In a nutshell: Two people who are not blood relatives of John Steinbeck continue decades-long fight over his estate.

You know how it goes. A famous person marries a few times. They die. Multiple heirs contest who gets what despite everyone making money. It's like the worst reality TV show ever aired on Bravo.

In essence, that's what's been ongoing with John Steinbeck's extended family for decades--and it's been a classic case of contempt and lawsuits.


Quick Synopsis Time!:
The Nobel laureate and writer of The Grapes of Wrath and East of Eden died in 1968, while married to his third wife Elaine of 18 years. With his second wife, Gwyndolyn, Steinbeck had two sons, Thomas and John.

Seemingly attempting to be fair to all, Steinbeck divvied up how his family could earn income from his novels after his death. In short, Elaine was bequeathed interest from earlier works Steinbeck outright-owned the copyright to. Meanwhile, his sons would receive royalties from copyrights later. Copyright law is a mindless labyrinth and confusing to everyone, so we'll skip the minutia.

Elaine dies years later. In her own will, she leaves her Steinbeck income to her daughter from a previous marriage (and Steinbeck's stepdaughter), Waverly Scott Kaffaga.

Meanwhile, both sons died, with Thomas leaving his royalties to his own wife (and Steinbeck's daughter-in-law) Gail Knight Steinbeck.

Still following? Let's Continue!:
Now, Gail and Waverly have been in court for years fighting for more money.

In 2017, Waverly was awarded $13 million by a jury after it was found that Gail was trying to interfere with Waverly's negotiations with movie studios for film adaptations. In September, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reduced the verdict to roughly $5 million, but still found in Waverly's favor. Yet, Gail and Waverly continue fighting in court over who owns what and who has done one wrong.

Why? Because there was yet another agreement signed by the then-living parties in 1983 how this would all be divided up. Alas (((rubs temples furiously)))--copyright law being what it is, which is full of jargon and a myriad of poorly-worded language--Gail believes she has rights to works, while Waverly contends only she does.

All of this means the case eventually could end up in the United States Supreme Court, as The Hollywood Reporter explains.

In conclusion:
Two people who are not blood relatives of John Steinbeck want John Steinbeck's money.

This is why I choose to remain broke. My heirs can't quibble with their inheritance if there's no inheritance.

Personally, I always thought The Grapes of Wrath would've been a great video game.

Just think of it: An old jalopy of a truck overburdened with passengers has to careen down a dirty highway in the American southwest, veering past tumbleweeds, scurrying varmints, and unscrupulous land owners. The object of the game is to quickly drive across the landscape and find an honest farming business that'll pay you a fair wage, or your family will die of starvation--or, worse, kill themselves or someone else in an act of desperation.

Sound fun?? Get the kids!

Well, someone else has created a Great Gatsby video game. You, too, can live the life of a flapper and a playboy, minus the whole downer of being killed. It looks like Super Mario, circa 1982, and plays pretty much the same way, too. Except with more gangsters and random gentlemen doing The Charleston.

Linguistics can be interesting. Really. Sometimes. On occasion. When presented like this.

Sometimes I stumble on random websites regarding language/speech/writing/books/Oprah.

In this case, I stumbled upon a gentleman (last name: Aschmann. first name: ?) who is a linguist by trade--and, as a hobby, has created a website devoted to the way we all speak. His hobby makes your pastime of collecting Happy Cat posters seem pretty lame/uninspired by comparison. He has a detailed map of America/Canada that has more squiggly lines of demarcation than a Jackson Pollock painting--except these lines differentiate the way areas pronounce pin/pen, caught/cot, father/bother, you get the drift.

Did you know that geographical boundaries actually work to buffer language traits? So, the Black Hills of South Dakota bend language around them, the Sierra Nevada refuse to let language climb over them, and the Ohio River stops accents at its bank. At least Aschmann says so, and I'm easily swayed by brainy talk.

And what about history's influence? The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 apparently dictates how Nebraskans talk today, as the 1930's Great Depression influences modern Californians--since over a million "Okies" from the Midwest (and their accents) moved west during that time. It's like the Grapes of Wrath, except with less talk about starvation and more chit-chat about stressed syllables.

The sexiest thing on the website? That Cincinnati is called a "linguistic island." I don't know what a linguistic island specifically is, but it sounds exotic and alluring. And it's probably the only time anyone has ever made Cincinnati out to be exotic for anything.

Book Review: The Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck

This is part of the continuing series of random book reviews that'll be nothing like a New York Times book review. Gone is the ten thousand word analysis. Instead, here is a book review like you'd tell your friends.

The Book: John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath

Review:

Chapter One Reaction: It can't be this boring for 600 pages, can it?

Chapter Two Reaction: No, seriously, it has to get perkier than this, right? What page am I on?

Chapter Three Reaction: Okay, really, can you pick up the pace a little? I have a date with life I'd like to keep.

The pace doesn't quicken. The Grapes of Wrath makes War and Peace look like a light summer beach read. It's the type of book where if you just lost your job and your 401(k)...and then came home and found your spouse in bed with your best friend...and then mistakenly ran over your precious golden retriever as you peeled out of the driveway...and then you happened to read The Grapes of Wrath that night, you'd say, "Well, hey, life can always be worse I guess."

You know those books where you read 50 pages and then probably never get back to reading it because you're easily distracted by shiny objects and Entertainment Tonight on tv? That's The Grapes of Wrath. You know those books that get listed as a "great novel," but after reading those first 50 pages you question the sanity of book reviewers? That's The Grapes of Wrath. You know when you have no patience for a book after those first three chapters...but that when you get to the end of the book you understand that patience was all part of the master plan of the book? That there's an emotional payoff at the end? That there was a point after all to trudging through 600 pages because the author looked for a message that transcended literature for a change? That the point of the whole book is that it actually has a point?

That's The Grapes of Wrath.