bA Penguin Classicb pIn the two years after the 1939 publication of Steinbeck's masterful bThe Grapes of Wrathb, Steinbeck and his novel increasingly became the center of intense controversy and censorship. In search of a respite from the national stage, Steinbeck and his close friend, biologist Ed Ricketts, embarked on a month long marine specimen-collecting expedition in the Gulf of California, which resulted in their collaboration on the bSea of Cortezb. In 1951, after Ricketts' death, Steinbeck reissued his narrative portion of the work in memory of his friend and the inspiration for bCannery Rowb's Doc. This exciting day-by-day account of their journey together is a rare blend of science, philosophy, and high-spirited adventure. This edition features an introduction by Richard Astro. pFor more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of