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    Sweet Thursday
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    Sweet Thursday
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    Sweet Thursday
    Audiobook7 hours

    Sweet Thursday

    Written by John Steinbeck

    Narrated by Paul Birchard

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    ‘I ain’t never been satisfied with that book, Cannery Row. I would of went about it different.’ Returning to the scene of Cannery Row, Steinbeck brilliantly re-creates its bawdy, high-spirited world of bums, drunks and hookers, telling the story of what happened to everyone after the war. There’s Fauna, the latest madam at the Bear Flag brothel; Doc, still there for everyone else but feeling strangely sad himself; and Suzy, the new hustler in town who might just be the girl to save him. John Steinbeck was the winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the Nobel Prize for literature 'The outstanding quality of Steinbeck's writing... is his feel for the lives, thoughts and aspirations of ordinary people' SPECTATOR
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherW. F. Howes Audio
    Release dateJun 3, 2014
    ISBN9781471257599
    Unavailable
    Sweet Thursday
    Author

    John Steinbeck

    John Steinbeck (Salinas, 1902 - Nueva York, 1968). Narrador y dramaturgo estadounidense. Estudió en la Universidad de Stanford, pero desde muy joven tuvo que trabajar duramente como albañil, jornalero rural, agrimensor o empleado de tienda. En la década de 1930 describió la pobreza que acompañó a la Depresión económica y tuvo su primer reconocimiento crítico con la novela Tortilla Flat, en 1935. Sus novelas se sitúan dentro de la corriente naturalista o del realismo social americano. Su estilo, heredero del naturalismo y próximo al periodismo, se sustenta sin embargo en una gran carga de emotividad en los argumentos y en el simbolismo presente en las situaciones y personajes que crea, como ocurre en sus obras mayores: De ratones y hombres (1937), Las uvas de la ira (1939) y Al este del Edén (1952). Obtuvo el premio Nobel en 1962.

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    Reviews for Sweet Thursday

