Born: 27 February 1902 · Died: 20 December 1968 · Age at death: 66
How old was John Steinbeck when he died?
John Steinbeck died aged 66. He was born on 27 February 1902 and died on 20 December 1968.
American novelist of The Grapes of Wrath, Of Mice and Men and East of Eden who won the Nobel Prize in Literature
Did you know?The original manuscript for his novella Of Mice and Men was eaten by his dog, which forced him to start again.
Quick facts
Date of birth27 February 1902
Date of death20 December 1968
Age at death66
Cause of deathHeart failure, cardiovascular disease
NationalityAmerican
BirthplaceSalinas, United States
Occupationwriter, screenwriter, war correspondent
Editor's Take:
John Steinbeck wrote about ordinary Americans struggling to survive. He grew up in California's Salinas Valley, which inspired much of his work. Of Mice and Men tells of two migrant workers and their doomed dream. The Grapes of Wrath follows a family fleeing the Dust Bowl. It won the Pulitzer Prize and stirred national debate. East of Eden retells the story of Cain and Abel. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1962.
Key Milestones
1935: Tortilla Flat – first success
1937: Of Mice and Men – novella
1939: The Grapes of Wrath – Pulitzer Prize
1952: East of Eden – epic novel
John Ernst Steinbeck ( STYNE-bek; February 27, 1902 – December 20, 1968) was an American writer and novelist. He won the 1962 Nobel Prize in Literature "for his realistic and imaginative writings, combining as they do sympathetic humor and keen social perception".
John Steinbeck's birthday is February 27. He was born on February 27, 1902 in Salinas, United States.
How old was John Steinbeck when he died?
John Steinbeck died on December 20, 1968, aged 66.
Who shares a birthday with John Steinbeck?
Famous people who share John Steinbeck's February 27 birthday include Constantine the Great, Elizabeth Taylor, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Ernest Renan and Joanne Woodward.
