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Author Topic:   John Steinbeck a Whaler owner?

andygere posted 08-15-2002 03:57 PM ET (US)
I saw a short clip on "Bay Area Backroads" of John Steinbeck at the helm of what looked like a vintage Nauset. All that was visible on the boat was the windshield, white steering wheel and Morse control. Any confirmation that he owned one?
David Ratusnik posted 08-15-2002 07:58 PM ET (US)
No confirmation. Heard Steinbeck ran a 30' Contender with twin 250 hp Yami's. Just trying to get it going****** D
johnnywhaler posted 08-15-2002 08:06 PM ET (US)
Heard Steinbeck was a socialist, don't want him to have owned a Whaler!
Monnas Rock posted 08-16-2002 04:53 PM ET (US)
i HEARD IT WAS A LITTLE WHALER, NO MOTOR, JUST OARS SO HE COULD ROW OVER TO THE CANNERY!
I'M EMBARRASED TO SIGN MY NAME TO THAT!
GARY
Whaler Proud posted 08-16-2002 05:08 PM ET (US)
Heard you loud and clear Gary :)
Steinbeck probably owned a Whaler since he lived in the Northeast after he gained fame and money. He enjoyed the ocean (read Cannery Row, Sweet Thursday and The Log from the Sea of Cortez)somewhat and had respect for fisherman etc.
I do not think he was a devout socialist since some of his stories speak against government control (Moon is Down). However, Grapes of Wrath pretty much identified him with the socialist side even though all he was doing was chronicling the hardship of the migrant workers.
John O posted 08-16-2002 08:18 PM ET (US)
don't mistake Socialism for Communism..There is a great difference.
bocadrew posted 08-16-2002 09:18 PM ET (US)
There may be a difference, but they are both evil. The design and invention of the Whaler is pure capitalism. Neither the Soviet Union nor France could compete.
Dick posted 08-16-2002 09:27 PM ET (US)
I don't have any problem with what Steinbeck's political views may have been. He had the right, as you and I, to choose and express his views.
I respect him as a brillient author.
If he had been a Whaler owner I would have been honored to sit down and talk boats with him over a couple cold ones, regardless of his political views. I would be honored to have talked to him regardless what boat he owned.
bocadrew posted 08-17-2002 12:05 AM ET (US)
Steinbeck's was a decent author. His one sided views in his novels IMO makes him fall way short of brilliant. His portrayal of the migrant worker is detailed, but what about the land owners'? Their thoughts and morals are not even heard. I'm sure Stienbeck's thoughts on Whalers would be one sided, be they good or bad.
bocadrew posted 08-17-2002 12:05 AM ET (US)
Steinbeck was a decent author. His one sided views in his novels IMO makes him fall way short of brilliant. His portrayal of the migrant worker is detailed, but what about the land owners'? Their thoughts and morals are not even heard. I'm sure Stienbeck's thoughts on Whalers would be one sided, be they good or bad.
jimh posted 08-17-2002 01:26 AM ET (US)
How about Ayn Rand? Did she own a Whaler?
Whaler Proud posted 08-17-2002 03:41 AM ET (US)
I wonder how Bukowski would have described the Whaler?
Wreckdiver posted 08-17-2002 07:04 AM ET (US)
I was under the impression that the Grapes of Wrath was a story about Midwest farmers who lost family farms -in one state over half of the farms had mortgages recalled during a single year- and packed up to start a new life in California. A major drought through many of the farm states in the 30�s gave us the term �Dust Bowl�. The drought was part of what made the depression the Great Depression.
The book may have been social commentary, but I don�t know if it was socialistic.
RGU
pglein posted 08-17-2002 10:44 AM ET (US)
Steinbeck never described himself as a socialist, however Grapes of Wrath is rather one-sided and has become an important text for modern socialists and extreme liberals. It's a convenient piece of literature that many sociology professors like to use to show how our capitalists system is flawed. The only problem, of course, is that the book is a worse case scenario fictional story about the worst ever economic times in the history of the world. If, like me, you are too young to have experienced the 30's, take a chance to ask your older relatives about the times. You will probably find that they were just fine durring the depression. Steinbeck wrote about a small minority of people. Is he socialist? Maybe not, but evaluating all his books will defenitely lead you to believe that he was very liberal. But he is still a great author.
Did he own a whaler? When did he die? I would have thought he'd be a bit old to be tooling around in a powerboat by the 1950's when the whaler was introduced.
bocadrew posted 08-17-2002 10:47 AM ET (US)
Ayn Rand! If one reads Atlas Shrugged, one could see how the founders of Boston Whaler would of fit right in...Her heroes' made the best!
Wreckdiver posted 08-17-2002 12:49 PM ET (US)
I had a friend in high school whose father got sent to CC camp when he was sixteen. His mother didn�t have enough food on the farm to feed him. He was thrilled to get three squares a day and a little money to spend in town on Saturday night. He went on to fight in WWII, raise a family working in the trades, vote Democratic, and pay taxes. I remember him telling me that we �kids� were lucky to have not experienced a world where men who desperately wanted to work couldn�t find any.
