Cannery Row Days
A Deep Dive into Steinbeck's 'Tortilla Flat.' (And the May 8 presentation is a must)
I was honored to receive an invitation to participate in this year’s Cannery Row Days. The 2024 event will center on “Tortilla Flat,” John Steinbeck’s first critical and commercial success. I’ve been asked to describe the sad legacy of Eddie Romero, the Monterey paisano romanticized by Steinbeck in his book on May 8.
My presentation will be based on The Long, Slow Death of Eddie Romero, an essay that appeared in Monterey Neighbors & Friends on July 2, 2023.
The entire Cannery Row Days event looks promising, with presentations by historians Susan Shillinglaw, Dennis Copeland and Tim Thomas, and a screening of “Tortilla Flat,” the 1942 film in which Spencer Tracy portrays the Eddie Romero character (Pilon).
I’m looking forward to it, and I do hope my friends and readers can attend my presentation at 4 p.m. May 8 in the Monterey Public Library community room. Space for all the programs is limited, so organizers are suggesting early registration. You can secure a seat for the May 8 program here:
The following is a schedule of events, as presented by the Monterey Public Library:
Talks
Thursday, April 18: 4:00 - 5:00pm
Susan Gregory's Tortilla Flat
Speaker: Dennis Copeland (Historian)
Location: Monterey Public Library, Community Room
Thursday, April 25: 4:00 - 5:00pm
Steinbeck and Mexico: Considering Tortilla Flat
Speaker: Susan Shillinglaw (Professor of English Emerita, San Jose State University)
Location: Presented on Zoom
Thursday, May 2: 4:00 - 5:00pm
Stirring the Pot: Working the Canneries, a Multicultural Stew
Speaker: Tim Thomas (Fisheries Historian)
Location: Presented on Zoom
Wednesday, May 8: 4:00 - 5:00pm
The Long, Slow Death of Eddie Romero
Speaker: Joe Livernois (Writer)
Location: Monterey Public Library, Community Room
Other Cannery Row Days Events
Sunday, April 21: 11:00am
In the Footsteps of the Paisano: A Walking Tour with Tim Thomas
Location: Old Fisherman's Wharf
Thursday, April 25: 3:30 - 4:30pm
Paws to Read: Featuring Tortilla Flat and related books
Location: Monterey Public Library, Community Room
Friday, May 3: 3:30pm
Tortilla Flat Reading Group with Susan Shillinglaw
Location: Colton Hall
Sunday, May 5: 1:00 - 3:00pm
Ohlone Basketweaving Demonstration with Linda Yamane and Violet Smith
Location: Colton Hall
Friday, May 10: 4:00 - 5:00pm
From the Archives: The Sal Colletto Collection
Location: Monterey Public Library, Community Room
Saturday, May 11: 4:00 - 6:00pm
Tortilla Flat (1942): A Film Screening
Location: Monterey Public Library, Community Room