The Grapes of Wrath: A Big Read Documentary
Series: The Big Read
From: National Endowment for the Arts
Length: 00:28:44
Capturing the plight of millions of Americans whose lives had been crushed by the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression, Steinbeck awakened the nation's comprehension and compassion.
The program also features Jay Parini, Bill Ramsey, Richard Rodriguez, Susan Shillinglaw, Kevin Starr, Thom Steinbeck (John's son), Susan Straight, Rick Wartzman, and the music of Woody Guthrie.
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Related Pieces
Piece Description
Capturing the plight of millions of Americans whose lives had been crushed by the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression, Steinbeck awakened the nation's comprehension and compassion.
The program also features Jay Parini, Bill Ramsey, Richard Rodriguez, Susan Shillinglaw, Kevin Starr, Thom Steinbeck (John's son), Susan Straight, Rick Wartzman, and the music of Woody Guthrie.
Transcript
The Grapes of Wrath
Radio Show - Transcript
Josephine Reed: Welcome to The Big Read, a program created by the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
The largest reading program in American history, The Big Read is designed to unite communities through great literature. Here's your host, poet and former chair of the NEA, Dana Gioia.
Dana Gioia: Today, we will discuss John Steinbeck’s epic 1939 novel, The Grapes of Wrath.
Music from Woody Guthrie's "Dust Bowl Disaster"...
On the 14th day of April, 1935,?There struck the worst of dust storms that ever filled the sky.?You could see that dust storm comin', the cloud looked deathlike black,?And through our mighty nation, it left a dreadful track.?From Oklahoma City to the [...]
Ed Harris reads from The Grapes of Wrath…
The people came out of their houses and smelled the hot stin...
Read the full transcript
Musical Works
| Title | Artist | Album | Label | Year | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| So Long, It's Been Good to Know Yuh (Dusty Old Dust)"... | Woody Guthrie | Dust Bowl Ballads. | Sony Music Entertainment | 00:00 | |
| Do Re Mi | Woody Guthrie | Dust Bowl Ballads. | Sony Music Entertainment | 00:00 | |
| Dust Bowl Disaster | Woody Guthrie | Dust Bowl Ballads. | Sony Music Entertainment | 00:00 | |
| The Battle Hymn Republic | Mormon Tabernacle Choir | God Bless America . | Sony Classical | 00:00 | |
| Original guitar and harmonica | Clint Hoover and Pat Donohue | 00:00 |
Additional Credits
Written and produced by Dan Stone. Assistant Producer, Adam Kampe.
Special thanks to the National Steinbeck Center, Philip Brunelle, Kate Kaiser, and Erika Koss.
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