The Log from the Sea of Cortez

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Summary: Eurudite, at times witty, marine biology
Review: John Steinbeck was not merely a lusty untrained amateur when it came to marine biology - he studied the subject at Stanford although left without graduating. Nevertheless, the Log from the Sea of Cortez, the narrative portion of the account from his 1940 journey round the Gulf of California with his scientist friend Ed Ricketts, is written in the tone of the intellegent novice to the subject.

The prose is light-footed and brisk, covering the minutiae of collecting - minature sea life is chronicled with detailed affection, then frequently the observations of creatures are used as a basis for expanding into a panoramic commentary on sociology, ethics, religion, psychology, teleology - you name it. Watching two crayfish meet, Steinbeck observes that they fight. He then speculates that they will only lose this genetic impulse if some future mutation is undergone by the species. He wonders if this might be the case with humans, explaining why war is an inevitable component of our psychic. How much of this is verifiable scientifically is questionable, but this doesn't stop Steinbeck's account from being an entertaining travelogue. Potted tales of his fellow crew wittily intersperse the log from the collecting fields, such as the tale of one member trying to decapitate a turtle that crawls around headless on the deck, post execution.

What really enriches this account, however, is Steinbeck's obvious enthusiasm for biology, human company, sea life and, more broadly, life at sea in general. At one point, having returned to the ocean after a spell in the mountains, he confesses 'One who was born by the ocean or has associated with it cannot ever be quite content away from it for very long'. There is certainly something of the keenness of the short trousered schoolboy, ecsctatically rummaging around the rockpools that spills over to the reader.

Yet, for all its happy moments, the Sea of Cortez sits in historical contex against a rather more sombre, tragic background. The beginnings of war starting in Europe are far removed from Steinbeck and co.'s potterings in the Gulf of California, but the occasional allusion to war in the account reminds us that this was an uneasy time for American life. And Steinbeck's lifelong friend and colleague on this trip, the eccentric and charismatic scientist Ed Ricketts, who held the controversial theory at the time that all life in the Pacific Ocean was connected teleologically - 'It is advisable to look from the tidepool to the stars and then back to the tidepool again' was killed in a car accident at a railway crossing some years later. The appendix includes a poignant account by Steinbeck of his friend, one of the best personal obituaries I have read. So I heartily recommend that readers don't terminate their reading at the end of the log section of the story.

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Summary: A unique blend of science, philosophy, and social commentary
Review: John Steinbeck's recollections of a 1940 marine expedition in which he took part form an often funny and deeply thoughtful account lacking much in the way of adventure or narrative structure. A unique blend of oceanography, philosophy, and social commentary, the book often succeeds and sometimes falters.

Much of the "log" alternates between lists of the specimens gathered by the seafarers and reflections stimulated by the species (including the humans) encountered on the trip. The descriptions of sea life are occasionally fascinating, such as Steinbeck's delightful portrayal of the wily Sally Lightfoot crabs: "They seem to be able to run in any one of four directions; but more than this, perhaps because of their rapid reaction time, they appear to read the mind of their hunter.... [Man's] tendency eventually is to scream curses, to hurl himself at them, and to come up foaming with rage and bruised all over his chest." But for every passage like this one, there are a dozen sentences that have all the interest of a catalog entry ("Rock oysters there were, and oysters; limpets and sponges; corals of two types; peanut worms; sea-cucumbers; and many crabs....).

Steinbeck's philosophical and political meditations are far more compelling, especially when he offers his views on social Darwinism, contemporary affairs, or local history. He enters murky waters, however, when he delves into abstract philosophical matters (for example, his often impenetrable deliberations on the differences between teleological and non-teleological thinking).

Curiously enough, the most fully illustrated "characters" in this book are the offshore collecting pools, onshore natives, and--most memorably--the "Sea Cow," an insolent outboard motor with which the crew struggles throughout the voyage. The passengers themselves are nearly indistinguishable: the biologist Ed Ricketts is rarely mentioned, and only very observant readers will realize that Steinbeck's wife Carol was a member of the expedition. (They separated a year later, which might explain the vague references.) The scarcity of human interest is partially rectified in "About Ed Ricketts," a poignant eulogy Steinbeck added a decade after the book was originally published. Readers who skip appendixes will end up missing one of the best parts of the book.

