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In case you missed it in one of the other ten recaps in this album, we thought we’d join Steinbeck in hitting you over head with East of Eden's most important word … at least one more time. A few more choice words on choice when you click on this Recap.

Video Transcription:

McDonalds or Wendy’s?

PC or Mac?

Good or evil?

I’ve got a few, final, choice words on choice … right after this.

I loved this book. Believe it or not, the 600 pages fly by because—SHOCKER—this story is actually totally compelling.

But you know me. I’m also all about meaning. So here’s what I really loved about this book. Yes, I know, Steinbeck beats you over the head with his message about good and evil and about making the right choices.

But here’s the choice he doesn’t beat you over the head with. It’s there. It’s subtle. It also happens to be the most important choice that he highlights in this story.

It’s the choice to see yourself as your best self. It’s the choice to look past all your flaws and all your perceived shortcomings and to love everything that’s good about you.

Ultimately, that’s the choice that Cal makes in this book that changes everything. Yes, he chooses to try to be better and act better. But all that is meaningless until he stops hating himself. Until Cal makes the choice to find something good about himself—and to magnify it—he’s still lost.

So do yourself a favor. Make the choice that Cal makes. Oh, but first do yourself an even bigger favor and make the choice to pick up this book.