Grapes of Wrath | 
pickI‘ve owned a copy of this for years, but never mustered up the fortitude to read it, so when the #HashtagBrigade tackled it in November, I jumped in. (Because why not tackle Grapes of Wrath AND Old Curiosity Shop at the same time?!)
I‘m stating the obvious here, but this was heartbreaking. Relentlessly sad (which I expected because: Steinbeck), but also infuriating—the injustice throughout, and the bleakness and suddenness of the ending (which ⤵️
pickI didn't intend to read The Grapes of Wrath this year, but I've always meant to and @BarkingMadRead and the #hashtagbrigade reading it in November seemed like a perfect opportunity. It's a heavy book made all the more heavy by how timely it is right now. Steinbeck's writing is amazing. It's been several years since I read East of Eden and I'm thinking it may be time for a reread soon.
panDepressing slog. Put this in the category of its a classic, I never have to read again. But thank you @BarkingMadRead for the #HashtagBrigade as an Okie I wanted to read.
HOWEVER, Sallisaw is actually closer to Arkansas while it was affected by The Depression it WASN'T part of the Dust Bowl. It always bugs me when authors get State wrong. There's a very big difference between the flat of the panhandle and green country of eastern Oklahoma. 📍
so-soI gotta say “so-so”. Sure the writing is beautiful, but would I recommend it to anyone? No. It‘s too much. Even though the ending wasn‘t what I expected- it wasn‘t enough to encourage others to get there.
#LazloJustBecause
@BarkingMadRead thanks for hosting #HashtagBrigade book
Ch 30: #wtf #ishouldhaveknownitwouldnthaveanHEA #yikes #thatendingthough #thisbookwasbannedforthatending #imgivingthisasoftpick #ineedapalatecleanser #mysoulhurts #hashtagbrigade
Ch 28: #livinginthetraincar #makinggoodmoney #ruthietellsabouttom #nowtomhastogo #roseissick #algettingmarried #staytuned #hashtagbrigade
Ch 26: #peachpicking #strikebreakers #CASY #ripcasy #thatwasawful #tomfightsback #nowhesintrouble #roseloseshershit #strikeover #halfwages #timetogo #tomhastohide #cottonpickingnext #wrathsnacktomorrow #staytuned #hashtagbrigade
Ch 25: #wrathsnack #devastation #tragic #thisbookisbothbeautifulandawful #joadstomorrow #hashtagbrigade
Ch 24: #dancenight #squeakyclean #plansinplace #nofightstonight #impressiveplan #soproud #wrathsnacktomorrow #hashtagbrigade
Ch 22: #weedpatchcamp #committees #rules #showers #toilets #tomgetsajob #rosasharnmeetsacrazylady #ladiescommittee #ruthiealienatesalllllthekids #theyshowedher #mamatellsoffthecrazylady #theyallhelpeachother #ilovethat #saturdaynightdances #worriedaboutthatfixedupfight #ihopetheyallfoolthosedeputies #staytuned #wrathsnacktomorrow #hashtagbrigade
Ch 21: #wrathsnack #migrants #thesnackiestsnackyet #thispostistakinglongerthanthatchapter
#joadstomorrow #buckleupforalongone #hashtagbrigade
Ch 20: #longchapter #granmaisburied #ish #campfound #unfriendlypeoplewithbadnews #almakesafriend #whosaysyobenicetocops #andpromptlygoesagainsthisownadvice #copshootsaninnocentwoman #floydgetsaway #casyintervenes #takestheblame #offtojail #conniewalksoff #johngetswasted #timetogo #withoutconnie #roadblock #soscary #camponfire #theyjustmadeitout #staytuned #wrathsnacktomorrow #hashtagbrigade
"The great owners ignored the three cries of history. The land fell into fewer hands, the number of the dispossessed increased, and every effort of the great owners was directed at repression. The money was spent for arms, for gas to protect the great holdings, and spies were sent to catch the murmuring of revolt so that it might be stamped out... ⬇️
Ch 19: #wrathsnack #travelingwest #whatahorribleexistence #also #peoplesuck #veryrelevant #joadstomorrow #staytuned
Ch 18: #travelingjoads #stoptocamp #morebadnewsaboutcali #copcallsthemoakies #maalmostusedhercastironpan 🍳 #yikes #noahwalksoff #thewilsonsstaybehind #poorsairy #finallyincali #ripgranma #roseandconnie #staytuned #hashtagbrigade
Ch 16: #breakdown #familysplitsup #oneeyedwillie #tomgiveshimhell #junkyardpartacquired #worriedaboutthatmuddyhandthough #gross #familybacktogether #weirdoatthecampground #scarystory #notsurprisedthough #thosepoorkids #staytuned #hashtagbrigade
Ch 15: #wrathsnack #roadsiderestaurant #thatscenewiththecandythough #sliceoflife #staytuned #hashtagbrigade
Ch 13: #devastatingchapter #thisquotespoketome #anyway #travelbegins #granmasleepingintheouthouse 🤣 #poorpup #winfieldtookithard #sweetboy #movingon #stoppingforthenight #meetthewilsons #ripgramps #pooroldguy #roadsidefuneral #decisionsmade #sairyissick #poorsairy #somuchheartbreak #staytuned #wrathsnacktomorrow #hashtagbrigade
I went into a rabbit hole on Hudson Super-Sixes, the car that the Joads convert. It was an early version, probably a 1926, pictured here intact and not turned into a truck! They used a 1926 in the movie. #hashtagebrigade @BarkingMadRead
Ch 12: #wrathsnack #backtoback #route66 #moreswindlers #goodpeopletoo #suchhardship #staytuned #joadstomorrow #hashtagbrigade
“Once, after a meeting, while she was still speaking in tongues, she fired both barrels of a shotgun at her husband, ripping one of his buttocks nearly off, and after that he admired her and did not try to torture her as children torture bugs.”
