An erstwhile chimney sweep and real estate appraiser in the Portland, Oregon, area, John Oscar Branch now resides in Sun City West, Arizona. An avid reader in his spare time, John Oscar Branch counts Ernest Hemingway and John Steinbeck among his favorite authors.
One of the latter author’s lesser-known works is The Moon Is Down, which was published in 1942 and adapted from Steinbeck’s play of the same name. Set in wartime, the novel centers on the German invasion and occupation of a town and features the concept that democracy would ultimately triumph over totalitarianism.
Steinbeck’s treatment of the invading forces was not as pure enemies, but as complex individuals who ultimately fell victim to their own ideology. He presented the central concept that there was a unifying humanity to soldiers on both sides, many of whom privately doubted the wisdom of their leaders. This view, though ultimately correct in the estimation of many, was controversial at the time and engendered criticism that it did not serve as a clear enough rallying cry against the enemy.
One of the latter author’s lesser-known works is The Moon Is Down, which was published in 1942 and adapted from Steinbeck’s play of the same name. Set in wartime, the novel centers on the German invasion and occupation of a town and features the concept that democracy would ultimately triumph over totalitarianism.
Steinbeck’s treatment of the invading forces was not as pure enemies, but as complex individuals who ultimately fell victim to their own ideology. He presented the central concept that there was a unifying humanity to soldiers on both sides, many of whom privately doubted the wisdom of their leaders. This view, though ultimately correct in the estimation of many, was controversial at the time and engendered criticism that it did not serve as a clear enough rallying cry against the enemy.
