He’s the only paisano who works, making 25 cents a day selling kindling, but he doesn’t spend it, saving it and hiding it. After a while Pirate joins them along with his five dogs who follow him everywhere. They spend their days partying, drinking, sleeping, thieving or in jail. He lives in one house and ‘rents’ the other to his friends, but they are all poor, do not work and never pay him, except in wine. It begins just after the end of the First World War, when they return to find that Danny has inherited two houses from his grandfather. The stories have almost a mythical feel and indeed, Steinbeck compares Danny and his friends to the Knights of the Round Table. They are paisanos, being a mix of Spanish, Indian, Mexican and assorted Caucasian bloods, living in old wooden houses in the midst of pine trees. Tortilla Flat is a collection of stories about their escapades, and their thoughts and endeavours. And after a somewhat slow start I soon settled into the book and thoroughly enjoyed it.Īs Steinbeck explained in his Preface this is the story of Danny and of Danny’s friends, Pilon, Pablo, Jesus Maria, and Big Joe. Monterey is also the setting for Cannery Row (the first of John Steinbeck’s novels that I read) and Sweet Thursday, both of which I enjoyed, so I was expecting this book to be just as good. Tortilla Flat is on the hill high above Monterey, an old city on the coast of California. It was John Steinbeck’s fourth novel, first published in 1935. 'They were called paisanos because not only were they made up of Spanish and Indian blood, but many of them were also part Italian or part Portuguese,' Benson explains.Tortilla Flat was my Classics Club Spin book to read by 30th April. It was eventually well-received when published in 1935, almost by accident, according to Benson. One of Steinbeck's depression-era books about the 'paisanos' of Monterey, 'Tortilla Flat' at first had trouble finding a publisher even though the author had already published several books. From this point anything can happen.' - from 'Tortilla Flat' The graduations stop here, for the trail splits and there is no certainty. A thumb, every other song each one knows. Two fingers down, a song of death or longing.

Shoulder of the second jug, black, unholy despondency. Bottom of the first jug, general and undirected sadness. Three inches more, thoughts of old and satisfactory loves. Two inches farther down, sweetly sad memory. Spiritually the jugs maybe graduated thus: Just below the shoulder of the first bottle, serious and concentrated conversation. 'Two gallons is a great deal of wine, even for two paisanos.

Tortilla flat book