About “Burning Bright”
A short novel by John Steinbeck blends elements of play and fiction. The story takes place in a circus and follows an aging man whose young wife believes he is sterile. To fulfill her desire for a child, she seduces his young assistant. When the husband learns the truth, he must deal with his pride and the consequences of his wife's actions. The novel is a simple morality play exploring themes of desire, pride, and human weakness.
Praise for “Burning Bright”
“A morality play conceived with poetic intensity.”
“[Burning Bright’s] four solitary characters are neither flesh-and-blood nor stock figures; husband, wife, friend, outsider, they are the legendary archetypes of folklore, speaking a spare, bare-boned language salted with color—a kind of abstract folk speech that is stilted, poetic and moving.”
Book details
- Latest edition
- 2006 · ISBN 014303944X
- ISBN
- 9780143039440
View more editions (10)
| Cover | Edition | Year | ISBN | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burning bright | 2006 | 014303944X | Buy on Amazon | |
 | Burning Bright | 2006 | 9780143039440 | Buy on Amazon |
 | Burning Bright | 2003 | 9780606286381 | Buy on Amazon |
| Burning Bright | 2002 | 9780822215981 | Buy on Amazon | |
| Burning Bright | 2001 | 9780141922980 | Buy on Amazon | |
| Burning bright | 1995 | 0749317752 | Buy on Amazon | |
 | Burning bright | 1994 | 0140187421 | Buy on Amazon |
| Burning Bright | 1994 | 9780613708340 | Buy on Amazon | |
| Burning bright | 1991 | 0749303980 | Buy on Amazon | |
| Burning bright | 1986 | 0140049991 | Buy on Amazon |
Frequently asked questions
How many pages is Burning Bright?
Burning Bright by John Steinbeck has 128 pages.
More by John Steinbeck
Book descriptions, author biographies, award records and review quotes on this page are courtesy of Penguin Random House.