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Summary: This is a must-have book for serious Baja afictionados.
Review: John Steinbeck's The Log From the Sea of Cortez is a must-have book for serious Baja aficionados. It is an account of the glory days of Baja California before "improvements" such as the Transpeninsular Highway, hotel resorts and tourism. John Steinbeck, in his best narrative style, gives us back Baja...the Baja many of us still remember. He poignantly describes the essence of this remote, capricious territory and the beaconing sea that washes it shores. Steinbeck's acute observation attempts to make sense of the mystique of this place, a place which has drawn so many of us out of our civilized comforts and sent us chasing down dusty, desolate roads in search of her remote bays and islands.

The author takes us back to the Baja of the early fortys, at the outbreak of WWII, when Gringos were still a novelty. We are caught up in an adventure of grand proportions where John Steinbeck along with his close friend, Ed Ricketts, circumnavigate the peninsula on the fishing trawler, The Western Flyer, collecting marine flora and fauna along the way. The reader is drawn into the this journey of exploration, as Steinbeck and crew fall under the spell of the mystery and power of this wonderous place.

The starkness of the Baja landscape and the warm, life-sustaining azure waters of the Sea of Cortez are painted in sharp contrast. Steinbeck attemps to make sense of a land that have confounded most who have touched her shores. He celebrates Baja's ability to re-invent herself...to reclaim herself, as she has resisted centuries of invasion by people who would change her into their own image. The reader is brought closer to the life of this place as we are introduced to the wonders of the Sea of Cortez. This book shows us that Baja and her people have remained true to her essence. We are given hope that this enchanted land, which has served so many of us as a misteress of adventure, will not decline or fade. Read and re-read this book if you love Baja as I do!

Especially touching is Steinbeck's essay and tribute to Ed Ricketts ("Doc" in Cannery Row & Sweet Thursday) who died shorty after their trip. In my opinion, this short, economical essay packed with Steinbeck's descriptive power and emotion is Steinbeck at his best.Kenneth L. Decroo, 1998

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Summary: a modern masterpiece
Review: Like many people of my age (45) I read 'Grapes of Wrath' and 'Cannery Row' as schoolbooks. Steinbeck was 'just' another modern author, one of many in the curriculum, although I enjoyed the writing more than that of some other authors. Thirty years later, I am sitting in Crete, in my favourite town, reading a worn Penguin paperback of 'The Log from the Sea of Cortez'. I bought it for pennies in a charity shop just before leaving for Greece, more out of curiousity than anything else. It is a cliche, but I was captivated. Steinbeck's use of English and his powers to describe a scene and circumstances, with tight narrative, are an object-lesson for would be writers. Since reading about the expedition, I have returned, belatedly, to one of the best authors of the twentieth century. Beware, it is fashionable to reduce Steinbeck to a social commentator whose later work was poorly conceived. Don't believe the hype. This book will take you to a place that no longer exists outside its pages, and it is a glorious description of two friends doing something just because they could. That's all folks!

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Summary: One of the Great Travel Stories of All Time
Review: One of my good friends from high school introduced me to this book after we were both middle-aged. He set the challenge that we should complete this journey together. I look forward to it.

John Steinbeck, the great fiction writer, is just as intriguing as a nonfiction writer. In fact, there is more scope here than in any of the novels.

Steinbeck was fascinated by his friend, Ed Ricketts, Baja California, The Sea of Cortez (located in Baja), the marine life there, and the people along the way. You can read this book for any of those dimensions and be well rewarded. In fact, it is interesting to learn more about Steinbeck, the man, through his reminiscences of this trip.

Although I enjoyed all of these dimensions,to me the element that is most appealing is the story of two friends simply traveling and learning. It is very much a tale of the voyage that we all make through life, by way of analogy. In a way, it reminds me of a literal Pilgrim's Progress, except that this actually occurred. Fact, in this case, is more interesting than fiction.

If you liked Steinbeck's novels, read this. If you like travel stories, read this. If you like stories of scientific research, read this. If you like adventure, read this. Even if you don't fall into one of those categories, read this. Enjoy!

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Summary: collection of animals and a sense of adventure
Review: steinbeck's darwinian novel that captues a sense of adventure as well with his good friend. there may be a need to be interested in the science of animal classification to really enjoy this book.

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Summary: Travel, Philosophy, Zoology, and Eulogy
Review: This is a fascinating book for a number a reasons and is a success because, it manages to work on a number of different levels. As a travelogue it paints a fascinating portrait of the people and places on the shores of the Sea of Cortez. Steinbeck has always been able to capture this part of human existence in his fiction and nonfiction works. Steinbeck manages to capture the flavor of this scientific expedition, and the wonder of nature, particularly in this unique ecosystem. Steinbeck manages to fuse these somewhat separate thread to describe his philosophy of life and existence. In this respect it provides a useful supplement for understanding his masterpiece, The Grapes of Wrath. Finally, an appendix has a eulogy for his friend Ed Ricketts, who led this voyage to the Sea of Cortez and who was the insiration for the character Doc in Cannery Row and its sequal. This eulogy is both a wonderful tribute to Ricketts, but also a celebration of life.

