Sweet ThursdaySweet Thursday
Score Classic
What it's about
In Monterey, Sweet Thursday is the day after Lousy Wednesday. John Steinbeck returns to the weedy lots, junk heaps and flophouses of Cannery Row after the war, where Doc, the marine biologist, is restless and lonely, and his friends, including Fauna, the new madam of the local brothel, and Hazel, a lovable bum, scheme to get him a girlfriend.
Why it's worth reading
It was one of the ten best-selling books of 1954. It's Steinbeck at his most comic and tender, a sequel to Cannery Row.
You'll love it if you liked
The Grapes of Wrath
East of Eden
Of Mice and MenGood to know
It's a sequel to Cannery Row, which is short and worth reading first. This is light and funny, not one of Steinbeck's tragedies.
By the numbers
- Readers90 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller35 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
- #94 of the 309 literary novels we rank
- #252 of the 762 classics we rank
- #818 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
More by John Steinbeck
East of EdenThe Grapes of Wrath
Travels with CharleyOf Mice and MenIf you like this, read next
The Color Purple
The Caine Mutiny
I, Claudius
A Room of One's Own
Angle of Repose
The Winds of WarExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Sweet Thursday worth reading?
Yes. It was one of the ten best-selling books of 1954. It ranks #818 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 74.8 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Sweet Thursday about?
In Monterey, Sweet Thursday is the day after Lousy Wednesday. John Steinbeck returns to the weedy lots, junk heaps and flophouses of Cannery Row after the war, where Doc, the marine biologist, is restless and lonely, and his friends, including Fauna, the new madam of the local brothel, and Hazel, a lovable bum, scheme to get him a girlfriend.
How long does it take to read Sweet Thursday?
About 5 hours (205 pages), or about 10 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Sweet Thursday?
If you liked it, try The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, East of Eden by John Steinbeck or Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck.