Photograph courtesy of Audry Lynch's 'Steinbeck Remembered'

John Steinbeck, seen here with wife, Elaine, once resided in what is now Monte Sereno and is the subject of a new book by Saratogan Audry Lynch.

Picture from the Past

Local writer records the legacy of John Steinbeck

By John S. Baggerly

Audry Lynch, now of Saratoga, did not "meet" John Steinbeck in Monterey, the Salinas Valley or at the Sea of Cortez, but in Cambridge, Mass., while studying at Harvard University. In fact, Lynch never did meet Steinbeck in person, but few have known the Pulitzer Prize-winning author better than Lynch.

We flash forward to the year 2000 and report that Lynch has recently published a 124-page paperback book, titled Steinbeck Remembered. It includes 19 entries by people--mainly local--who have met and talked with Steinbeck over the years.

In her introduction to Steinbeck Remembered, Lynch shares the following: "One of the most common questions that people ask me is 'How did you get interested in Steinbeck?' " She reveals the answer a bit later.

"As with all of my Steinbeck involvements, I have to answer truthfully, 'By accident.' Lynch continues. "It all started in the '50s when I was an undergraduate at Harvard University. I started as an English major, but I never discovered his name on any of my reading lists.

"My family used to spend their summers on Cape Cod and used to pass the time by reading. Once I picked up a copy of Cannery Row and was thrilled by the opening lines. To a New England girl it sounded like a very strange and wonderful place. Then I proceeded to read straight through all of Steinbeck's books--something I had never done before and never done since with any other author. I was hooked!"

For her Steinbeck Remembered compilation, Lynch invited some 19 contributors to write memoirs about Steinbeck's life as it spanned three significant time periods: the Salinas Years, 1902-1919; Cannery Row (in Monterey), 1930-1936; and Los Gatos (and Monte Sereno), 1936-l941.

This columnist was flattered to be asked by Lynch to contribute a chapter on Steinbeck. The offering concerns an interview at Steinbeck's home on the Biddle Ranch in the Santa Cruz Mountains. He had previously lived on Greenwood Lane, which later would become part of incorporated Monte Sereno.

Other contributors to the section on Steinbeck's Los Gatos period were: Leonard McKay of San Jose; Horace Bristol of Ojai; George Beatty of Los Gatos and Eleanor Ray of Saratoga.

His Salinas years contributors were: Mary Ballantyne of Campbell; the Bragdons of Salinas; Sophie Freire of Salinas and Herb Hinrichs of Salinas. His time on Cannery Row: Nan Fowler of Vineburg; Jimmy and Frank Rodrigues of Monterey; Virginia Scardigli of Palo Alto; Ruth Duval of Los Gatos; Kalisa Moore of Monterey; Richard Dick Shaw of Cathedral City; Louise Archdeacon Travis of Lake Havasu, Ariz.; William "Bill" Thomas of Saratoga; Jake Clemens Stock of Monterey and Frank Wright of Carmel.

Steinbeck Remembered can be purchased by phoning author Audry Lynch at 408.578.5731, ext. 211. Price is $12.95 with a $2 mailing charge.

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