In 1952 John Steinbeck published his novel East of Eden, which became a huge bestseller, although critics were rather lukewarm on it. Then again, who cares what critics think?

It’s a massive novel describing two families over multi-generations beginning during the Civil War, going through the end of the first World War, and with echos of the biblical Cain and Abel story. Hence, the title.

In 1955 Elia Kazan directed a motion picture starring James Dean, Julie Harris, and Raymond Massey that dealt with only the latter part of the novel. Elia Kazan, you may recall, is the fellow who named names in front of the House Un-American Activities Committee in order to avoid the blacklist. He directed such films as A Streetcar Named Desire, On the Waterfront, and A Face in the Crowd.

Now his granddaughter Zoe Kazan has written a seven part TV adaptation based on the Steinbeck novel, and it stars Florence Pugh, who was a recent guest of Graham Norton.

Zoe Kazan was a recent guest on Scriptnotes.

And Netflix is releasing the seven episode show today.

I’m hoping to make one more attempt to read the novel. Wish me luck.