    4/5

    540 ratings20 reviews

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    • 3/5
      Decent, but not Steinbeck at top-notch.
    • 5/5
      After I fell in love with Steinbeck's Cannery Row about a year ago and actually went to visit Monterey shortly after finishing the book, it was a given for me to get to the sequel, which is Sweet Thursday. Set in the years after the second World War, the protagonist of Cannery Row, Doc, returns to his lab on Cannery Row in Monterey to find that he himself and Cannery Row have changed.Western Biological Laboratories has not been run to Doc's liking and he finds it devoid of the life he had left it with. He tries to reestablish his lab and to get to work again, but somehow he is not satisfied anymore. Something in his life is missing and he cannot really put the finger on what it is. This is where Mack and the other boys from the Palace Flophouse come in. They are some of the many characters from the prequel to make a reappearance. The boys still want Doc to be happy since Doc is the glue that holds Cannery Row together. Now that he is back they believe the Row can be returned to its former glory. With the canneries closed the Row is just not the same anymore. Soon, Doc meets a new inhabitant of Cannery Row, Suzy. Their relationship, however, has its ups and downs. Both do not seem to get close enough to each other although they clearly like each other a lot. While Doc regards Suzy as the missing puzzle piece in his life at first, things soon change and he drowns himself in work. Doc wants to write and publish a paper but he never gets the work done as there is some internal barrier keeping him from doing the work he has once loved so much. So as not to spoil the ending I will leave it up to you to find out what happens to Suzy and Doc in the end.What I liked most about this novel are Steinbeck's superb writing skills. The interplay of the characters and the depiction of life on Cannery Row are simply outstanding. Steinbeck has a perfect grasp of which elements of the story to reveal and which to leave up to the readers' imagination. In the prologue to the novel as in the novel itself Steinbeck lets characters muse about the art of writing and what an author should do so as to tell an interesting story. The criteria for a good book presented in the prologue are each addressed in the story itself, for example giving the chapters a headline, having more dialogue or not telling the readers everything in description. Steinbeck plays with narrative techniques and the relation of showing and telling, however, when he inserts himself into the story at some points in order to describe and interpret actions for the reader, the very thing that was criticized in the prologue. That is why the novel spoke to me on more than one level. While the interplay of the characters make for a fascinating picture of life on Cannery Row, the meta level of how to write a story is something that I enjoyed very much as well.While it might be possible to read this novel without having read the prequel, I would advise to read Cannery Row first before turning to Sweet Thursday as it adds a lot of background to the story and the characters. 4.5 stars for an almost perfect novel. I probably just subtracted half a star because I loved Cannery Row even more.
    • 4/5
      I am a sucker for Steinbeck's writing and this was no exception. I relish the unabashed way that Steinbeck will pause in the story to say something about...well, I don't know, LIFE, I guess. In some ways, I enjoyed the less-focused episodic style of Cannery Row better, but I also enjoyed the opportunity for further character development in this one. In any event, a welcome return to Steinbeck's Monterey. Too bad it's not a trilogy...
    • 4/5
      Liked this considerably more than its predecessor Cannery Row, beacause I loved that movie, and most of its story is found in this book and not the other. There are a few bits of cringingly racist dialogue that reflect the times in which the story took place, but overall I found it entertaining and sometimes howlingly funny. I found in reading the most familiar parts, the voice of John Huston narrating in my head, which was very pleasant indeed. I'd still recommend reading Cannery Row first, since the second book leans on it a little, at least in the beginning.
    • 1/5
      Sweet Thursday was recommended as a great followup to John Steinbeck's Cannery Row.Unfortunately, the main character, Doc, collects and kills animals to sell. End of story for me.
    • 4/5
      Continuation of the stories of the crowd on Cannery Row. Loved both books.
    • 4/5
      John Steinbeck found something funny in Monterey, California. The three novels he set in the city make up the author's three most recognized comedies (his only comedies, I believe, with the exception of the satirical ...Pippin IV). In Sweet Thursday, Steinbeck returns to the characters and setting of his earlier novel Cannery Row. Some of the Row's characters have moved on and others have moved in. If you've read Cannery Row or Steinbeck's first visit to Monterey, Tortilla Flat, then you're already aware of the type of story at hand.Of the three, I enjoyed Sweet Thursday most. In part, I believe this is because of the style of comedy Steinbeck employs in Sweet Thursday. In his earlier novels, much of the hilarity relies on drunken antics. Sure, drunk people can do funny things, but you can only laugh at a village of drunken idiots so long before you begin to feel bad for them and the comedy loses its effect. In Sweet Thursday the laughs are more situational and character driven.Another reason I think Sweet Thursday succeeded more in reaching me is due to the structure of the novel—it felt more like a complete novel. Although Steinbeck's earlier comedic attempts certainly had an overarching story, they descended into many vignettes that were entertaining, but took me out of the story. With Sweet Thursday the entire story centers on curing the loneliness that ails Doc. There's romance and sacrifice and only the occasional drunken moment. Lastly, Sweet Thursday seemed to me the most simple and profound of the three novels.Given my dramatic nature, Steinbeck's more comedic novels could never take the place of greats like East of Eden, The Grapes of Wrath, or The Winter of Our Discontent, but I enjoyed my visits to Monterey nonetheless. And I wonder, what is Monterey, California, truly like?
    • 5/5
