content: Perhaps every great novelist has one truly great novel. "The Grapes of Wrath" is outstanding, but "East of Eden" is Steinbeck's best novel and one (1) of the five (5) greatest novels ever written (in my opinion).Not only does Steinbeck make Genesis Chapter 4 the centerpiece of this novel, he literally wagers the success of this novel on one (1) Hebrew word found in Genesis Chapter 4: "Timshel" ("thou mayest"). Steinbeck wins the wager. Actually, he breaks the casinos-all of them-at Vegas by basing his novel around "Timshel."This book is a stunning work of achievement. If you enjoy fiction, you should love "East of Eden."