From April to May 2007, some of the most celebrated scholars of American Literature, cultural studies, and California history joined with noted artists, performers, and photographers for a unique John Steinbeck celebration at San Diego State University. Homer from Salinas: John Steinbeck's Enduring Voice for California collects these lectures, screenings, debates, discussions, and visual artifacts into one handy volume that unfolds as a mélange of old school "conference proceedings," next-generation, Web 2.0 journalism, and a scrapbook. The collection, edited by William A. Nericcio, includes outstanding pieces by Jeffrey Charles, Charles Wollenberg, William Deverell, Francisco X. Alarcón, Hernán Moreno-Hinojosa, Pam Muñoz Ryan, Paul Wong, Fred Gardaphé, Arturo J. Aldama, Michael Harper, Joanna Brooks, Arthur Ollman, Louis Hock, and Susan Shillingslaw.

These nine new essays on Homer's epics deal not only with major Homeric themes of time (honor), kleos (fame), geras (rewards), the psychology of Homeric warriors, and the re-evaluation of type scenes, but also with Homer's influence on contemporary film. Following the introduction and an essay which sets the historical background for the epics, four essays are devoted to fresh analysis of key passages and themes while another four turn to a discussion of the film Troy and Homer's influence on two other genres of American cinema.

Homer's great epic poem of adventure is the tale of a warrior who tries to return home to his wife and family but must first overcome a series of obstacles and escape from many traps. Butler's translation (1900) preserves the aura and atmosphere of this ancient classic.

The story of Sergeant Roberto Linderos is a prime example of the Mexican Americans that fought and died for our country in WWII and their struggle to be treated equally. Originally from humble beginnings, the author tells of the prejudice he encounters during a world conflict, where equality is only truly found on the battlefield, where everyones life is at stake. What motivated Mexican American soldiers to fight for their country, even though they were treated as second-class citizens, could only be described and understood through the experiences shared in this book. Letters addressed to and from remote regions of the world known as V-mail or APO (Army Post Office) assured families their loved ones were still alive. On the other hand, a letter from home was a soldiers only means of communication to the outside world and was the greatest motivator and a delight to receive. These APO letters not only kept the soldiers spirits up but were their only link to sanity during the constant violence of a maddening war. Without the morale these letters provided, the war could not have been won.

The location of the ancient city of Troy is placed along Croatia's Dalmatian Coast by the author who suggests that geographical realities found there correspond to geographical statements found in the Iliad and Odyssey. In addition, it is suggested that evidence points to these works having been originally created in a Slavic dialect and later translated into "Homeric" Greek.