The Pastures of Heaven (Penguin Great Books of the 20th Century)

John Steinbeck's beautifully rendered depictions of the small yet fateful moments that transform ordinary lives in these early stories introduce both the subjects and style of artistic expression that recur in the most important works of his career. Each of these self-contained stories is linked to the others by the presence of the Munroes, a family whose miguided behavior and lack of sensitivity precipitate disasters and tragedies, intellectual limitations, and emotional vulnerabilities that shape the characters' reactions and gradually erode the harmony and dreams that once formed the foundation of their community.