Burning Bright.

John Steinbeck.

I mentioned in my last post that John Steinbeck is one of my very favourite authors. I have read a few of his books, my favourite so far is easily East of Eden. However I also really liked some of his others; The Winter of Our Discontent, The Pearl, and Cannery Row to name a few. 

Burning Bright was one of his shorter novels. It was written in the same sort of style as Of Mice and Men, if you have read that one. Most people have. He calls that style the 'play-novelette.' In his introduction to the book he talks about how most people find it difficult to read plays, thus the play-novelette. It is a play written in story form. He says, "it is a combination of many old forms. It is a play that is easy to read or a short novel that can be played simply by lifting out the dialogue."

This means that the story is carried mostly by the dialogue with minimal description of the characters thoughts or feelings. "You must be clear and concise. There can be no waste, no long discussion, no departure from a main theme, and little exposition. As in any good play, the action must be immediate, dynamic, and dramatic resolution must occur entirely through the characters themselves."

I read it one sitting. It has 4 chapters, or acts, I guess. And the setting changes between each one. The characters stay the same, but are transported to an entirely new setting as if they were always there. At the start of each new chapter the action continues seamlessly, but the characters interact with the new setting as if they had always been there. 

I liked it.

Everyone should read more Steinbeck.