Dear SVPete,
I loves me some Steinbeck. So I'm curious, and please forgive the question, but how does the Grapes of Wrath provide insight into the Lib mindset? I only ask because I happen to be somewhat familiar with some of Mr. Steinbecks works. I'd recommend East of Eden over Grapes anyday. Eden has it all. Guns, Injuns, whiskey, whores, murder, the first World War and horses. Oh, and dope and money. It may or may not have a whole hell of a lot to do with farming. But it's got a great Chinaman' in it and a pretty cool recipe for winter melon soup too so I say check that one out instead.
Oh, and I'm reading an epic bio about Andy Jackson written in the thirties by Marquis James right now. (No, I have no idea if he's french and/or gay. If he was, it's no big deal because now he's humpin' poodles in Heaven.)
Anyway, before that I read W.F.B. a remembrance. By Buckley Jr and his sister. It's about W.F.B. Sr. Who, as it turns out, kicked even more ass than Bill Buckley Jr. Seriously, the man practiced law in Mesico' because he grew up speaking Spanish on the Texican border. He funded, schemed, plotted and survived his way through 4 Mesiken' revolutions before being booted out of the country on a technicality. All because the man wanted to make an honest buck drilling for oil. After ripping on Woodrow Wilson for fuggin' up Mesico' in 1919...at a Congressional hearing (so it's all on record), he then went to Venezuela to drill and encountered the same ol' same ol' so he decided to have 10 kids and 31 grandkids before taking the proverbial dirt nap in 58'. Hell of a man.
Steinbeck would have loved him.