The Winter of Our Discontent

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The final novel of one of America’s most beloved writers presents a tale of degeneration, corruption, and spiritual crisis. In awarding John Steinbeck the 1962 Nobel Prize in Literature, the committee noted that with this work, he resumed his role as an independent voice of truth, reflecting what is genuinely American. The protagonist, Ethan Allen Hawley, is a clerk in a grocery store once owned by his family. Now distanced from Long Island’s aristocracy, he faces a restless wife and teenage children yearning for material comforts he cannot provide. In a moment of moral crisis, Ethan chooses to abandon his scrupulous standards. Set in 1960s America, the novel delves into the delicate balance between private and public honesty, standing alongside Steinbeck’s most acclaimed works that offer deep insights into the American experience. This edition features an introduction and notes by leading Steinbeck scholar Susan Shillinglaw. For over seventy years, Penguin has been the foremost publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world, offering a global collection of over 1,700 titles that include authoritative texts, scholarly introductions, and contemporary translations.