East of Eden (2014)

There is only one book to a man, Steinbeck wrote of East of Eden. Set in the rich farmland of Californias Salinas Valley, this powerful, often brutal novel follows the intertwined destinies of two families, the Trasks and the Hamiltons, whose generations hopelessly re-enact the fall of Adam and Eve and the poisonous rivalry of Cain and Abel. Steinbeck created some of his most memorable characters here and explored his most enduring themes: the mystery of identity, the inexplicability of love and the murderous consequences of loves absence.