The Steinbeck House, where author John Steinbeck grew up in Salinas, Calif., is now a restaurant. Esmeralda Montenegro Owen / AP

An exhibit at the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas, Calif., about Ed Ricketts, a real person who was the inspiration for the character Doc, the eccentric operator of a marine biology lab in John Steinbeck’s novel, “Cannery Row.” Esmeralda Montenegro Owen / AP

The National Steinbeck Center in Salinas, Calif., is devoted to preserving the legacy of author John Steinbeck, who wrote “The Grapes of Wrath” and many other works. Esmeralda Montenegro Owen / AP