The Moon Is Down

By: John Steinbeck

Narrated by: George Guidall

Occupied by enemy troops, a small, peaceable town comes face-to-face with evil imposed from the outside--and betrayal born within the close-knit community. Originally published at the zenith of Nazi Germanyâ's power, this masterful fable uncovers profound, often unsettling truths about war--and about human nature. Steinbeck's self-described "celebration of the durability of democracy" had an extraordinary impact as Allied propaganda in Nazi-occupied Europe. Despite Axis efforts to suppress it (in Fascist Italy, mere possession of the book was punishable by death), The Moon Is Down was secretly translated into French, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Swedish, German, Italian, and Russian; hundreds of thousands of copies circulated throughout Europe, making it by far the most popular piece of propaganda under the occupation. Few literary works of our time have demonstrated so triumphantly the power of ideas in the face of cold steel and brute force.

Critic reviews

By the Winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature

John Steinbeck knew and understood America and Americans better than any other writer of the twentieth century. (The Dallas Morning News) A man whose work was equal to the vast social themes that drove him. (Don DeLillo)"

Poignant, relevant still.

Characters could have been read more flatly, to greater effect. 1918, 1944, 1968, 2003, 2022 . . .

I have no idea what this book was going for

I was totally riveted until the end and I have no idea how I feel afterward. I kind of liked everyone. I guess that’s just war. Everything sucks.

I like it a lot!

I have listened to and read this book several times. It gives me hope during dark times like 2020.

Great story

A great story with the typical Steinbeck ending. Good performance by the reader
Will not disappoint

An Practical and Philosophical Viewpoint on War

I especially enjoyed the clean and unforgettable thinking used to rationalize wartime resistance. Aggressors violate Natural Law so resistant forces likewise aren't subject to Natural Law. Of course once war is over law returns.

Seeing the mental side of war from the perspective of the occupying army and how the morale of the conquerors makes them the defeated long before the surrender is insightful.