East of Eden - John Steinbeck ------------- 4.5 Stars (Re-review)

Over 15 year ago, I read East of Eden for the first time. It was great and I loved it. I also just did something I almost never do; I re-read a book. Unlike movies which I rewatch all the time, the time needed to re-read a book is a much larger commitment. Rather than 2 hours, it may be 2 months to finish a book. And, while there are a few movies I'd really like to see that I have not, there are dozens perhaps hundreds books I want to read.

So, it was with surprise that I felt the motivation to re-read Steinbeck's classic, East of Eden. I really can't place why I felt the need to take this book on again, especially as it's on the longer side, but something about it carried with me. I was also curious how the book might read differently; both as a second read and also a third of my life later. Candidly, neither of those things seemed to make much of a difference. I still enjoyed it immensely and many of the thoughts and sentiments I had after the first read were similar. 

How do I know that? Well, I wrote this (thoughtful?) blog giving it 5 stars back in '09. Besides enjoying the book a second time, I appreciated reading my thoughts about it these many years later. In many ways, that blog still captures the essence of most of my observations about the book. Unlike the first review, I did drop it half a star. Perhaps it was because it was the second time reading and it just didn't strike me the same way, or perhaps I simply misjudged it to begin with. Either way, it's still a great read with great characters. 

Be it a 4.5 star or 5 star novel, for me, this is Steinbeck's best and most layered story. While this book is nearly 75 years old, the themes and ideas are just as relevant today as they were then. And while it is squarely placed in the early 20th century Salinas Valley, the human elements endure to today. If you haven't read this book, I urge you to pick it up. I'm quite confident I won't be writing a third review to recommend it!