The Moon Is Down by John Steinbeck

 

I absolutely adore East of Eden by John Steinbeck. I read it back in 2008 and have been meaning to reread it again, but I have yet to do so...In the mean time, I decided to read other novels written by John Steinbeck I've never before read. I picked up the unabridged audio version of The Moon Is Down by John Steinbeck and narrated by George Guidall.

Listening time for The Moon Is Down by John Steinbeck is 3 hours, 43 minutes, making it a very quick read!

The Moon Is Down by John Steinbeck is an interesting read. This book take place in an unnamed town that has been invaded by war and occupied by outsiders. It showcases the horrors for both the soldiers occupying this town and the residents forced to work in a coal mine and also starved if they don't work in the coal mine. 

Philosophical ideas are also presented through the dialogue between some of the characters in this novel.

According to the publisher's description, Steinbeck labelled this work as a "celebration of the durability of democracy."

Below is the publisher's summary for The Moon Is Down by John Steinbeck from Chirp's website:

Occupied by enemy troops, a small, peaceable town comes face-to-face with evil imposed from the outside–and betrayal born within the close-knit community. Originally published at the zenith of Nazi Germanyâ’s power, this masterful fable uncovers profound, often unsettling truths about war–and about human nature. Steinbeck’s self-described “celebration of the durability of democracy” had an extraordinary impact as Allied propaganda in Nazi-occupied Europe. Despite Axis efforts to suppress it (in Fascist Italy, mere possession of the book was punishable by death), The Moon Is Down was secretly translated into French, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Swedish, German, Italian, and Russian; hundreds of thousands of copies circulated throughout Europe, making it by far the most popular piece of propaganda under the occupation. Few literary works of our time have demonstrated so triumphantly the power of ideas in the face of cold steel and brute force.

I am giving The Moon Is Down by John Steinbeck a rating of 3 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!!