I would not recommend this book as an introduction to Steinbeck. If you have never read Steinbeck your time will be better spent reading the Grapes of Wrath. I think it works best for those of us who have read other Steinbeck works and/or those who wish to have better understanding of the peoples and ecology of the Sea of Cortez.

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Summary: a real classic & a great read
Review: This is the book that really "turned me around" on Steinbeck. I had been forced to read RED PONY & THE PEARL in High School & while I acknowledged Steinbeck's ability I found his subjects unbearably depressing. LOG FROM THE SEA OF CORTEZ showed me another, funnier, more thoughtful, and more engaging Steibeck that then lead me to CANNERY ROW etc. This is the so-called Narrative Portion of a much longer guidebook co-authored by Steinbeck & Ed Ricketts that was simply called SEA OF CORTEZ and includes both illustrations and keys to the marine intertidal of Baja. The longer version is alas now long out of print & a real collectors item. LOG it turns out is a mixture of an actual travel log as Ricketts, Steinbeck & the crew of the Western Flyer wander in and out of the coves on the eastern side of the Baja peninsula, and also some philosophical essays by Ricketts that I gather actually pre-date th Cortez trip. I have frequently assigned the Easter Sunday chapter to my students as an marvellous discourse on science & scientists, but in fact the whole book is just that -we get a real sense of the joys & follys of field ecology & a wonderful look at an amazing piece of country before it was "discovered" and at least in part spoiled. The book is like a wonderful conversation with two very very smart & funny people & one comes away having learned a great deal & wishing one could have gone along on the original trip.

Rating:
Summary: a real classic & a great read
Review: This is the book that really "turned me around" on Steinbeck. I had been forced to read RED PONY & THE PEARL in High School & while I acknowledged Steinbeck's ability I found his subjects unbearably depressing. LOG FROM THE SEA OF CORTEZ showed me another, funnier, more thoughtful, and more engaging Steibeck that then lead me to CANNERY ROW etc. This is the so-called Narrative Portion of a much longer guidebook co-authored by Steinbeck & Ed Ricketts that was simply called SEA OF CORTEZ and includes both illustrations and keys to the marine intertidal of Baja. The longer version is alas now long out of print & a real collectors item. LOG it turns out is a mixture of an actual travel log as Ricketts, Steinbeck & the crew of the Western Flyer wander in and out of the coves on the eastern side of the Baja peninsula, and also some philosophical essays by Ricketts that I gather actually pre-date th Cortez trip. I have frequently assigned the Easter Sunday chapter to my students as an marvellous discourse on science & scientists, but in fact the whole book is just that -we get a real sense of the joys & follys of field ecology & a wonderful look at an amazing piece of country before it was "discovered" and at least in part spoiled. The book is like a wonderful conversation with two very very smart & funny people & one comes away having learned a great deal & wishing one could have gone along on the original trip.

Rating:
Summary: a real classic & a great read
Review: This is the book that really "turned me around" on Steinbeck. I had been forced to read RED PONY & THE PEARL in High School & while I acknowledged Steinbeck's ability I found his subjects unbearably depressing. LOG FROM THE SEA OF CORTEZ showed me another, funnier, more thoughtful, and more engaging Steibeck that then lead me to CANNERY ROW etc. This is the so-called Narrative Portion of a much longer guidebook co-authored by Steinbeck & Ed Ricketts that was simply called SEA OF CORTEZ and includes both illustrations and keys to the marine intertidal of Baja. The longer version is alas now long out of print & a real collectors item. LOG it turns out is a mixture of an actual travel log as Ricketts, Steinbeck & the crew of the Western Flyer wander in and out of the coves on the eastern side of the Baja peninsula, and also some philosophical essays by Ricketts that I gather actually pre-date th Cortez trip. I have frequently assigned the Easter Sunday chapter to my students as an marvellous discourse on science & scientists, but in fact the whole book is just that -we get a real sense of the joys & follys of field ecology & a wonderful look at an amazing piece of country before it was "discovered" and at least in part spoiled. The book is like a wonderful conversation with two very very smart & funny people & one comes away having learned a great deal & wishing one could have gone along on the original trip.