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Steinbeck attended [[Stanford University]] without graduating.  He wrote the [[Pulitzer Prize]]-winning novel about a migrant family entitled ''The Grapes of Wrath'' (1939), which was the best-selling book of that year with sales of 430,000 by February 1940.  In 1962 Steinbeck received the [[Nobel Prize]] for Literature.  On the personal side, he forced his first wife to have an [[abortion]] against her desire to keep the baby; the abortion was botched to her severe harm.<ref>https://thebridgehead.ca/2020/01/10/how-the-curse-of-abortion-has-haunted-americas-literary-greats/</ref>  They divorced in 1943, and soon afterwards Steinbeck married Gwedolyn “Gwyn” Conger, a 20-year-old jazz singer 17 years younger than Steinbeck, and they had two children.  In 1948 they divorced, and in 1950 Steinbeck married his third wife, Elaine Scott.<ref>https://sits.sjsu.edu/context/influencers/</ref>

Steinbeck attended [[Stanford University]] without graduating.  He wrote the [[Pulitzer Prize]]-winning novel about a migrant family entitled ''The Grapes of Wrath'' (1939), which was the best-selling book of that year with sales of 430,000 by February 1940.  In 1962 Steinbeck received the [[Nobel Prize]] for Literature.  On the personal side, he forced his first wife to have an [[abortion]] against her desire to keep the baby; the abortion was botched to her severe harm.<ref>https://thebridgehead.ca/2020/01/10/how-the-curse-of-abortion-has-haunted-americas-literary-greats/</ref>  They divorced in 1943, and soon afterwards Steinbeck married Gwedolyn “Gwyn” Conger, a 20-year-old jazz singer 17 years younger than Steinbeck, and they had two children.  In 1948 they divorced, and in 1950 Steinbeck married his third wife, Elaine Scott.<ref>https://sits.sjsu.edu/context/influencers/</ref>

Steinbeck grew up in and spent most of his writing career in [[California]].  Some of his works have been made into movies, including ''Cannery Row'' (1945), ''The Pearl'' (1947), ''Of Mice and Men'' (1939)  (about two migrant workers who were friends) and ''East of Eden'' (1952) (which was turned into a successful movie).  Steinbeck was also successful as a Hollywood writer, receiving an [[Academy Award]] nomination for Best Story in 1944 for [[Alfred Hitchcock|Alfred Hitchcock's]] ''Lifeboat'', although Steinbeck disliked the movie's distortion of his work and asked that his name be taken off its promotion.<ref>https://www.flavorwire.com/256717/john-steinbeck-wanted-his-name-taken-off-hitchcocks-lifeboat</ref>

Steinbeck grew up in and spent most of his writing career in [[California]].  Several of his works were made into movies, including ''Cannery Row'' (1945), ''The Pearl'' (1947), ''Of Mice and Men'' (1939)  (about two migrant workers who were friends) and ''East of Eden'' (1952) (which was turned into a successful movie).  Steinbeck was also successful as a Hollywood writer, receiving an [[Academy Award]] nomination for Best Story in 1944 for [[Alfred Hitchcock|Alfred Hitchcock's]] ''Lifeboat'', although Steinbeck disliked the movie's distortion of his work and asked that his name be taken off its promotion.<ref>https://www.flavorwire.com/256717/john-steinbeck-wanted-his-name-taken-off-hitchcocks-lifeboat</ref>

The titles of all three of Steinbeck's most prominent works were taken from the [[Bible]] (''The Grapes of Wrath'' and ''East of Eden'') or a poem (''Of Mice and Men'').  The movie versions of each of these are considered by many to be better than the books themselves.  Steinbeck's first wife helped pick ''The Grapes of Wrath'' title after Steinbeck struggled in finding a catchy phrase for it.<ref>https://study.com/academy/lesson/the-grapes-of-wrath-title-origin-meaning-analysis.html</ref>

The titles of all three of Steinbeck's most prominent works were taken from the [[Bible]] (''The Grapes of Wrath'' and ''East of Eden'') or a poem (''Of Mice and Men'').  The movie versions of each of these are considered by many to be better than the books themselves.  Steinbeck's first wife helped pick ''The Grapes of Wrath'' title after Steinbeck struggled in finding a catchy phrase for it.<ref>https://study.com/academy/lesson/the-grapes-of-wrath-title-origin-meaning-analysis.html</ref>