 east of eden is a novel by nobel prize winner john steinbeck, published in september 1952. often described as steinbeck's most ambitious novel, east of eden brings to life the intricate details of two families, the trasks and the hamiltons, and their interwoven stories. the novel was originally addressed to steinbeck's young sons, thom and john (then 6Â½ and 4Â½ years old, respectively). steinbeck wanted to describe the salinas valley for them in detail: the sights, sounds, smells, and colors. the hamilton family in the novel is said to be based on the real-life family of samuel hamilton, steinbeck's maternal grandfather. a young john steinbeck also appears briefly in the novel as a minor character.chapter 46 of east of eden according to his third and last wife, elaine, steinbeck considered it his magnum opus. steinbeck stated about east of eden: "it has everything in it i have been able to learn about my craft or profession in all these years." he further claimed: "i think everything else i have written has been, in a sense, practice for this." ==plot summary== the story is primarily set in the salinas valley, california, between the beginning of the twentieth century and the end of world war i, though some chapters are set in connecticut and massachusetts, and the story goes as far back as the american civil war. in the beginning of east of eden, before introducing his characters, steinbeck carefully establishes the setting with a description of the salinas valley in central california. then he outlines the story of the warmhearted inventor and farmer samuel hamilton and his wife liza, immigrants from ireland. he describes how they raise their nine children on a rough, infertile piece of land. as the hamilton children begin to grow up and leave the nest, a wealthy stranger, adam trask, purchases the best ranch in the valley. trask's life is seen in a long, intricate flashback. we see his tumultuous child
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