The tale of struggle during the Great Depression

“Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck

This is a classic story of a small genius and his giant-fool friend, hustling and bustling, trying to survive in the harsh environment of the 1930s Great Depression.

You see, George Milton (the intelligent but uneducated small man) and Lennie Small (the gentle giant) have a dream of one day settling down on their own piece of land, and they both try to accomplish this by travelling together around California in search of job opportunities.

But a lot of obstacles come in their way during the journey, like the bad people they encounter, the misunderstood crowds, or the many small animals that Lenny accidentally kill by stroking too hard. Will they succeed in realizing their dream?

It is an old tale about humans and their many emotions and tricks during a bleak period of time, complete with character developments that paint a perfect picture of life during the era of economic hardship. An instant classic right from the start.