"Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck (1937)

This caught me by surprise! I'd never expected a classic to be such a dizzyingly gripping experience. All I ever knew of this book was a reference from Lost. 

The novella centers around two companions, George and Lennie. Antithetical to each other, George is the bright one while Lennie, as big as he is, has the brain of a child. The pair of nomads go from one trouble to the next, searching for a place to lie low and work. The problem is that Lennie always gets them into trouble.

The story is linear and straightforward, but tension lurks in every interaction. Steinbeck has an excellent command of how to draw readers' attention, making their brains go wild imagining the worst happening to the characters.

One of my best scenes was when Carlson had to put down Candy's senile dog and Candy's comment later, "I oughtta shot that dog myself, George. I shouldn't oughtta of let no strangers shoot my dog". And how it mirrors George's reaction at the end. That was simply brilliant foreshadowing!

Of Mice and Men tackles many themes like companionship, but to my surprise, the book screams  'loneliness'. Every single character is so terrified of being left all alone: 

• Curely's wife who keeps popping out of nowhere looking for her "husband"
• Candy who refuses to let go of his ancient dog 
• Crooks who's sick and tired of having the four walls of his room and the books as his company and who also envies Lennie because he has George
• Lennie whose biggest fear is George ditching him

The non-diverting nature of the themes makes the book a great choice for book clubs. It's simple, easily detected, and realistically and objectively presented 'as it is' without a solution. Yes, it's dramatic but unforgettable. 
______________________________

Summary:

Of Mice and Men is a short read, meant to be consumed in one setting. At its heart, it's about friendship/loyalty/feeling sympathetic, but it's also a comment on freedom, poverty, and basic human rights.