News and Upcoming Events

Steinbeck Fall Reading 2024

Steinbeck Fellows Program Fall 2024 semester reading:

Tuesday, December 3: 7PM PST (via Zoom)

For more information, including the zoom registration link, click here. [pdf]

Steinbeck Spring Reading 2025

Steinbeck Fellows Program Spring semester reading:

Tuesday, May 13: 7PM PST (MLK 590, Steinbeck Center)

The Art of Visual Storytelling: Gene Luen Yang Receives the 2024 John Steinbeck "In the Souls of the People Award" 

Friday, October 25th
3:30- 5:30 PM
Student Union Theater, San Jose State University

Gene Luen Yang, the multi-award-winning and best-selling author of the modern classic American Born Chinese (recently adapted by Disney+), will be on campus at SJSU on October 25. Yang will receive the 2024 John Steinbeck Award after having a craft conversation about visual storytelling with Mark Siegel, the founder and Creative and Editorial Director of First Second Books (the esteemed graphic novel imprint of MacMillian). The two authors will discuss Yang's storied career, including his beginnings, his runs writing Avatar the Last Airbender, Boxers & Saints, and Dragon Hoops, and his work in memoir and original comics, including 2024's Lunar New Year Love story (Co-written with LeUyen Pham).

This is a free event, however pre-registration is strongly recommended. Register at: https://tinyurl.com/Steinbeck-Award

This event will feature a free book giveaway for the first 100 in-person attendees!

Gene Luen Yang writes, and sometimes draws, comic books and graphic novels. He was named a National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature by the Library of Congress in 2016, and advocates for the importance of reading, especially reading diversely. His graphic novel American Born Chinese, a National Book Award finalist and Printz Award winner, has been adapted into an original series on Disney+. His two-volume graphic novel Boxers & Saints won the LA Times Book Prize and was a National Book Award Finalist. His nonfiction graphic novel, Dragon Hoops, received an Eisner award and a Printz honor. His other comics work includes Lunar New Year Love Story (with LeUyen Pham), The Books of Clash series (with Les McClaine, Alison Acton, and Kendall Goode), Secret Coders (with Mike Holmes), The Shadow Hero (with Sonny Liew), and Superman Smashes the Klan and the Avatar: The Last Airbender series (both with Gurihiru). In 2016, he was named a MacArthur Foundation Fell.

Mark is the author and illustrator of several award-winning picture books and graphic novels, including Sailor Twain, and the 5 WORLDS graphic novel series.  Mark is also the founder, and Creative & Editorial Director of First Second Books, Macmillan’s graphic novel publishing house. First Second offers an ambitious collection in every age category, in a wide range of themes and styles, with talent from all over the world. First Second has garnered an unmatched array of literary awards, starred reviews, and bestsellers, and has recently announced a new expansion with the launch of its adult imprint, 23rd Street Books.

Steinbeck Center Sword Acquisition

The Steinbeck Center proudly exhibits this Sword with a declaration of Knighthood, a gift from John Steinbeck to his Sister Mary as a symbol of her courage as she fought cancer. King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table opened Steinbeck's eyes to the lasting power of literature and are the foundation to his belief in Human Rights and Dignity. John and Mary read the stories and their child's play inspired Steinbeck's talent for storytelling. His love for language, the sounds and sights that words convey, all tie together with the love for his sister and the nostalgia for the world created in childhood.

To see the sword in person, please refer to our Hours page.

John Steinbeck: A Writer's Vision

A short biography of author John Steinbeck's life and career, as told through archival photos and videos. Produced by the Martha Heasley Cox Center for Steinbeck Studies at San Jose State University in October 2023.