The Winter of Our Discontent

In John Steinbeck's final novel, The Winter of Our Discontent, readers follow Ethan Allen Hawley, a former member of Long Island's aristocracy who now works as a grocery store clerk. Faced with his family's lost status and his family's mounting desires for material wealth, Ethan confronts a moral crisis that challenges his values. Set against the backdrop of 1960s America, the novel delves into themes of degeneration, corruption, and the complexities of honesty in both personal and public spheres. This Penguin Classics edition includes an introduction and notes by Steinbeck scholar Susan Shillinglaw.