Description:

In this masterful story set in Norway during World War II, Steinbeck explores the effects of invasion on both the conquered and the conquerors. As he delves into the emotions of the German commander and the Norwegian traitor, and depicts the spirited patriotism of the Norwegian underground, Steinbeck uncovers profound, often unsettling truths about war—and about human nature. The Moon is Down had an extraordinary impact as Allied propaganda in Nazi-occupied Europe, and despite efforts to suppress it, the book was secretly translated into French, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Swedish, German, Italian, and Russian, and hundreds of thousands of copies circulated Europe, making it by far one of the most popular pieces of propaganda during the war. Few literary works of our time have demonstrated so triumphantly the power of ideas in the face of cold steel and brute force.