Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck - Penguin Classics 20th Century Great Books | Top 100 Must-Read Novels | Perfect for Book Clubs & Literature Lovers

Pro's: (1) inexpensive; (2) very clear, beautifully framed writing; (3) centered on Alienation and the death of the American Dream.Con's: (1) Uses the n-word several times, hence may not be "usable" in a high school curriculum; (2) part of alienation story is alienation from women, which some readers may find unacceptable in today's culture. This alienation is one of the central themes of the story, however.Consider modern American political alienation against this quote (p. 71): "The thing is, they're talking, or the settin' still and not talkin'. It don't make no difference, no difference."