Of Mice and MenOf Mice and Men
Score Classic
What it's about
During the Great Depression, two migrant ranch hands, George, small and sharp, and Lennie, huge, gentle and childlike, travel together in California looking for work, dreaming of the day they'll have a little farm of their own. On a new ranch, the dream seems almost within reach, until Lennie, who doesn't know his own strength, gets into trouble.
Why it's worth reading
It was voted onto the BBC's Big Read and is one of the most widely read American novels. It's short and devastating.
You'll love it if you liked
The Grapes of Wrath
East of Eden
To Kill a MockingbirdGood to know
It's under a hundred pages. It includes racist language and the death of a dog. The ending is heartbreaking.
By the numbers
- Readers26 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller76 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #92 of the 116 historical novels we rank
- #473 of the 762 classics we rank
- #1650 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving, Thought-provoking
More by John Steinbeck
East of EdenThe Grapes of Wrath
Travels with Charley
Sweet ThursdayIf you like this, read next
The Color Purple
I, Claudius
War and Peace
The Count of Monte Cristo
Catch-22
The Age of InnocenceExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Of Mice and Men worth reading?
Yes. It was voted onto the BBC's Big Read and is one of the most widely read American novels. It ranks #1,650 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 67.1 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Of Mice and Men about?
During the Great Depression, two migrant ranch hands, George, small and sharp, and Lennie, huge, gentle and childlike, travel together in California looking for work, dreaming of the day they'll have a little farm of their own. On a new ranch, the dream seems almost within reach, until Lennie, who doesn't know his own strength, gets into trouble.
How long does it take to read Of Mice and Men?
About 4 hours (162 pages), or about 8 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Of Mice and Men?
If you liked it, try The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, East of Eden by John Steinbeck or To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.