The Moon is Down by John Steinbeck has long been one of my favorite short stories, often overshadowed by his other work, and I think given the current political climate it is, unfortunately, exceptionally relevant and poignant even today.
The short story is about a small town under invasion by a foreign army and how the townsfolk react to it. While the story is clearly inspired by Germany's blitzkrieg of Eastern Europe, it is presented in a way that is more broad than that, elevating it from historical fiction to a parable of sorts.
Steinbecks' typically strong characterization and dialogue that showcase the breadth and depth of what makes humans tick are clearly on display here, and in similar fashion to how these traits elevated both Grapes of Wrath and East of Eden into some of the greatest American novels of all time.
by maikuxblade
2 Comments
Wow, this really sounds fascinating.Thank you for sharing. I’m a huge steinbeck fan and I love short stories ( I actually didn’t know he wrote any. ).
I just read it a few months ago. It’s a great book. I remember reading that it was was translated into French and one of the more popular books during WWII in France.