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Cup of Gold
Cup of Gold: A Life of Sir Henry Morgan, Buccaneer, with Occasional Reference to History | John Steinbeck
7 posts | 12 read | 6 to read
From the mid-1650s through the 1660s, Henry Morgan, a pirate and outlaw of legendary viciousness, ruled the Spanish Main. He ravaged the coasts of Cuba and America, striking terror wherever he went. Morgan was obsessive. He had two driving ambitions: to possess the beautiful woman called La Santa Roja and to conquer Panama, the cup of gold. Steinbecks first novel and sole work of historical fiction, Cup of Gold is a lush, lyrical swashbuckling pirate fantasy, and sure to add new dimensions to readers perceptions of this all-American writer. This edition features an introduction by Susan F. Beegel. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators. From the Trade Paperback edition.
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review
Bigcountry15
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Mehso-so

This was just okay for Steinbeck. It's his first book. It seemed really disconnected. I was looking for a good pirate adventure, but this wasn't it. There are some good tidbits of history regarding Henry Morgan. The introduction in this edition was informative, but full of spoilers.

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CrowCAH
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#WishesBlessings #Gold

Captain Henry Morgan, governor of Jamaica!

Libby1 I thought this was an odd little book, and so unlike his other work. I didn‘t dislike it but found it surprising. 2y
Eggs Clever🧡🧡 2y
CrowCAH @Libby1 I‘ve only read one other book of his, Of Mice and Men, but not this one. It might have been the difference between fiction and nonfiction. 2y
CrowCAH @Eggs it had gold in the title 😉 2y
56 likes4 comments
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Graywacke
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Mehso-so

Pictured is the original cover from August 1929 (not my copy!). The stock market crashed in October.

An odd mess of a first novel - an allegory for American capitalism that can‘t decide if it wants to be a boys‘ adventure novel or a deeper thing. Some good, some curious, some very awkward. I was struck by how arrogant this author must have been.

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Graywacke
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I don‘t want to carry my old edition of Nabokov‘s Ada around, so I‘ve started this paperback to read at my lunch breaks. Steinbeck‘s first novel from 1929. (I just saw one Litsy review that said it shows the racism of its time. Eek. Hope i didn‘t choose too poorly here.)

Cathythoughts It can only be good to go there 👍🏻❤️ good luck & i hopes it‘s good 3y
Cathythoughts The title is brilliant 3y
Graywacke @Cathythoughts it‘s been entertaining so far. It‘s like almost an obnoxious adventure story, except the author insists on little elegant detours observing the world around and the sky. 3y
46 likes3 comments
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Libby1
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Pickpick

What an odd, odd book.

This is Steinbeck‘s first novel, and his sole foray into historical fiction. Set late in the 17th century in Wales and the West Indies, and written in the 1920s, it has a lot of gross racism and sexism. In both cases, I suppose it was of its time.

The writing is sometimes gorgeous, which makes up for a meandering plot. It pushes this book into the Pick category.

Also, this cover from 1969 is wonderfully craptastic!

LauraJ Craptastic, indeed! 5y
DivineDiana Yes it is! 5y
Smrloomis Oh that cover! 😆 5y
73 likes1 stack add3 comments
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HotCocoaReads
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Pickpick

Steinbeck‘s first novel definitely foretells of brilliance to come, but this book isn‘t his best. It is his only historical-fiction novel, which probably holds him back since he has to follow the life of Henry Morgan, a pirate of the 1600s. Still, there are some beautiful descriptions throughout and I‘m glad I read it.

24 likes1 stack add
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Brooke_H
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Bailedbailed

Zzzzz.... Boring. Also racist and sexist, because you know, 1929. Blech.