Photo of John Steinbeck book translation display case.

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In 1939, just three months after The Grapes of Wrath was published, a British edition appeared. As war threatened all over Europe, arrangements went ahead for translation of the book into Scandinavian languages, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Polish, and Russian.

In the USSR, the 1941 edition of The Grapes of Wrath was the largest single printing of an American work to date, with 300,000 copies in distribution. However Steinbeck did not receive compensation since the USSR did not recognize copyright.

Steinbeck's works have been translated into over three dozen languages. This display contains a sampling of translations from around the world.

Visitors can test their knowledge of Steinbeck in foreign languages by completing the activity "Where in the World is John Steinbeck?"

Interesting: Security and conservation standards were primary issues during exhibit design and fabrication. Original documents, including priceless manuscripts in Steinbeck's original handwriting, are displayed at low light levels in locked cases.