John Steinbeck Mini-Challenge for 2009

This mini-challenge, the John Steinbeck Mini-Challenge, is for the 2009 year. It will be from January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2009.

The goal of the challenge is to read TWO books by John Steinbeck. (Audio books are welcome.) One movie can be substituted for one of the books if you prefer.

Here (shamelessly cut and pasted) is his bibliography:

Cup of Gold : a Life of Sir Henry Morgan, Buccaneer, with Occasional Reference to History. – New York : McBride, 1929

The Pastures of Heaven. – New York : Brewer, Warren & Putnam, 1932

To a God Unknown. – New York : Ballou, 1933

Tortilla Flat. – New York : Covici-Friede, 1935

In Dubious Battle. – New York : Covici-Friede, 1936

Of Mice and Men. – New York : Covici-Friede, 1937

Of Mice and Men : a Play in Three Acts. – New York : Covici- Friede, 1937

The Red Pony. – New York : Covici-Friede, 1937. – Enlarged edition, New York : Viking, 1945

Their Blood Is Strong. – San Francisco: Simon J. Lubin Society, 1938

The Long Valley. – New York : Viking, 1938

The Grapes of Wrath. – New York : Viking, 1939

Sea of Cortez : a Leisurely Journal of Travel and Research / by John Steinbeck and Edward F. Ricketts. – New York : Viking, 1941. – Republ. as The Log from the Sea of Cortez. – New York : Viking, 1951

The Forgotten Village. – New York : Viking, 1941

Bombs Away : the Story of a Bomber Team. – New York : Viking, 1942

The Moon Is Down. – New York : Viking, 1942

The Moon Is Down : a Play in Two Parts. – New York : Dramatists Play Service, 1942

Cannery Row. – New York : Viking, 1945

The Pearl. – New York : Viking, 1947

The Wayward Bus. – New York : Viking, 1947

A Russian Journal. – New York : Viking, 1948

Burning Bright : a Play in Story Form. – New York : Village Press, 1950

Burning Bright : a Play in Three Acts. – New York : Dramatists Play Service, 1951

East of Eden. – New York : Viking, 1952

Viva Zapata! - Rome: Edizioni Filmcritica, 1952

Sweet Thursday. – New York : Viking, 1954

The Short Reign of Pippin IV : a Fabrication. – New York : Viking, 1957

Once There Was a War. – New York : Viking, 1958

The Winter of Our Discontent. – New York : Viking, 1961

Speech Accepting the Nobel Peace Prize for Literature. – New York : Viking, 1962

Travels with Charley : In Search of America. – New York : Viking, 1962

America and Americans. – New York : Viking, 1966

Journal of a Novel : The East of Eden Letters. – New York : Viking, 1969

Steinbeck : a Life in Letters / Ed. by Elaine Steinbeck and Robert Wallsten. – New York : Viking, 1975

The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights : From the Winchester Manuscript and Other Sources / Ed. by Chase Horton. – New York : Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1976

Steinbeck and Covici : The Story of a Friendship / Thomas French, ed. – Middlebury, Vt. : P. S. Eriksson, 1979

The Uncollected Stories of John Steinbeck / edited by Kiyoshi Nakayama. – Tokyo: Nan'un-do, 1986

John Steinbeck on Writing / edited by Tetsumaro Hayashi. – Muncie, Ind.: Steinbeck Research Institute, 1988

Working Days : The Journals of The Grapes of Wrath, 1938-1941 / edited by Robert DeMott. – New York : Viking, 1989

America and Americans and Selected Nonfiction / Ed. by Susan Shillinglaw & Jackson J. Benson. – New York : Viking, 2002. – Publ. in England as Of Men and Their Making : the Selected Non-Fiction of John Steinbeck. – London : Allen Lane, 2002

I don't know which two I'll be reading yet. I chose Steinbeck because I've never (yes, never ever) read any of his books. And I feel that's a bit embarrassing since I hold not one but two degrees in literature.

If you want to join this challenge, please leave a comment and let me know!

Participants so far:
Bobbi's Book Nook
Katrina's Reads
Becky's Book Reviews
N. Vasillis (1130V)
Kylee
SueFitz
Diane
Janet
Marny
Kristi
Judy
Blondierocket
Cauchy81sk
Lulu
Gaabriel
Stina
Lindy
Kathrin