Pabst Blue Ribbon

Plus, seven reasons why The Grapes of Wrath is worth your time.

We’re officially into our August read, The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck.

Make no bones about it—it’s a long novel. Daunting, some might say. But even with it’s formidable size, here are seven reasons why it’s still absolutely worth reading.

1. You’ll learn some significant American history—the Great Depression, the Great Dust Bowl, and the migration of hundreds of thousands of people that were triggered by them, are all central pieces to the story.

2. You’ll add another Pulitzer winner to your list of completed books; The Grapes of Wrath won the award in 1940.

3. You’ll broaden your understanding of the conversation around Capitalism, since the novel deals with it directly (in fact, so directly, its release stirred significant controversy, and it was deemed “red propaganda” by many).

4. You’ll learn more about Route 66, far more than what you gathered about this legendary highway from Cars and Lighting McQueen.

5. It’ll cause you to reflect on your own life, the connections you have to certain places, and the roles you’ve played within your own family.

6. You’ll enjoy the time you spend with the novel. Steinbeck is considered a great author for good reason; he’s a great storyteller who’s just plain pleasant to read.

7. Finally, Steinbeck is considered one of American’s greatest authors (he’s one of only eleven Americans who’ve been awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature). And The Grapes of Wrath is his greatest work. That alone makes it worthwhile.

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What To Drink While Reading…

Should you choose to dive into the pages of this classic, I’d like to offer one more bit advice to help enhance your experience throughout.

It’s a tip that helps you read more, AND helps increase how much you enjoy the time spent reading. The logic behind it is simple.

“If you want to read more, make reading more enjoyable.”

Because, the more you enjoy reading, the more you’ll want to read.

There are plenty of ways to do this. But for me, one small addition adds everything I need.

Whenever I get to read for a longer stretch, I love upgrading the experience by adding a drink. It’s even better if I can find something that pairs well with the ethos of the book.

For example, with The Grapes of Wrath—clearly, it’s no cocktail book (though I do love cocktails). You could get some dirt cheap whiskey, because they drink it in the novel… You could.

But one enjoyable way to sync up with the novel’s vibe is to read it while drinking some good, cheap beer. Something that delivers that blue collar, salt-of-the-earth feel that matches the novel, and yet still tastes good.

That’s my recommendation.

To that end, you could grab some Miller Light, or maybe even some Budweiser. For me, I found this choice paired especially well.

• Pabst Blue Ribbon - a.k.a. “PBR”

It’s cheap. It comes in 16 oz. cans, so it lasts longer. Plus, it tastes great (I mean, c’mon—the blue ribbon part comes from the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893, when it was voted the best beer in America).

So, if you’re looking to dive into the spirit of Steinbeck’s classic, get your copy. Grab a six pack of PBR. Settle in. And let the pages start to turn.

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