John Steinbeck was born in Salinas, California, on February 27, 1902. His mother, Olive Steinbeck, was a teacher and had a great influence on John's writing. His father, John Steinbeck Sr., was a county treasurer. When Steinbeck was a child, during the summers off from school, he worked on a farm, which was a good experience for later writing. In early 1919, Steinbeck was accepted to Stanford University. Later, in 1925, he left without a degree. He wrote many stories and articles for the College newspaper. Steinbeck moved to New York to write, but had to support himself by working as a construction worker. He began writing for the New York American, but wasn't making enough money, so he had to keep his construction job. In 1929 Steinbeck returned to Salinas to write Cup of Gold. He was supposed to work as a caretaker at a summer house in Lake Tahoe. In 1930 he met Edward Ricketts, who fascinated him with marine biology. Steinbeck also married his first wife, Carol Henning. He publishes other novels such as The Pastures of Heaven and To an Unknown God; but of all these, Tortilla Flat was his first novel sold. This was published in 1935. He also published In Dubious Battle in 1936 and Of Mice and Men in 1937. Then perhaps one of Steinbeck's best-selling/greatest works, Grapes of Wrath, was published. This publication won a Pulitzer Prize and a National Book Award in 1939. It told stories of poor families during the Depression and their helpless efforts against the government and society that had oppressed them. Steinbeck then traveled to Mexico to film the film Forgotten Village (documentary). When he returned to the United States, he became a war correspondent and wrote about World War II. She returned to New York City and married Gywn Conger, in 1943. Then they had two sons, Tom, in 1944 and another son in 1946, named John IV. In 1948 Steinbeck divorced his wife, went to Russia three times, and lost his good friend, Edward Ricketts, in a car accident. He then quickly married Elaine Anderson Scott in 1950. In 1959, Steinbeck published several screenplays and served as a Vietnam War correspondent. In 1960, he toured the United States with his poodle and recorded his travels as Travels With Charlie..