# John Steinbeck American novelist and social critic whose work examined the lives of working-class Americans with compassion and moral urgency. "The Grapes of Wrath" (1939) defined the literary legacy of the Great Depression and earned him the Pulitzer Prize. "Of Mice and Men" and "East of Eden" are among the most taught novels in American schools. Nobel Prize in Literature 1962. ## Quick Facts - **Born:** February 27, 1902 - **Birthplace:** Salinas, United States - **Nationality:** American - **Occupation:** Author - **Category:** Scholars & Educators - **Also Known As:** Doc, The Bard of Monterey ## Overview American novelist and social critic whose work examined the lives of working-class Americans with compassion and moral urgency. "The Grapes of Wrath" (1939) defined the literary legacy of the Great Depression and earned him the Pulitzer Prize. "Of Mice and Men" and "East of Eden" are among the most taught novels in American schools. Nobel Prize in Literature 1962. ## Profile Focus John Steinbeck is profiled in Peoplebio under Author. Current rank signal: #593. Trend score: 80. ## Public Impact This entry tracks John Steinbeck's relevance in Scholarship using structured profile metadata, trend signals, and ongoing editorial updates. ## Timeline ### 1902 — Birth Born in Salinas, United States ### 2026 — Profile Created John Steinbeck was added to the Peoplebio knowledge graph. ### 2026 — Profile Enrichment Update Bio sections, timeline, quick facts, and profile notes were expanded. ## Quotes > "Profile note: John Steinbeck is tracked in Peoplebio for impact in Author." > — John Steinbeck, Peoplebio editorial note (2026) > "Profile summary: American novelist and social critic whose work examined the lives of working-class Americans with compassion and moral urgency." > — John Steinbeck, Peoplebio editorial note (2026) > "Editorial note: This profile was enriched with structured overview blocks." > — John Steinbeck, Peoplebio editorial note (2026) --- Source: https://peoplebio.info/p/john-steinbeck