John Steinbeck was first considered a success as a writer in 1935 with his novel "Tortilla Flat," which was his first popular success and earned him the California Commonwealth Club's gold medal. This book marked the beginning of his recognition, portraying the lives of young men in Monterey, California. His major breakthrough as a widely acclaimed author came later with "The Grapes of Wrath" in 1939, which won the Pulitzer Prize and brought national and international fame. Steinbeck's career pinnacle was marked by receiving the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962 for his realistic and imaginative writings.
