Of Mice and Men (3 CDs) FROM THE PUBLISHER
While the powerlessness of the laboring class is a recurring theme in Steinbeck's work of the late 1930s, he narrowed his focus when composing Of Mice and Men (1937), creating an intimate portrait of two men facing a world marked by petty tyranny, misunderstanding, jealousy, and callousness. But though the scope is narrow, the theme is universal; a friendship and a shared dream that makes an individual's existence meaningful.
SYNOPSIS
The tragic story of the complex bond between two migrant laborers in Central California. They are George Milton and Lennie Small, itinerant ranch hands who dream of one day owning a small farm. George acts as a father figure to Lennie, who is a very large, simpleminded man, calming him and helping to reign in his immense physical strength.
FROM THE CRITICS
Gary Sinise's reading of John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men is nothing short of magnificent. Moving effortlessly from an eloquent, understated narrative voice to each characterᄑs quite particular presence, Sinise demonstrates a true command of the medium. At times, Sinise is so convincing that one is hard-pressed to believe that a single reader could be responsible for so many varied characterizations. Thanks to such a skilled reading, this audio edition captures every nuance of Steinbeckᄑs austere prose and the full power of the novel's tragic denouement. Top to bottom, it's a masterful retelling of an American classic. R.W.B. ᄑAudioFile, Portland, Maine