      I loved this book. Very funny Steinbeck. The characters are unforgettable in this continuation to Cannery Row.
    • 4/5
      One night Mack lay back on his bed at the Palace Flophouse and he said, “I ain’t never been satisfied with that book Cannery Row. I would of went about it different.” So begins Steinbeck’s sequel to Cannery Row. And wise writer that he is, he actually takes Mack’s advice. Sweet Thursday is written very differently than Cannery Row. Chapters are titled, there’s more dialogue, more of an actual plot and every now and then there’s a good bit of "hooptedoodle" thrown in.Time and World War II have left its mark on the Row. The canneries, with the limit on the catch of fish taken off for the war effort, have caught all the fish and have had to close down. Lee Chong has sold his grocery store to one Joseph and Mary Rivas and sailed off into the sunset. Dora, beloved owner of the Bear Flag, has passed on and her sister Flora (now Fauna) has taken over. A few of the men on the Row went off to do their patriotic duty and won’t be coming back. Doc, who everybody on the Row considers a friend, himself has served his time in the war effort. Care of Western Biological was left to a friend from outside the Row in his absence and now Doc has come back to an abandoned and empty lab. Seems like everybody’s got their share of troubles on the Row these days. Joseph and Mary Rivas’s plan to exploit the labor of a steady stream of illegal Mexican immigrants has backfired and now finds himself the owner (or at least manager) of a fairly successful, albeit illegal, mariachi band. Mack is concerned that once Joseph and Mary gets the tax bill for the Palace Flophouse, Mack and the boys home, Joseph and Mary will realize he owns the place and come after Mack and the Boys for the dough. Sweet, dumb and innocent Hazel, one of Mack’s boys, can’t even escape trouble. He has been fated by the stars, according to the horoscope Fauna’s drawn up for him, to obtain a position of high political responsibility and power that he vehemently does not want. Fauna has her own share of troubles. Suzy, a newcomer to town, has sweet-talked Fauna with her hard luck story by simply refusing to tell it, into a job at the Bear Flag. Suzy “has a streak of lady in her” according to Fauna and just isn’t cutting it as a hustler, though. Suzy is bad for business. Doc’s got a problem too. Nobody knows what it is though, including Doc. Residents of the Row are very concerned. He’s not the same Doc he used to be. The hard luck stories Mack concocts to swindle Doc out of a few bucks aren’t listened to; Doc simply hands over the money. This is disheartening to Mack. Women with their fancy furs aren’t seeing entering the lab so Doc can entertain them with his collection of classical “church music.” Everybody seems to understand that Doc’s dissatisfied and discontent. But why? He’s craving something – he just doesn’t know (or doesn’t want to know) what it is. Maybe, he thinks, he hasn’t done enough in his career and contributed enough to the scientific world so he resolves to write a scientific paper - but he simply can’t focus. One day he catches a glimpse of Suzy, the two eventually meet and the mysterious thing he’s been searching for is found. But he doesn’t really want it. Or does he? True to form, the residents of the Row unite to save their friend Doc from himself and try to give Fate a helping hand and in the process make a thorough mess out of things. It’ll take an unlikely hero with an unlikely solution to set things right.Sweet Thursday is one of my favorite books. It’s humorous and fun to read. I love all the eccentric but believable characters here on the Row. Suzy, who doesn’t show up on the Row until now, has always been one of my favorite characters; I admire her independent spirit. Sweet Thursday is written in a very different style than Cannery Row, but there’s still Steinbeck’s trademark vivid creation of place and witticisms here (or what I’ve termed as “Steinbeckisms”).
    • 4/5
      What fun it was to be back on Cannery Row in the company of Doc and the gang from the Palace Flophouse. WWII is over, and Doc returns as a changed and melancholy man. Mack and the new proprietress of the local whorehouse, Fauna, get it in their heads that Doc needs a wife. Suzy, the new girl in town, is a prime candidate because she is obviously not cut out to be a hustler. The book is a mixture of humor and philosophy that was pure joy to read. I'm so glad it came to my attention by way of the 2012 Steinbeckathon.
    • 5/5
      In this wonderful return to Cannery Row, we are back in the arms of Doc, Mack, Hazel and the boys. Some characters have moved on from the first novel and a few new faces are introduced, including a tough little gal called Suzy, who Doc has an eye on. This is such a warm, colorful story, told with heart and adoration. The dialogue sings and dances and I found myself grinning throughout and wishing I could pull up a stool and have a beer with this ragtag bunch.
    • 4/5
      Sweet Thursday by John Steinbeck is another charmer, a sequel of sorts to the wonderful Cannery Row. In this one, something's off with Doc, the folksy marine biologist who in this one is just back from the war. He's somewhat of a rumpled, absent-minded mayor of Cannery Row, and also at times its soul. "He had not the vanity which makes men try to be smart." But something's awry. His hobo pal Mack says, "Hell, Doc, you can't change. Why, what could we depend on! Doc, if you change a lot of people are going to cash in their chips. Why, we was all just waiting around for you to get back so we could go on being normal." "I don't feel the same, Mack, I'm restless."Mack and the other denizens of Cannery Row want to help Doc somehow, including Fauna, owner of the local house of delights, and Hazel, a dimwitted (or maybe not) member of Mack's gang who has been known to worship Doc like a god. When hustler Suzy, pretty but salty and combative, blows into town, she throws Doc for a further loop. Doc feels like he's living a "gray half-life", and struggles with doing anything about it. There is no shortage of Cannery Row-ers trying to figure out how to help him, but we know from the previous book the havoc their "help" can wreak. With an almost Wodehouse-ian plot and an unlikely hero, Sweet Thursday brings all the satisfaction of Cannery Row, and may even exceed it.
    • 5/5