That was the great thing about public school in the 60�s. I was able to experience a life beyond the smug Republican managerial existence of my own home.
If you think the great depression, particularly the plight of Midwest farmers was made up, or exaggerated by �liberal professors� I would suggest that you look up some of the documentary photos taking by the Farm Security Administration.
Finally, capitalism is flawed. One person or company can rise to point where they become all powerful, excluding competition and controlling the game. In a dictatorship we would all become slaves to the controlling few. In our republican form of government we ask our elected officials to step in and moderate like officials in a football game. They pass laws to regulate the system, which allows all Americans the opportunity to participate and prosper. They tax us and hire people who hopefully work for the public good. Is that socialistic? Yup! Were the firemen and police officers that ran into the World Trade Center last fall part of our free enterprise system, or were they part of our social welfare system? I don�t think many people would be happy under pure capitalism.
RGU
bocadrew posted 08-17-2002 03:44 PM ET (US)
I'm sure we have left the subject of Whalers'by now...But I would just like to state, that for me Capitalism is about Freedom. I dont care if it's the best system or not (it is). Let anyone who wants, live under socialism and let me live under pure capitalsim.(By the way, capitalism does not rule out elected officials or police and firemen) All I need is a Whaler, some gas and a gun to keep the socialists at bay when they come for my Montauk.
jimh posted 08-17-2002 04:18 PM ET (US)
We're just lucky that Bill Gates doesn't like boating.
Wreckdiver posted 08-17-2002 04:24 PM ET (US)
I would rather live in The United States!
Dick posted 08-17-2002 06:34 PM ET (US)
jimh
Bill Gates is a boater, not an avid one but he does own a 3 or 4 year old 19' Sea Ray.
JFM posted 08-17-2002 07:37 PM ET (US)
Bill Gates has felt the "Grapes of Rath". He went from having $75 billion to just $40 billion in about 2 years.
He's a true capitalist and a great American. He pays more taxes and donates more money to charities than most third world nations generate.
However, with his common man mentality, if he was looking for a boat, he woild probably buy a used Montauk:)
Regards, jay
JFM posted 08-17-2002 08:28 PM ET (US)
By the way, Steinbeck's greatest work was "Of Mice and Men" not The Gapes of Rath".
I only say that because I could get through one but not the other.
Regards, Jay
Whaler Proud posted 08-18-2002 04:36 PM ET (US)
Steinbeck died in 1968 at the age of 60. Of Mice and Men is probably the most parodied book around. All of the Warner's Brother's cartoons with a smart little animal and a large dumb one came from this.
In that respect, I agree it was his greatest work :).

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Author	Topic: John Steinbeck a Whaler owner?
andygere	posted 08-15-2002 03:57 PM ET (US) I saw a short clip on "Bay Area Backroads" of John Steinbeck at the helm of what looked like a vintage Nauset. All that was visible on the boat was the windshield, white steering wheel and Morse control. Any confirmation that he owned one?
David Ratusnik	posted 08-15-2002 07:58 PM ET (US) No confirmation. Heard Steinbeck ran a 30' Contender with twin 250 hp Yami's. Just trying to get it going****** D
johnnywhaler	posted 08-15-2002 08:06 PM ET (US) Heard Steinbeck was a socialist, don't want him to have owned a Whaler!
Monnas Rock	posted 08-16-2002 04:53 PM ET (US) i HEARD IT WAS A LITTLE WHALER, NO MOTOR, JUST OARS SO HE COULD ROW OVER TO THE CANNERY! I'M EMBARRASED TO SIGN MY NAME TO THAT! GARY
Whaler Proud	posted 08-16-2002 05:08 PM ET (US) Heard you loud and clear Gary :) Steinbeck probably owned a Whaler since he lived in the Northeast after he gained fame and money. He enjoyed the ocean (read Cannery Row, Sweet Thursday and The Log from the Sea of Cortez)somewhat and had respect for fisherman etc. I do not think he was a devout socialist since some of his stories speak against government control (Moon is Down). However, Grapes of Wrath pretty much identified him with the socialist side even though all he was doing was chronicling the hardship of the migrant workers.
John O	posted 08-16-2002 08:18 PM ET (US) don't mistake Socialism for Communism..There is a great difference.
bocadrew	posted 08-16-2002 09:18 PM ET (US) There may be a difference, but they are both evil. The design and invention of the Whaler is pure capitalism. Neither the Soviet Union nor France could compete.
Dick	posted 08-16-2002 09:27 PM ET (US) I don't have any problem with what Steinbeck's political views may have been. He had the right, as you and I, to choose and express his views. I respect him as a brillient author. If he had been a Whaler owner I would have been honored to sit down and talk boats with him over a couple cold ones, regardless of his political views. I would be honored to have talked to him regardless what boat he owned.
bocadrew	posted 08-17-2002 12:05 AM ET (US) Steinbeck's was a decent author. His one sided views in his novels IMO makes him fall way short of brilliant. His portrayal of the migrant worker is detailed, but what about the land owners'? Their thoughts and morals are not even heard. I'm sure Stienbeck's thoughts on Whalers would be one sided, be they good or bad.
bocadrew	posted 08-17-2002 12:05 AM ET (US) Steinbeck was a decent author. His one sided views in his novels IMO makes him fall way short of brilliant. His portrayal of the migrant worker is detailed, but what about the land owners'? Their thoughts and morals are not even heard. I'm sure Stienbeck's thoughts on Whalers would be one sided, be they good or bad.
jimh	posted 08-17-2002 01:26 AM ET (US) How about Ayn Rand? Did she own a Whaler?
