"The Moon Is Down" by John Steinbeck *****

• Originally published in 1942
• US author
• Quotes:
• p.22..."In marching, in mobs, in football games, and in war, outlines become vague; real things become unreal and a fog creeps over the mind."
• p.39...."Indeed, what for years had been considered simply a bad disposition was suddenly become a patriotic emotion." .......Annie, the cook/spy
• p.44...."That is a mystery that has disturbed rulers all over the world...how the people know.  It disturbs the invaders now, I am told, how news runs through censorships, how the truth of things fights free of control.  It is a great mystery."
• p.69..."Flies conquer the fly paper."
• p.107..."They think that just because they have only one leader and one head, we are all like that.  They know that ten heads lopped off will destroy them, but we are a free people; we have as many heads as we have people, and in a time of need leaders pop up among us like mushrooms."...the mayor just before execution
• p.108..."...a man who is good for anything ought not to calculate the chance of living or dying;; he ought only to consider whether he is doing right or wrong."
• p.113..."I have no choice of living or dying, you see, sir, but--I do have a choice of how I do it."
• p.113...."Free men cannot start a war, but once it is started, they can fight on in defeat.  Herd men, followers of cannot do that, and so it is always the herd men who win battles and the free men who win wars.."
• Review:  A perfect novella!  The values addressed and the outcome are not surprising whatsoever.....oppressed and oppressor.  It is the writing that makes this so well worth the reading!  Steinbeck.....that is really all there is to say about this!