“East of Eden” by American writer John Steinbeck is one of my favourite books. – Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament

“East of Eden” by American writer John Steinbeck is one of my favourite books.
The novel describes the eventful lives of two families unfolding in the Salinas Valley in California, while encompassing four fascinatingly different stories that can just as easily be read independently. The book examines the various family dynamics between: mother and son, father and son, brothers, husbands and wives. Various other themes like cultural acceptance, the struggle to overcome guilt and defending love which make up the core of our society are also explored in the novel. The description of the endless struggle between good and evil really fascinated me and demonstrates very well the hypocrisy within society and also shows the moral failures as well as great humanity while it is about to plunge into the devastation of the Great Depression.

Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament