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Cover of The Pearl by John Steinbeck

The Pearl

by John Steinbeck

A valuable pearl promises escape from poverty and instead draws greed, fear, and violence.

Published
1947
Setting
Mexico
Shelf rating
4.6

About John Steinbeck

Illustrated portrait of John Steinbeck
John Steinbeck

1 book shelved

The story, briefly

Spoiler-free

John Steinbeck’s 1947 parable follows a poor pearl diver whose extraordinary discovery changes his family’s hopes and draws dangerous attention.

Why we recommend it

  1. A simple story carrying large questions

    Steinbeck’s deliberate prose turns one family’s discovery into a parable about hope, greed, violence, and fate.

What this book explores

Book editions

Paperback
Paperback

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Cover of The Stranger by Albert Camus

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References

References

The sources below include the primary text, editions, scholarship, archival materials, and other records that informed this page. They document The Pearl, its publication, and its place in literary history.

  1. 1The Pearl — Open Library ISBN catalogue

    Official record
    Open Library, Internet Archive
    Used for

    Open Library ISBN catalogue used to verify the title, ISBN, and publication metadata.

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  2. 2The Pearl — Google Books catalogue

    Official record
    Google
    Used for

    Google Books catalogue record used to cross-check the title and edition metadata.

    View source

  1. 3The Pearl — Internet Archive ISBN catalogue

    Official record
    Internet Archive
    Used for

    Internet Archive ISBN catalogue used to cross-check the edition and its availability in library holdings.

    View source

  2. 4The Pearl — Library of Congress books catalogue

    Official record
    Library of Congress
    Used for

    Library of Congress books catalogue used to cross-check the bibliographic record by ISBN.

    View source
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Why these sources are here

The primary text is the baseline reference for every book page. Additional references document publication history, interpretation, and historical context where that evidence is available.

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