Screenwriting : John Steinbeck. by Don Zorbas

One of the greatest if not the greatest. East of Eden, The Grapes of Wrath are two of my favorite all time novels made into two of my favorite movies.

MANY would say Fitzgerald, but I do adore a good Steinbecking.

Hammett.

I just started Pastures of Heaven, so I'll let you know when I'm done.

Very nice, thanks folks.

Grapes of Wrath, East of Eden, Of Mice and Men: all favorites.

I love Steinbeck, almost all his books are classics, but the greatest?! No. I have a hard time giving "rankings", but when you have Twain, Hemingway, Poe, Kerouac (just to name a few) - greatest author is to wide a net to narrow down to Steinbeck.

Faulkner is the best.

He's my favorite American author, I think the way he suggests feelings and emotions are unique, he Always shoews, never tells, and in doing so he also makes you consider the big issues in life. My favorite novel is Cannery Row, but I love all his novels. It's also very interesting to read the letters he wrote to friends and family filled with considerations about writing.

I like Steinbeck, but for me, it's Faulkner, hands down. The Sound and the Fury was a game-changer for me. When I read it at about age 12, that book put me on a lifetime writing path.

I really don't see how or why anybody needs to be the greatest--it's extremely subjective. I think some authors definitely deserve to be called "great", but "greatest"??