John Steinbeck received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1962, making them laureate number 57 since the prize was first awarded in 1901.
They are one of 12 laureates from United States.
Our pick for reading John Steinbeck for the first time is The Grapes of Wrath. It is one of the most widely read Nobel books in the world and an easy way in.
The Grapes of Wrath follows the Joads, Oklahoma farmers who lose everything in the Great Depression and head to California in search of work. It won the Pulitzer and remains one of the most powerful novels about poverty and dignity. If you want something shorter by Steinbeck, try Of Mice and Men.
One email on announcement day with the winner and where to start reading. Then one Nobel read a month.