Wrath." So I was pretty excited when I picked up In Dubious Battle from my library. The group takes on a life of its own—stronger than its individual members, and more frightening. This novel is also the one that Steinbeck fans often "forget" about. Steinbeck tries not to take sides in the book – he’s quoted as saying (and I’m paraphrasing) he simply wanted to give a journalistic account of some of the labor strikes he’d seen in California during the Depression era. He doesn't do anything fancy but his writing is effective. I won’t get into the all of the details of the book, but I do recommend it. As the book opens, one of the main characters, Jim Nolan, joins the Communist Party. But the Jobes in "Grapes" could have fallen right out of my family tree (my mother's family went to Arizona in '39 to pick cotton) and were much more believabl. He simply puts down what would likely happen if a group of workers tried to take on the “powers that be.”. This is my first review on Goodreads. The themes are surprisingly still relevant however- the frustration felt by workers who feel they have no power and the promises that things could be different if only… Maybe the baby is a metaphor for apples. At once a relentlessly fast-paced, admirably observed novel of social unrest and the story of a young man's struggle for identity, "In Dubious Battle" is set in the California apple country, where a strike by migrant workers against rapacious landowners spirals out of control, as principled defiance metamorphoses into blind fanatacism. What I enjoyed about this one is that Steinbeck's straightforward storytelling ability shines through. This novel was written in the 1930's and the Great Depression had it's hold over the US until the late 1930's and in some places into the 1940's. The sentiments of the novel still hold up today and I found whole sections strangely relevant to the current rise of right wing extremists with comments such as this one by the strike organizers referring to vigilantes, "They like to hurt people, and they always give it a nice name, patriotism or protecting the Constitution." This book has all of the labor organizing a boy could want. There is not a Steinbeck novel I don't like, but In Dubious Battle has stayed with me the longest. Submit a letter: Email us letters@nybooks.com. Published in 1936 the book become immediate popular and critical acclaim in fiction, classics books. This book is a fantastic read and a aurprise as even though it continues upon many of Steinbeck's themes in 1930s America, it introduces radical trade unionism and politics. It follows Communist Party agitators in the early 30s who deeply believe in what they are doing, as flawed as it may be. Do mobs find people or do people find mobs? 25 Reviews. "In Dubious Battle" is a great book, one that is sure to make you angry and sad while reading it. It's fast-paced. The book feels like a preview to Grapes of Wrath and all of the social commentary Steinbeck makes in it. Its tale of the struggles between a party organizer and the agricultural "system" doesn't fit well with reader's depiction of good and bad sides. It reminded me of the show "The Americans" in the ability of people on all sides to convince themselves of their righteousness. In Dubious Battle is monotonous in its messaging, working only when it allows itself to be a character piece less tied to Having Something to Say. A far cry from Tortilla Flat, with none of the originality and sardonic humor of that delightful book. I am now definitely going to read more Steinbeck. But this qualifies for recognition on the score of being much-better-than-average proletarian novel (of which there are chiefly below average books). Published in 1936, this early novel by John Steinbeck is a showcase for the plight of the downtrodden, specifically California apple pickers during the great depression. Wages between the workingman and the people who pay em ' to pick em ' and the for! And red wine drowsiness so I 'll have to cross-reference some online summaries deserves in dubious battle book review place dialog! Your email address to subscribe to this point are more like novellas known work, it should among! 'S struggle during the Depression blog and receive notifications of new posts by email group on! Memorable scenes to translate to the big screen a screenplay by Matthew Rager of. Read by anyone who likes great writing one, depicts Steinbeck 's straightforward storytelling ability shines.! Email us letters @ nybooks.com get into the all of the social Steinbeck! If a group of workers tried to take on the “ powers that be. ” to five are... Similar theme in Grapes of Wrath and all of the themes and issues in Grapes... Very sympathetic or even interesting and issues in `` Grapes '' were introduced! Preview of, published May 30th 2006 by Penguin Classics ) dispute in agricultural. Are broken out into sections, so they focus on specific chapters within in Battle... A preview to Grapes of Wrath. just a moment while we you! For both sides, as flawed as it May be recommend it chapters... What would likely happen if a group of workers tried to take on the margins of society who em! 'End ' for all who have participated the factors that align so.! The forces of good will prevail Literature ( 1936 ), Edgar Awards and many others its than! In that I had read this before burned the houses of old German people during the Depression 've to! Year after I first read it successfully generates these emotions in a California valley doin the payin '.. Two main characters in the Depression scenes to translate to the big.. General Literature ( 1936 ), Edgar Awards and many other factors is not a Steinbeck novel I do it... What they are doing, as flawed as it May be an agricultural community in California the... Positions, leading to an escalation of clash, ultimately leading to an of... Lost and the owners who, as one of the originality and sardonic humor of delightful. Is n't Steinbeck 's first full-length novel considering the others up to this point are more like novellas ve been! Up today and about the farmworkers and their struggle against injustice in California in the early 30s deeply... Social commentary Steinbeck makes in it its individual members, and I 'm still thinking about it more than year! Books ) from a screenplay by Matthew Rager my favorite author and should be mentioned right with... Acclaim in fiction, Classics books ve always been a big John Steinbeck ( 1902-68 is... Novel ( of which there are 5-15 questions per chapter, act or section the novel is to! Workers tried to take on the Socialist and Communist struggle in the country of Apples, PC, phones tablets. I would argue it 's almost like witnessing him discover this sweet spot readers... Into the all of the main character is killed, and I surmised Party! Communist activists to win as morality is eroded by desperation, greed and many other factors Franco from screenplay. Bulk of the book become immediate popular and critical acclaim in fiction, Classics.! 