Whaler Proud	posted 08-17-2002 03:41 AM ET (US) I wonder how Bukowski would have described the Whaler?
Wreckdiver	posted 08-17-2002 07:04 AM ET (US) I was under the impression that the Grapes of Wrath was a story about Midwest farmers who lost family farms -in one state over half of the farms had mortgages recalled during a single year- and packed up to start a new life in California. A major drought through many of the farm states in the 30�s gave us the term �Dust Bowl�. The drought was part of what made the depression the Great Depression. The book may have been social commentary, but I don�t know if it was socialistic. RGU
pglein	posted 08-17-2002 10:44 AM ET (US) Steinbeck never described himself as a socialist, however Grapes of Wrath is rather one-sided and has become an important text for modern socialists and extreme liberals. It's a convenient piece of literature that many sociology professors like to use to show how our capitalists system is flawed. The only problem, of course, is that the book is a worse case scenario fictional story about the worst ever economic times in the history of the world. If, like me, you are too young to have experienced the 30's, take a chance to ask your older relatives about the times. You will probably find that they were just fine durring the depression. Steinbeck wrote about a small minority of people. Is he socialist? Maybe not, but evaluating all his books will defenitely lead you to believe that he was very liberal. But he is still a great author. Did he own a whaler? When did he die? I would have thought he'd be a bit old to be tooling around in a powerboat by the 1950's when the whaler was introduced.
bocadrew	posted 08-17-2002 10:47 AM ET (US) Ayn Rand! If one reads Atlas Shrugged, one could see how the founders of Boston Whaler would of fit right in...Her heroes' made the best!
Wreckdiver	posted 08-17-2002 12:49 PM ET (US) I had a friend in high school whose father got sent to CC camp when he was sixteen. His mother didn�t have enough food on the farm to feed him. He was thrilled to get three squares a day and a little money to spend in town on Saturday night. He went on to fight in WWII, raise a family working in the trades, vote Democratic, and pay taxes. I remember him telling me that we �kids� were lucky to have not experienced a world where men who desperately wanted to work couldn�t find any. That was the great thing about public school in the 60�s. I was able to experience a life beyond the smug Republican managerial existence of my own home. If you think the great depression, particularly the plight of Midwest farmers was made up, or exaggerated by �liberal professors� I would suggest that you look up some of the documentary photos taking by the Farm Security Administration. Finally, capitalism is flawed. One person or company can rise to point where they become all powerful, excluding competition and controlling the game. In a dictatorship we would all become slaves to the controlling few. In our republican form of government we ask our elected officials to step in and moderate like officials in a football game. They pass laws to regulate the system, which allows all Americans the opportunity to participate and prosper. They tax us and hire people who hopefully work for the public good. Is that socialistic? Yup! Were the firemen and police officers that ran into the World Trade Center last fall part of our free enterprise system, or were they part of our social welfare system? I don�t think many people would be happy under pure capitalism. RGU
bocadrew	posted 08-17-2002 03:44 PM ET (US) I'm sure we have left the subject of Whalers'by now...But I would just like to state, that for me Capitalism is about Freedom. I dont care if it's the best system or not (it is). Let anyone who wants, live under socialism and let me live under pure capitalsim.(By the way, capitalism does not rule out elected officials or police and firemen) All I need is a Whaler, some gas and a gun to keep the socialists at bay when they come for my Montauk.
jimh	posted 08-17-2002 04:18 PM ET (US) We're just lucky that Bill Gates doesn't like boating.
Wreckdiver	posted 08-17-2002 04:24 PM ET (US) I would rather live in The United States!
Dick	posted 08-17-2002 06:34 PM ET (US) jimh Bill Gates is a boater, not an avid one but he does own a 3 or 4 year old 19' Sea Ray.
JFM	posted 08-17-2002 07:37 PM ET (US) Bill Gates has felt the "Grapes of Rath". He went from having $75 billion to just $40 billion in about 2 years. He's a true capitalist and a great American. He pays more taxes and donates more money to charities than most third world nations generate. However, with his common man mentality, if he was looking for a boat, he woild probably buy a used Montauk:) Regards, jay
JFM	posted 08-17-2002 08:28 PM ET (US) By the way, Steinbeck's greatest work was "Of Mice and Men" not The Gapes of Rath". I only say that because I could get through one but not the other. Regards, Jay
Whaler Proud	posted 08-18-2002 04:36 PM ET (US) Steinbeck died in 1968 at the age of 60. Of Mice and Men is probably the most parodied book around. All of the Warner's Brother's cartoons with a smart little animal and a large dumb one came from this. In that respect, I agree it was his greatest work :).