John Steinbeck was an American novelist, short story writer, and journalist. He is widely known for the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Grapes of Wrath (1939) and the novella Of Mice and Men (1937). He wrote many other novels, including East of Eden (1952) and The Pearl (1947), and was a major figure in the American literary movement known as naturalism. He was also known for his strong social and political views, and his works often explored the themes of justice and human rights.