When I mentioned that I was thinking of stopping in Salinas to visit the National Steinbeck Center, Other Jill warned me that there is nothing else in Salinas and I should pack a lunch.
She’s right.
Actually, I knew this because my college roommate was from Salinas (poor thing) and I visited her a few times during summer breaks. Salinas is only a two hour drive north of where I live, but it’s pretty much a foreign land (it’s inland, and surrounded by farmland, and honestly, there’s nothing of interest there (for someone from the coast) except for John Steinbeck stuff).
But I was on my way to Sacramento and figured it would be a good way to break up the five hour drive. And it was.
The National Steinbeck Center is actually pretty cool, despite it’s unassuming exterior.
It sticks out like a sore thumb though, since it’s at the end of the historical Main Street district (which was a pretty un-happening place). I was only there for an hour, so I just got an overview of things (while I wanted to visit the museum, I also wanted to get to Sacramento before dark). But I was able to see Rocinante (the truck Steinbeck drove around in for Travels with Charley…and I tried to take a picture of the surprisingly small interior of the camper but the flash bounced off of the Plexiglas…which kind of scared the hell out of me because I didn’t know my iPhone even had a flash),
and get an overview of his life (I didn’t know he was married three times, or that he was a war correspondent, or that he had travelled through Russia and wrote a book about those travels (which I may have bought at the museum store)), and check out a few other treasures, such as this box that he carved for the manuscript of East of Eden (it says timshel):
I also fell in love with this quote:
So if you ever find yourself driving past Salinas (hey, it could happen…it’s on Highway 101 which runs down California and conveniently connects San Francisco to me and me to LA), this place is worth a stop.
I love that East of Eden box. I’m not sure why, but seeing that Steinbeck carved it with “timshel” makes me feel like I know him a lot better — that he is the type of person who would carve a box for his manuscript.
Lorren´s last [type] ..Top Ten Books I Would Save If the House Was on Fire
Oh, this would be somewhere that I would love to visit, and I can imagine getting caught up in all the little things that are on offer there. I am so glad that you got the chance to experience this, and some of the pictures you got were great! Very cool post today!
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It sounds like a fun stop! I can’t believe you didn’t know your phone has a flash! lol
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That last quote is perfect for you, with all of the big book projects you seem to take on! I like it a lot too.
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Books are something that just happened to me. I like it. Especially the books that are part of readalongs.
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I remember reading about that box! Now I want one. You’re such a bad influence.
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Thanks so much for this post, Jill! Don’t know when (if ever) I’ll get to Salinas, but this is almost as good. I added the Russian Journals to my wish list after reading Travels With Charley. The quote above makes me want to read Crime and Punishment…. maybe after the Clarissa group read is over;-)
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I loved East of Eden and I would love to visit the center! It looks like a lot of fun.
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Oh, I like that quote, too. And, the box is gorgeous. I have strong doubts that I’ll ever make it to Salinas, though.
Oh, and I have to tell you, apart from the glass? The National Steinbeck Center building looks so much like my elementary school in Oklahoma that I did a double-take. Weird.
Not sure I’ll ever have time just to drop by Salinas, but you never know.
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