Wait, WHAT?! 😳😂
#HashtagBrigade
Ch 10: #preppingtoleave #sellingofftheteam #poorpigs #loadingthetruck #drugginggramps #asonedoes #peaceoutmuley #feedthosedogs #willtombreakparole #staytuned #afterawrathsnack #hashtagbrigade
Ch 9: #wrathsnack #rubberplant #devastating #leavingitallbehind #howdoyouevenchoose #theyhadsolittle #backtothejoadstomorrow #staytuned #hashtagbrigade
Ch 8: #homewiththefamily #whoallaskifhebrokeout #surprisemama #grampsisapieceofwork #catchuponthegossip #timetoselleverythingandgo #buttomcantgo #nowwhat 🤷🏻♀️ #alwantstobejustliketom #exceptfortheparole 🤣 #boys 🙄 #staytuned #hashtagbrigade
Ch 7: #goodusedcars #cheatsandliars #somethingsneverchange #staytuned #palatecleanser #niceeasychapter #hashtagbrigade
Train delays equal more reading time I guess.
Ch 6: #thehouseisempty #poortom #muleyshowsupwithalllllthenews #thefamilyisatuncleohns #butfirst #dinnerandarompinthecorn #hidingfromthelaw #campingout #offtojohnstomorrow #staytuned #andbewarethebabyeatingpigs #hashtagbrigade
Ch 5: #devastatingchapter #somuchsadness #somuchunfairness #morejoadsinthenextchapter #staytuned #hashtagbrigade
We're sorry. It's not us. It's the monster. The bank isn't like a man.
Yes, but the bank is only made of men.
No, you're wrong there--quite wrong there. The bank is something else than men. It happens that every man in a bank hates what the bank does, and yet the bank does it.
Ch 4: #jimcasy #tomtakestheturtle #iwasworriedhewasgonnamakesoup #nope #agiftforhissibs #awwww #meetsjimcasyontheroad #interestingdude #losthissperit #lotsoffuninthegrassthough #philosophicaldiscussion #thenbackontheroad #thepigstorythough 🐷 #thehouseisempty #poortom #staytuned #hashtagbrigade
Ch 3: #pleasetellmeimnottheonlyonestressingoveraturtle #somuchbeautifulwriting #shortchapter #staytunedfortherealstory #hashtagbrigade
Ch 2: #tomjoad #hitchhiking #headedhomefromtheslammer #homicide #maybedontbragmyguy #poortruckdriver 🤣 #awkard #stilllovingthebeautifulwriting #driverisntoptomisticaboutjoadsfarm #staytuned #hashtagbrigade
Repost for @BarkingMadRead
Ok #hashtagbrigade here is November‘s book! If you want to join us for a chapter a day, drop a comment below. But remember, my hashtags are often ridiculous and always chapter spoilers, so read the chapter before you read my post each day! Everyone is welcome! I have two groups of tags, one for the individual book, and one for monthly reminder list, so be sure to let me know if you need to be on one of my lists!
Ok #hashtagbrigade here is November‘s book! If you want to join us for a chapter a day, drop a comment below. But remember, my hashtags are often ridiculous and always chapter spoilers, so read the chapter before you read my post each day! Everyone is welcome! I have two groups of tags, one for the individual book, and one for monthly reminder list, so be sure to let me know if you need to be on one of my lists!
so-soNot my fave Steinbeck but I learned a lot and it was good.
Happy Tuesday! Here are today's #Two4Tuesday questions. Thanks to everyone who played last week. Everyone is welcome to play.
My answers:
📘 Yes. There is power in the written word.
📘 Tagged. One of the best books that captures the Great Depression.
Play? @Eggs @dabbe @peaKnit @Susanita @julesG @TheBookHippie @Cupcake12 @DebinHawaii @Texreader @lil1inblue @AnnCrystal @Kshakal
pick4/5
My book club was reading The Four Winds, which I had already read, so instead I picked up The Grapes of Wrath.
I honestly prefer the latter which offers more characters, more depths, more complexity. It's a very interesting read about a very difficult time. Well-written, realistic.
bailedI'm so disappointed to bail on my #Bookedintime selection. I adore the landscape and nature descriptions. However, it does feel overly preachy, and I'm just not in the right mindset atm to persevere. I will pick it up to try again, at some point. I do feel the fault is mine, not the book.
@Cuilin @dabbe
pickWe follow the displaced Joad family as they make the trek west in search of work and a new home during the Great Depression. Published in 1939, the book feels eerily familiar today - roiling social divisions, vast gaps in wealth/opportunity between rich and poor, the anger hurled at the migrants. Heartbreaking, yes. But the Joads are rendered with such dignity and tenderness that you want to see them through all the hardships you know are coming.
pickWhat an amazing and devastating book. It took me a while to get into but from halfway through, it just built and built.
There are so many similarities between these times and today. Corporate greed and hate of others continue. We forget everyone is human, living and/or struggling with their own lives.
What a wonderful read. What wonderful strength and love among those with so little. I wish everyone read and reflected on this book.
It's 50 degrees and windy, but you wouldn't know it. This reading spot is sooo cozy 🤍
I‘m glad I read it, but I don‘t think I‘ll ever reread. And many, many thanks to @BarkingMadRead and the Hashtag Brigade for being the support I needed to get through it! My husband saw me reading it and asked me WHY. 😆
Also: this was my chunkster for the #ClassicsChallenge2025 - completing the challenge! @LunaKay (edited) 5d