| February 27, 1902 | John is born | John was born in California, in his family home called the Steinback House. |
| 1925 | John goes to college | John attended Stafford University, though he didn't graduate. Instead he moved to New York. |
| 1925 | John's life in New York is rough | John did odd jobs in New York while looking for a publisher for his book. No publishers wanted to publish his work. |
| 1926 | John returns to California | John returned to California where kept working toward his goal of publication. |
| 1929 | His first novel is published | John finally found a publisher for his novel, and it was published. It was called Cup of Gold. |
| 1935 | John's books are awarded | John was given the Gold Medal for Best Book by a Californian. It was for his book, Tortilla Flat. |
| 1937 | Of Mice and Men | Of Mice and Men was published. It became an American classic. |
| 1939 | Grapes of Wrath | John's work, Grapes of Wrath, was published. |
| 1940 | John gets a Pulitzer Prize | John was given the Pulitzer Prize for Grapes of Wrath. |
| 1947 | The Pearl is written | John wrote The Pearl, and it later became a movie. |
| 1960 | John Steinback travels America | John travelled across America with no one but his dog, Charley. He said he loved America and wanted to see all of it. |
| 1962 | The Nobel Prize | John won the Nobel Prize in literature for all of his literary masterpieces. Thirty of his books were published. |
| 1968 | John Steinback dies | John died in New York. He was buried in the Garden of Memories. |
| 1979 | John gets his own postal stamp | The United States Postal Service issued a stamp in John Steinback's honor. |
| 1984 | John continues to receive honors | John was awarded the Gold Medallion by the American Arts. His literature has lived on as classics, and it is still read today. |
