Today, Steinbeck's World War II novella, sixty six years after it was written, has gained a timeless significance: a brief, yet well thought-out glimpse into human relationships, between occupation and resistance in times of war. Published in 1942, the book was translated, clandestinely distributed and eagerly read by people in German-occupied countries. In the United States, it was also criticized for being too soft and generous in the depiction of the enemy. Whereas early impressions may suggest to the reader a surprisingly light parody or simplistic morality tale, we soon recognize the subtle, and with each page mounting, intensity of Steinbeck's anti-war message.

Set in a small mining town in an unnamed country, invaded by an unspecified enemy force, numerous hints, however, suggest that the story's events take place in Northern Norway at the time of the 1940 Nazi occupation. The townspeople, totally unprepared for an invasion after having lived in peace for a very long time, had forgotten how to fight... Consequently the initial assault is over in less than an hour, well planned with the help of a local quisling. Taking control of the town and its mining operation turns out to be a much more complicated and difficult affair than Colonel Lanser and his battalion had been trained for and anticipated. Their headquarters established in the Mayoral residence, good Mayor Orden has little choice but to tolerate their presence. Steinbeck introduces the main players in the unfolding drama with a few yet defining characteristics. Orden, for example, comes across as an indecisive, somewhat dotty, older chap, fussed over by "Madame", his protective, efficient little wife. Doctor Winter, the local medic and historian and Orden's childhood friend does not appears to be up to the challenges, despite some traits of a Dr. Watson. But, early impressions are certainly misleading in this story.

On the opposing side, the officers are a motley collection of unlikely elite military personnel, described more like army caricatures: spending more time debating than leading the battalion: one is an Anglophile, another more concerned with his model railway than the battle, and yet another honestly believes that he can find real friendship among the women of the town. Except for Lanser, none of them had seen combat before and their naïveté is poignant. While justifying their action with "just following the Leader's orders", they soon realize that that excuse doesn't convince anybody. To achieve their primary objective, that is access to the town's coal, the officers insist on orderly cooperation from the townspeople, increased production and an easy life for the soldiers. Herein, as they soon find out, lies the problem... While the soldiers are muddling through in their attempts to control the locals through arbitrary executions for disobedience and non-cooperation, occupiers and local resistance are caught in a spiral of events that will lead to inevitable results as one side is destabilized and the other made stronger. Nobody can escape, sidestep or ignore the brutality of war.

Steinbeck's subtle build up of the characters' strengths and weaknesses is superb. Orden (his name, incidentally, in German means "medal", often as a military decoration that Orden would have deserved...) is a case in point. His perceived malleability to the colonel's demands grows in fact into disguised and effective opposition: because he cannot represent his townspeople and therefore "cannot control what they do". The townspeople, initially confused, isolated yet quietly resisting, find new defence mechanisms and strength in coordination, and, like the flies the flypaper, may eventually overwhelm the enemy...

Steinbeck's novella is written in a series of tableaux as if set for the stage. (*) Each such set is introduced by a short depiction of the background or description of events beyond the confines of the scene's space, most often the Palace's drawing room. There, the lively dialogue between the main protagonists gives immediacy to the action threads of the story. With this narrative technique, Steinbeck focuses on the personal and intimate interaction between occupiers and occupied and their evolving relationship, underscoring the human tragedy of war and those caught up in it, whatever their personal guilt or innocence. [Friederike Knabe]

(*) It was in fact produced as such in 1943.

In 1942, at the height of the Nazi domination of Europe, Steinbeck wrote this novella about a small mining town under enemy occupation. Neither the country nor the aggressor is specified, and the character names are generically European, but everything fits the German conquest of Norway in 1940. Steinbeck wrote the book frankly as propaganda, as a contribution to the war effort; the introduction by Donald V. Coers to the Penguin Classics edition admirably documents the success the novel had in numerous translations smuggled into occupied Europe. Coers also discusses the controversy that the book stirred up among critics in America, some of whom accused Steinbeck almost of literary collaboration.

