However, over the next decade, John Steinbeck's popularity waned. Part of this had to do with how his works seemed affiliated with socialism and communism, which were the stuff of nightmares during the Red Scare (Winters). During this time, his book, The Grapes of Wrath, was often even banned due to its themes (Winters). It was not until the 1960s, when he wrote about his travels across the country, that his popularity was renewed, and in 1964 he was awarded the Paperback of the Year award for his book Travels with Charley: In Search of America (Winters) . He was also awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and the Presidential Medal of Freedom (Winters). Toward the end of his life Steinbeck entered the world of politics, serving as a presidential advisor and writing in support of the war in Vietnam (Winters). His political affiliation did not last long due to a heart attack that took his life on December 20, 1968 (Winters). He was buried in his childhood home in Salinas, California