John Steinbeck's Global Dimensions

Though a highly regarded American writer, John Steinbeck's appeal and influence extend far beyond North American borders. In John Steinbeck's Global Dimensions, editors Kyoko Ariki, Luchen Li, and Scott Pugh have assembled some of the best in current critical analysis of the Nobel Prize-winner's work. A compilation of papers by scholars from the U.S., Japan, China, Korea, India, and Slovenia, this work provides a window into the critical reception of Steinbeck's works around the globe. In doing so, this volume incorporates diverse approaches, including cultural studies, film analysis, gender studies, and—most especially—comparative studies of sociopolitical, philosophical, and religious motifs in Steinbeck's fiction.

This collection includes four parts, each considering a broad dimension of Steinbeck's work. The cultural and social dimensions of his fiction are considered with essays by prominent scholars on moral philosophy, dysfunctional families, Ayn Rand's possible influence, and other topics. The second section focuses on aesthetic dimensions, including considerations of Steinbeck's theatrical vision and postmodern aspects of his work. The third section considers reader reception issues and—in particular—surveys Islamic, Buddhist, and Indian philosophy echoed in the author's works. The final section of the book is an essay considering the global possibilities for future Steinbeck studies.

A convenient casebook of the latest in Steinbeck studies, this volume documents the breadth of current international interest in his fiction, his films, and his philosophy. The included essays are particularly useful for showing critical readings from various cultural standpoints, readings that often stand in sharp, interesting contrast to each other. Overall, this collection of essays gives an unmatched sense of how John Steinbeck's work continues to reach readers and scholars around the world.

Kyoko Ariki is professor of English at Shujitsu University in Okayama, Japan. She is the author of The Main Thematic Current in John Steinbeck's Works: A Positive View of Man's Survival (2002) and co-editor of Re-Reading John Steinbeck (2001). In 2006 she received the Burkhardt Award for the Outstanding Steinbeck Scholar of the Year.

Luchen Li is Associate Professor of Humanities and Communication at Kettering University in Flint, Michigan. He is the editor of John Steinbeck: A Documentary Volume (2005) and coauthor of Critical Companion to John Steinbeck: A Literary Reference to His Life and Work (2005).

Scott Pugh has taught American literature and cultural studies in Japan for more than twenty years. An Associate Director of the Sixth International Steinbeck Congress in Kyoto, Dr. Pugh serves on the editorial boards of The Steinbeck Review, The Journal of the American Literature Society of Japan, and other publications.