But therein lies its fascination. At first blush, the subject suggests a story of helmeted Nazis and daring saboteurs by Alistair MacLean or Jack Higgins, and propaganda would seem a rather low literary form. But the amazing thing -- though obvious in retrospect -- is that Steinbeck keeps his own style intact, just as though he were writing of the American heartland. He is less concerned with great events than with the people caught up in them, and he describes them with the same understanding, warmth, and even humor that he would bring to CANNERY ROW or EAST OF EDEN. Furthermore -- and this is what so shocked his critics -- he finds the same humanity in the occupying soldiers as among the victim population. I titled this review "Occupation" rather than "Resistance" because Steinbeck's book really is two-sided, and shows the soldiers being destroyed as much by their own isolation and loneliness as by the overt acts of the people. The nearest thing to a stereotypical Nazi is the keen-as-mustard Captain Loft, who wants to do everything by the book. But his commanding officer, Colonel Lanser, says of him: "He's frightened. I know his kind. He has to be disciplined when he's afraid or he'll go to pieces. He relies on discipline the way other men rely on sympathy."

Lanser, the First War veteran who sees the folly of his orders even as he is forced to follow them, is one of the two richest characters in the book. The other is Mayor Orden, the aging representative of the townspeople, who is confused by events at first, but gradually comes to realize his true role. The scenes between these two men, impossible negotiations unresolved by their shared humanity, show Steinbeck at his best. Even Steinbeck's slightly awkward reach for grandeur towards the end, when Orden tries to quote Socrates, is redeemed by the fact that the old man cannot quite remember the words. Whatever the context, Steinbeck writes best about ordinary people because he can imagine himself in their minds and feelings. The fact that he is writing about a situation he had never experienced in a country he has never visited, makes that feat of imagination nothing less than amazing.

This is Steinbeck's fifth novel or more accurately a novella. The writing is exceptional and it must be ranked as average or better, but it is short and cannot be compared with his best known novel "Grapes of Wrath." Steinbeck shifts his focus away from California and gives us a very interesting book based on World War II. Think it is exceptional and one of his better short works. It is almost as good as his other famous novella "Of Mice and Men," which was his first novel. I have read most of his works including the present, which is an interesting and a must read for Steinbeck fans. It has interesting prose and good drama, and it is very well written. I would rank it on par with "Cannery Row" and ahead of "The Pearl" and better than "Tortilla Flat" in my opinion - based on the writing.

It is an interesting book. It is about resistance to an invading force. We can assume that it is probably Norway during World War II, and their resistance to Germany, but Steinbeck keeps it a bit vague which broadens the appeal of the book. It could apply to any invading force.

John Steinbeck (1902 - 1968) was among the best known American writers of the 20th century. He won the 1962 Nobel Prize for literature. His 1939 Pulitzer Prize winning novel, "Grapes of Wrath" has over ten million copies in print.

Steinbeck was born in rural California, went to Stanford, and spent most of his life in California. He has been associated with the plight of farm workers and others. His books have been very popular and many were made into movies and stage productions. He won an Academy Award nomination for best story in 1944.

I have read a number of his novels and am still surprised with the quality of his work - especially his short stories and short novels and this is another good example. The present work is short and probably ranks among the middle or higher of his 17 novels and novellas. Readers will appreciate the clarity of the prose, the characters, and the message.

It is not a heavy read and takes one evenings to read. I liked the book and give it a positive recommendation, and it would be high on my list of Steinbeck novels.

As a suggestion, do not buy the book alone, but rather would buy it as part of a collection such as Steinbeck's book: "The Short Novels of John Steinbeck," from Viking Press in 1953, and updated versions of that book.

A very, very short but very, very wonderful book that takes place during WWII. In a remote, unnamed town in an unnamed country, Nazis take control, thinking themselves in an easy position with all the arrogance of a regime of people with radical ideals. They quickly discover it's not much of a picnic to be in a town full of people silently resenting you and ready to take action the moment one of the invaders lets down their guard, whatever the consequences. This book might have only been a bit over a hundred pages but it was vastly moving and really impressed itself on my mind. Highly recommended.

The Moon Is Down is a history book. It wasn't written to be such but it is now. It's a history of everything right and most things wrong during World War II.

John Steinbeck takes us on a journey of a people conquered physically but not in their hearts and souls. It's a good read. . . a very good read, because it reminds us of what terrible things can happen, Man's Inhumanity to Man, to coin a phrase.

But it also reminds us of strength and honor. It shows us what can be, good and bad.

It is not Steinbeck's best but it is still good. It isn't Grapes of Wrath or Of Mice and Men, but not every book is. It's good, very good.