First published 1937
George and Lennie, two drifting ranch workers, trudge across Depression-era California seeking steady work and a slice of land to call their own. George, sharp and protective, manages Lennie, a powerful man with the mind of a child whose immense strength constantly threatens their fragile survival. They find temporary work at a ranch where tensions simmer between laborers, and Lennie's unpredictable actions create mounting danger. Their shared dream of owning a small farm—with soft rabbits and peaceful acres—becomes increasingly precarious as Lennie's uncontrolled impulses push them closer to a devastating confrontation. Their friendship represents the last human connection in a world designed to break the vulnerable.
Genres: fiction, classic-literature, american-fiction, 20th-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, tragic-hero
Setting: California, Oklahoma
Period: Great Depression
107 pages · Paperback · Penguin Books
Content warnings: death, violence