John Steinbeck was an influential 20th century American writer known for novels like Of Mice and Men, The Grapes of Wrath, and East of Eden. Born in Salinas, California in 1902, he traveled extensively throughout the United States and gained insights that informed novels addressing social themes and the American experience. Steinbeck published widely acclaimed works that won him a Nobel Prize and Presidential Medal, with his novels seeking to understand and unite people.