Our species is the only creative species & it has only one creative instrument the individual mind & spirit of a man. Californias fertile Salinas Valley is home to two families whose destinies are fruitfully & fatally intertwined. Over the generations between the beginning of the twentieth century & the end of the First World War the Trasks & the Hamiltons will helplessly replay the fall of Adam & Eve & the murderous rivalry of Cain & Abel. East of Eden" was considered by Steinbeck to be his magnum opus & its epic scope & memorable characters exploring universal themes of love & identity ensure it remains one of Americas most enduring novels."