Peter Savodnik: Want to Read a Great Book with Us?

If back-to-school season has you nostalgic for the days when you could dive into great literature without any pangs of guilt, then we have the place for you: The Free Press Forum Book Club. Here’s why you need to join: Books, and especially great books, are antidotes to groupthink. They force us to imagine life beyond the narrow confines of whatever we’ve been encouraged to believe—by our peers, our news feeds, the algorithm. They remind us that human beings, like it or not, are masters of themselves. The great American novel does this better than any other novel, in no small part because the promise of America is freedom. And to sustain that freedom, we need to be confronted with the implications of it from time to time. Which brings us to John Steinbeck’s greatest novel, East of Eden. It is exactly what all Americans need to read and talk about right now, because it’s a marvelous, sweeping, cross-generational story, and because it forces us to think about our agency. It is the story of the Brothers Trask—Adam and Charles; and then, Adam’s sons, Cal and Aron—and it takes place in the Salinas Valley, just south of San Francisco, between the Civil War and World War I. But really, and not to give too much away, it’s the story of Cain and Abel. You may recall that Cain, after murdering his brother, Abel, is banished to the Land of Nod, about which we know very little except that nod is Hebrew for “wandering,” and that it is somewhere “east of Eden.” California—and, more broadly, America—was supposed to be the new Eden. But, of course, it’s not: Freedom does not lead inevitably to happiness, because human beings are weak and self-interested. But we still celebrate our freedom even if we shy away from thinking seriously about the implications of it. With that in mind, I hope you’ll join us as we plunge headlong into East of Eden. It will be a great deal of fun, and we’ll learn something, and we might—just might—help in some small way to save the republic. I’ll see you there. —Peter Savodnik How to Join the Forum Book Club The book club was sparked by conversations in our new digital forum by subscribers who wanted to read and discuss great books together. More than 800 Free Pressers have already signed up, and introductions are underway! The first reading prompts will be posted on August 30. You can find the discussion schedule and everything you need to know here. Pick up your copy of East of Eden, get acquainted with the Forum if you haven’t already, and meet us in the Salinas Valley. Along the way, there will be ongoing Forum discussions and subscriber-led livestreams featuring Free Press writers and editors—including Peter for the final conversation. The Free Press Forum Book Club is open to all paid subscribers. Not a paid subscriber? Upgrade today to participate in the Forum book club.