Rating: 
Summary: Developing Steinbeck
Review: The Pastures of Heaven (or "Las Pasturas del Cielo") is the name of a valley in central California, the setting for the stories by Steinbeck which comprise this novel. The novel is really a collection of short stories, linked by the setting and by some characters who reappear along the way, but really any of the stories could stand as a separate piece.I found that in reading the early parts of the novel, the stories were variable in quality. The one concerning Shark Wells, over-protective of his daughter, I thought was particularly good, but the one about the character Tularecito I thought was little better than a fairy tale. Yet, as I read on I thought that the stories became stronger, more consistent in their quality. It was as if Steinbeck was becoming more confident, both in his style and themes. Whilst "The Pastures of Heaven" is not nearly as good as Steinbeck's best writing, overall it's still not bad, and it was interesting to see some development of his style. G Rodgers
Rating: 
Summary: A Rare Multi-read book; a Different Sort of Steinbeck
Review: You needn't be familiar with Steinbeck's work to enjoy Pastures of Heaven. Indeed, he wasn't a well-known writer at the time of its publication. But you DO need to be familiar with the way books used to be read -- over and over and over, allowing the richness of a work to be revealed after multiple readings. So it is with Pastures of Heaven.
Certainly, a single reading of this work is rewarding and each story alone could serve as a great introduction to Steinbeck's style and grace. But these stories are interrelated in ways that appear only on the second and third and fourth readings. And...the book should probably be read slowly. (Hint: pay VERY close attention to the first story!)
Like other readers, I, too, was disappointed/puzzled after the first reading, but then I found certain images from the book would appear to me weeks and months later. I found the book again in my bags as I traveled cross-country and re-read it slowly, taking two nights to read each story. As I drove the next day, I'd let my mind wander over the textual terrain it had encountered the night before. The story grew in richness and complexity this way and has left me fully satisfied. It remains within close reach on my shelf.
While the book as written is a treasure -- one often neglected in discussions of Steinbeck's portfolio -- I have to say that time is changing its nature. As the book nears its 75th birthday, it gets only more true; the universality every good story has is here exemplified and magnified. Centuries from now, this book may be seen not so much as a portrait of its time, but rather a timeless tale, merely set conveniently in a place and era Steinbeck knew well; in this sense, the work reminds me of Shakespeare's work.
Final thought: the work also grows richer by the reader's extension of it. The reader will inevitably draw parallels with his or her own life; doing a little contemporary research to investigate side avenues also give the book more depth. I was distracted for a week comparing Steinbeck's Tularecito with Shakespeare's Caliban.
In short, if you are an inquisitive, thinking reader, one not afraid to give as much to Steinbeck's novel as he has given to you, then you will enjoy this book immensely.
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