John Steinbeck

John Steinbeck Guest: William Souder, author of "Mad at the World: A Life of John Steinbeck" John Steinbeck was a mystifying character. A California Man who could never seem to find his place, his words represented millions of the disenfranchised. The power behind his writing may come from the fact that he could never abide injustice against the poor. Depression Stories Guest: David A. Taylor, author of "Soul of a People: The WPA Writers’ Project Uncovers Depression America" In the 1930s, the federal government sponsored unemployed teachers, writers, historians, and artists to record the stories of everyday Americans. What they produced could be called an encyclopedia of life in early 20th-century America.