NATIONALSTEINBECKCENTER “…What Makes a Writer” “It is a long and difficult craft to learn… NEWS Nearly every one can write the first four chapters of a book. It is writing the third book when no one would look at the first two that makes a writer.” --JS 1948. (Progress and Rodeo, 10C) ISSUE 66 | JULY 2016 ISSUE 66 | JULY Notes From the Director Susan Shillinglaw I’ve been reading the 1963 Progress and Rodeo edition of The Salinas Californian, a special edition to “eulogize John.” On page one, beneath a nearly life-sized portrait, the editors laud Steinbeck did not, in fact, relish “Salinas’ Own John Steinbeck.” Covers of his books line the the weighty Progress and Rodeo front page. “Steinbeck’s is a gift that has eulogized Salinas,” edition, which he received in a crow the editors. Salinas returned the favor with an oversized New York City hospital, flat on his edition of the hometown paper:“No man should die before he back after eye surgery. Elaine read is honored for his works. He should, with swelling, humble, and each section to him, after which often homesick heart, be able to relish his hometown’s praise.” John wrote a long letter back to Each of six sections of the Progress and Rodeo edition features his hometown, noting that reading a full-page sketch of Steinbeck or his characters, followed by Salinas’s praise had made him feel articles about John (a few) and about the annual California dead before his time. Nonetheless, Rodeo, energetically and fulsomely covered in this special by the end of his wry response, he edition. (Steinbeck himself probably attended 20 or so Rodeos, forgave his hometown. Salinas had certainly as a child and teen, as a Stanford student and as a meant well by him, he admitted. Pacific Grove resident in the 1930s. Nearly everyone in Salinas continued on page 2 attended the annual Rodeo.) Call 831.775.4721 or visit www.steinbeck.org for more information CALENDAR on our upcoming events. July 13, 4 pm, Sweet Thursday September 16, 4pm Steinbeck scholar Robert DeMott reads from his new BIG READ launch: book, Angling Days: A Fly Fisher’s Journals (2016). NSC Director Susan Shillinglaw August 27, 6-7 pm will give a talk on California Council for Humanities is sponsoring Pulitzer “Steinbeck’s Mexico.” Plus music Prize Campfires to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the and food! prizes. Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Bettina Boxall See page 8 for more details. joins Felicia Marcus, Chair of California’s State Water Resources Board and Norm Groot, Executive Director of Save the Date: Monterey County Farm Bureau, as they discuss a future in which water is going to become all the more precious: December 16-18 Salinas Valley Comic Con “California Water: Rivers, Oceans and Our Future.” He was right--true then, true now. One year into my position as Director of the National Steinbeck Center, it seems to me that Salinas means well by John. The town’s great eulogy is, of course, the National Steinbeck Center, which continues to thrive as a physical museum and an intellectual hub, offering programs that reach into the community that Steinbeck always honored, if sometimes grudgingly. One year into my directorship, part of my vision for the NSC is increasingly clear—to bring Steinbeck home, to nurture the gleeful spirit of that Progress and Rodeo edition. Currently, a draft of the NSC mission, still being refined, is this: “Drawing from the works of John Steinbeck, the National Steinbeck Center is dedicated to Steinbeck’s creative legacy: to participate, to inspire, to educate and to understand one another.” Understanding begins with local energy and radiates outward—nationally, internationally. Or, as the Progress and Rodeo edition would have it, Steinbeck “has seen much of the world since leaving Salinas…but always into his prose creeps some semblance of Salinas.” To eulogize John Steinbeck in the twenty-first century is, I think, to heed his empathetic words, a clarion call in troubled times: “In every bit of honest writing in the world,” Steinbeck wrote in 1938, “there is a base theme. Try to understand men…Try to understand each other”—in the community and in the world. The Progress and Rodeo edition honors Steinbeck as a native son and as the 1962 From the The Salinas Californian's “Winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature” Progress and Rodeo Edition —that honor noted on the front page, left corner, large print. Researching East of Eden: Beginning serious research for East of Eden in January 1948, Steinbeck returned to California Writing East of Eden: from New York City and spent many days “300 Pencils and Rock-hard consulting files of turn-of-the-century Salinas Callus Went into Novel.” newspapers in the Salinas Californian building. During the writing of East In January 1948, he told local reporters that of Eden, John Steinbeck kept his novel would be set in “the region between count of things, and this is San Luis Obispo and Santa Cruz, particularly the a record: “Eleven years of Salinas Valley: the time, between 1900 and the mental gestation, one year of present.” uninterrupted writing, 25 dozen He returned to New York City with files of the pencils, approximately three papers and wrote to Salinas editors in March: “This is going dozen reams of paper, 350,000 words to be a huge job but I think increasingly that it is a very (before cutting), about 75,000 words important one for me to do. I'm going to spend the whole in his work-in-progress journal, and summer on these papers and I hope at the end of that time a rock-hard callus on the middle to be the best informed person in the world on the Salinas finger of the author’s right hand Valley as it was, not as it is remembered by old timers . I went into writing the book.” (10C) want to be bombarded every day with place names, people’s names and local references of all kinds.” (11C) Filming East of Eden: Scenes of the 1955 film East of Eden were filmed in Spreckels: Adam’s 1915 rodeo rider--JS probably saw him lettuce venture and Cal’s bean crop. Local women were filmed trimming Drawings by John Roby, Salinas Californian artist lettuce. The freight cars of lettuce were a 1917 vintage train, secured from the Southern Pacific Railroad, equipment that had been used in Salinas during WWI. 1919 Salinas Union High School class prophecy for Steinbeck: “The church of a far-off city Came towering into view Where John was preaching in solemn tones To many a well-filled pew." (2) 22 BOOKSTORE Yessenia Guzman, Store Manager/ Tour & Volunteer Coordinator The Steinbeck bookstore is looking great. hand books. She is collecting I am so happy with all the new merchandise that we have been different editions by Steinbeck getting and will continue to get. I love how there is a little bit of and walks through the door very everything. I enjoy looking at the guests walk from one corner eager to see what new book of the store to the next as they explore all the great items. she can buy for herself. Our pink shirts are doing really great this summer. We also Oh summer is here. I love this have a new mug that says “I Love Steinbeck.” Deb’s Calming time of the year. We get guests Creations—Steinbeck Soap—sells well; regular customers coming in from all over. I really come in once a month to restock on their favorite scents. My enjoy these busy days. It’s great favorites are California Oranges, Wild Oats and California Poppy to hear the stories, from “Oh this is Seeds, the top sellers. my first time here” to “Oh this is our I also enjoy seeing people come to the store to buy a book. second time here” and “We really love this We don’t have many bookstores in Salinas so for us to have lots museum.” Words like these put a big smile to my face. I am to choose from is amazing! A sweet lady named Maria comes really thankful for CSUMB and everyone involved who keeps in every Wednesday to see what new items we have and what this museum open. new book she would like to read. She tells me she really enjoys Please check out the store. New merchandise includes the store, and not one day does she leave without buying Steinbeck hats, pens, soaps, totes, martini glasses, note pads, something. Maria loves the “Collector’s Corner” with second journals, mugs and postcards. Bookstore Inventory David Butler, Director of Finance and Administration We are in the process of taking our annual inventory of the bookstore, which is about $40,000. The process is quite simple as we count the items on hand and compare with the count in the bookstore computer. However, we have over 500 items so it is taking a few weeks. Our count includes what is on display plus any inventory in the storeroom. The bookstore computer maintains a perpetual count and dollar value, which means it is always changing. It goes up when books are received and goes down when books are sold. The final step is adjusting the dollar value of the inventory to the general ledger. The general ledger is then adjusted either up or down and that difference is recorded to cost of sale. The Vista Room is used for receptions, luncheons, and small Building Changes with meetings. It has been extended into the old grill area and shows as one room.