John Steinbeck
Carlton A. Sheffield
(Reviewer - Narayan Radhakrishnan)
2002 Creative Arts Book Company
ISBN: 0887393500

The Good Companion - His Friend Dook’s Memoir.

Sr. Associate Reviewer Narayan Radhakrishnan writes:

The friendship between Carlton “Dook” Sheffield & John Steinbeck told in Dook's own words.

The author John Steinbeck was a genius, no doubt about it. His books are classics, & I am the proud owner of some of them including Grapes Of Wrath, Tortilla Flat & The Wayward Bus, all three were handed over to me by my Grandfather, a staunch devotee of Steinbeck works. So who was the man Steinbeck -- what was his personality, was he a multi-faceted genius, or...?

Who better to know a man than his best friend? Carlton Sheffield was Steinbeck's best friend, buddy, chum & Steinbeck's own “Dook”. Their friendship, which started at in Stamford College, flourished with minor misunderstandings, until 1968, the year in which Steinbeck passed away.

Way back in 1983, Dook Sheffield wrote this book -- about the Steinbeck Dook knew. The ingenious but arrogant Steinbeck; the imaginative but shy Steinbeck; the vain but affectionate Steinbeck: all aspects of this multi-faceted genius are narrated or rather laid down, no holds barred in this delightful biography...no, no ... …delightful & honest memoir. The intensity of their friendship, the depth of the greatness in Steinbeck, as he understood it are laid down, as it is, such that the book makes interesting, & sometimes amusingly shocking reading.

As I mentioned earlier this book, published in 1983, had a small run. Since then the Dook Sheffield has passed away, & I guess the book fell into oblivion. Twenty years later, Steinbeck has become a legendary literary icon, & schools of thought have revisited his writings. Richard Blum, a friend & associate of Dook Sheffield, decided to republish his work, which he believes is much better than any Steineck biography ever written. With the help of editor Terry White, Professor of English at Kent University, Ashtabula, the present edited & better compiled volume has been republished. The professionalism in editing is very evident. At the same time Terry White has taken care not to disturb Dook's unique raw & simple style; thus preserving the pristine quality of the writing.

I am not an ardent reader of biographies; I generally avoid them, but John Steinbeck: The Good Companion -- His Friend Dook’s Memoir is truly a memoir with a difference. Highly recommended.
(04/10/05)

Narayan
2005©Narayan Radhakrishnan
A RebeccasReads.Com Sr. Associate Reviewer

Reviewer's Bio:
I am a 26 years old lawyer practicing in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. Along with my legal practice, I have finished post-graduate studies for both Business Law & Human Rights. I am a self proclaimed numero-uno legal thriller lover & am the proud owner of all of Grisham's & Turow's novels. I enjoy John Mortimer's Rumpole & relish an occasional Martini & a rare Scot(ch)t-oline with a Patterson on the side.

My work A FICTION OF LAW is now about 500 pages in length & features 500 lawyer authors & 2000 legal thrillers covering a 300 year period - inclusive of entries from the USA, UK, Asia, Europe, China, Middle East etc. Still in search of a publisher.
www.keralatourism.org