Book excerpt: Susan Shillinglaw takes the reader on a journey into Steinbeck's life, offering insight into how California influenced his creative process and how, in turn, his legacy has influenced modern California. Literary pilgrims will learn about the land's prominent role in Steinbeck's work; tourists can visit the same buildings that he lived in and wrote about; and history buffs will appreciate the engrossing perspective on daily life in early 20th-century California. Offering an entirely new perspective on Steinbeck and the people and places that he brought to life in his writing, this depiction of the symbiotic relationship between an author and his favorite places will delight readers.