How can the poem and the stink and the grating noise-the quality of light, the tone, the habit and the dream-be set down alive? When you collect marine animals there are certain flat worms so delicate that they are almost impossible to capture whole, for they break and tatter under the touch. Here are a few passages I enjoyed, but I stopped keeping track about halfway through the book because I realized I'd just be copying the whole thing: I desperately want to attend a party on Cannery Row.

CR was a little more surreal (is this the word I'm looking for?) than the others I've read of his so far.the wandering from one scene to another seemed a little more hazy and dreamlike than usual (which perfectly matches everyone and everything within these pages). Reading this put me in a state of euphoria all week. There you have it now at least I know what it's about. The zaniness of life in the fish canning area during the late 30's. So the story being a meandering of farcical events that took place here and with the people there was pretty much entire novel. The characters being based on real people also particularly Doc who was a good friend and seemed to be very much like the Doc of the book as well as his lab being the center of attention. Much of what Steinbeck wrote was based on his experiences in and around the SalinaMonterrey area. It helped having read the bios on Steinbeck to understand where he was going with it. Now as for the actual novel, short as it was I found it mildly entertaining. Now I have read several biographies of Steinbeck but then finally realized I never actually read 'Cannery Row.' I have been by Cannery Row in Monterrey but never really went in either. You know, you think you read 'Cannery Row' once, but didn't.

John steinbeck cannery row review