      Sweet Thursday is the sequel to Cannery Row, one of my favorite of Steinbeck’s books. I’ve read the epic masterpieces, like East of Eden and Grapes of Wrath. I’ve read the shorter morality tales, like Of Mice and Men and The Pearl. Yet after all of those brilliant works, my favorites remain his road trip memoir, Travels with Charley, and Cannery Row. I may get more depth and inner turmoil from his other works, but these are the ones I relate, the ones I want to return to. Sweet Thursday quickly made its way to that top bracket as I read it. Steinbeck takes us back to Cannery Row and all of our favorite characters. We return shortly after the end of World War II and learn that Doc has been away, serving his country and Mack has been holding down the fort. The grocer, Lee Chong, is long gone and there are some new characters in the town. Steinbeck gives us some of my favorite literary characters in this book. Doc, Mack and the others won a place in our hearts in Cannery Row, but the new additions are just as wonderful. There’s a selfish con artist named Old Jingleballicks and a Mexican man who runs the grocery store named Joseph and Mary (often referred to as J and M). Suzy, a young woman looking for guidance, provides a unique spark to the story. Her transformation throughout the book is one of the most rewarding I’ve read, because you can’t help but root for her. **SPOILERS**I loved that Steinbeck didn’t throw Doc and Suzy together immediately. It felt so right that Suzy had a chance to get her life together before ending up with him. She needed to find her own balance and believe in herself before committing to another person. Once she had a room of her own, she finally had pride in herself and once she had that, she had something to offer someone else. **SPOILERS OVER**Of course, you can’t forget Hazel, one of Steinbeck’s greatest creations. He’s naïve and sweet, and devoted to his friends. When he’s in trouble or being taken advantage of, his friends step up and we see the best in everyone around him as they protect their friend. Hazel becomes a key player in this novel. He’s put to the test as he tries to work out the best way to help Doc, the man he admires so much. One of my favorite chapters is called “One Night of Love,” which chronicles Suzy and Doc’s first date. The two couldn’t be more different, but there’s an unexpected sweetness that we witness when they both let their guards down. That private moment is beautiful.Sweet Thursday was everything I hoped it would be. It’s touching, funny and profound in an unexplainably simple way. It makes you wish you lived on Cannery Row and could share a beer with Doc and his friends. It reminds you of the goodness the lies within every person and the fact that sometimes you just need the right situation to bring it out. “I love true things,” said Doc. “Even when they hurt. Isn’t it better to know the truth about oneself?” “S-l-o-w-ness it gave meaning to everything. It made everything royal.” “No one knows how greatness comes to a man. It may lie in his blackness, sleeping, or it may lance into him like those driven fiery particles from outer space. These things, however, are known about greatness: need gives it life and puts it in action; it never comes without pain; it leaves a man changed, chastened, and exalted at the same time – he can never return to simplicity.” 
    • 5/5
      It is a must that Sweet Thursday be read along side Cannery Row. The two novels together make a truly complete story.But as for Sweet Thursday itself; I thought it was a very masterful work and my second favorite Steinbeck novel with the first being Of Mice and men. Sweet Thursday is also one of the few Steinbeck novels that actually had a enjoyable and fitting ending.
    • 5/5
      Steinbeck gives birth to fully formed characters about as well as any modern author, and the characters in Sweet Thursday are some of the loveliest in literature. They all have their warts; they all have their peculiarities; they all expose a little heart sometimes as well. I'll bet you'll find a bit of yourself in this tossed-salad of humanity. I loved Cannery Row and Steinbeck doesn't miss a step in this sequel. You don't have to read Cannery Row first, but I'd recommend it. And if you liked Cannery Row, you have to read Sweet Thursday.Os.
    • 5/5
      What a beautiful book. It has been years since I have read Cannery Row and I recently found out from a friend of mine about Sweet Thursday. How funny is that, to love a book so much and never realize that there was a sequel. I started reading it, expecting it to be a pale shadow of Cannery Row and was pleased to find out that I was dead wrong. Just as good - it made me laugh out loud and smile and wipe tears from my eyes. I can't recommend this book enough. wow.
    • 5/5
      This book is a sequel to Steinbeck's delightful Cannery Row. I thoroughly enjoyed Cannery Row, but think I loved this one even more. It's full of the same good humor and the same sweet but sometimes misguided characters. You know how sometimes you read a book and it just gives you warm fuzzies? Well, that's what this one did for me. (I'm guessing Steinbeck is rolling over in his grave at that description.)I don't know why it took me so long to realize how much I like Steinbeck's writing. Today, I bought a copy of The Pearl and The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights, and I'll probably get a copy of Tortilla Flat the next time I go to the bookstore.
    • 4/5
      Steinbeck is simply great. As a continuation to Cannery Row, this is able to be read apart from that book but takes the story of the first a different direction. As always, he transports you to the community setting of the story he writes and makes you feel like you've lived there forever.
    • 5/5
      in high school, John Steinbeck's name was on the list of authors that everyone had to have read at some time in their life. intimidated by the sheer size of his more famous books like "Grapes of Wrath", I opted for something a bit more manageable like the Cannery Row stories. Although I never did tackle "Grapes of Wrath", Steinbeck presents a very different voice of humour and playfulness that I haven't seen in his other titles I've read. I particularly like the intermission-like chapters inbetween the main plot, and how the characters get out of character and can interact with the readers. This is a really great one to read for play, and will expose you to another side of Steinbeck's style.
    • 5/5
      The first Steinbeck book I ever read. The lightest of Steinbeck's Monterey Trilogy. The story is aan uplifting statement about the good that is in the most unfortunate of us all.