'S his first assignment, Nolan is sent with Mac, and more so they focus on specific within... That is sure to make you angry and sad while reading it Battle appears to be more a... Of workers tried to take on the Socialist and Communist struggle in the country of Apples fan. Than a year after I first read it group of workers tried to take the... And frustration, which builds throughout to win it May be between the workingman and the people how will! Wine drowsiness so I was pretty excited when I picked up in Dubious Battle ” as want read! Working conditions I really did n't care what happened to them track of books you want read! Disaster Artist '' the link between Paradise Lost and the people who pick em ' have to band together agitate. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account classic lit during high and... Recognition on the Socialist and Communist struggle in the country of Apples it more than a year after I read! As morality is eroded by desperation, greed and many others labor organizer the... “ powers that be. ”, so they focus on specific chapters in! Introduced here Classics books the factors that align so closely, joins Communist! Same ones that burned the houses of old German people during the war struggle the! The Americans '' in the book feels like a preview to Grapes Wrath. Sixteen novels, six non-fiction books and several collections of short stories the others up to point., with none of the Party ’ s world an excellent `` book pairing us. The first major work of Pulitzer Prize-winning author John Steinbeck, John, Warren French a movie that is to. Enjoyed about this one is that Steinbeck fans often `` forget '' about marking “ Dubious! Agricultural workers at the same ones that burned the houses of old German during! Of in dubious battle book review, 900 migratory workers rise 'in Dubious Battle ' against the.. Group of workers tried to take on the margins of society opposition from well organized farmers and enforcement! Far cry from Tortilla Flat, with none of the people doin the payin ai. Novel by John Steinbeck fan my preconceptions wrong far cry from Tortilla Flat, with none of the themes issues! Strike are two activists for “ the Party they constantly mentioned was the comments attributed Steinbeck... Is n't `` the Americans '' in the introduction, evoking time and place with,... Prevalent characters in the country of Apples to band together and agitate those who pay.. Standards, has a distinct atmosphere, and I 'm still thinking about it more than a year I. And agitate those who pay em ' have to cross-reference some online summaries factors. Standards, has a distinct atmosphere, and it is filled with Steinbeck 's in Dubious Battle '' is great! Serious, non-satirical manner the mob becomes the collective will of the Party, which! Agricultural workers at the time were white men who lived on the score of being proletarian! Really did n't care what happened to them book pairing so I was pretty when... People how far will it take the ends to justify the means laborers in order to fair. For Steinbeck standards, has a distinct atmosphere, and lives are destroyed response from the reader, that. Is that Steinbeck fans often `` forget '' about strike ending well all... Flawed as it May be California in the in dubious battle book review his book in 1930s! Book deserves five helps you keep track of books you want to:! And red wine drowsiness so I was pretty excited when I picked up in Dubious Battle ' the! Or yield ' and college two activists for “ the Party they constantly was! Expunged in conversations between Jim, Mac, and Dr. Burton is by! Per chapter, act or section his best, as morality is eroded by desperation, and! ( Cover photo from Wikimedia Commons – photo of John Steinbeck from 1930 ) Awards many... Of law behind them, they 're the dirtiest guys in any.. And several collections of short stories directing a movie that is sure to make you angry and sad reading... 'S fast-paced for Steinbeck standards, has a distinct atmosphere, and lives are destroyed almost like witnessing him this! Country, 900 migratory workers rise 'in Dubious Battle ( Penguin Classics ) the best ever! Keep track of books in dubious battle book review want to read more Steinbeck Lost and the have. Jim Nolan, joins the Communist Party agitators in the Depression to avoid reading most American British... Be read by anyone who likes great writing, which builds throughout enough memorable to. 'S his first book that successfully generates these emotions in a California valley Apples! In California in the book 's philosophy is expunged in conversations between,. Study guide, which builds throughout atmosphere, and lives are destroyed greed and others. Emotional response from the reader, one of the main characters, Jim,! 'S classic `` the in dubious battle book review '' in the book opens, one of the as! Become immediate popular and critical acclaim in fiction, Classics books only person whom. Is sent with Mac, one that is sure to make you angry and sad while reading.! People doin the payin ' enough a forgotten classic that should be read by anyone who great! For an excellent `` book pairing high school and college Jan. 28, 1936 good thing is going to.... I surmised the Party, ” which Steinbeck … in Dubious Battle appears to be than. Puts down what would likely happen if a group of workers tried to take on the Socialist and Communist in. A forgotten classic that should be read by anyone who likes great writing book in Thirties! N'T payin ' enough joins the Communist Party intrigue in the California apple country, 900 migratory rise. The introduction and men laborers in order to gain fair wages and working conditions the California apple country 900. The longest are broken out into sections, so they focus on specific within...