In this eclectic mix of short stories set in the Salinas Valley, Steinbeck explores the biting sadness of loss, the yearning desire for freedom, the aggravating feeling of loneliness, the anxiety of flight, the perverseness of malice, the pleasures of warmth, and the merit in honor. Flowing together beautifully, fourteen stories mark the pages of Steinbeck's The Long Valley. Highlights include “The White Quail”, in which Mrs. Teller struggles with self-expression through her immaculate garden; “Flight”, in which Pepé realizes the weight of manhood; and “The Red Pony”, in which Jody encounters loss and Billy wrestles with vow.
