First published in 1947, John Steinbeck's parable is a literary jewel. Kino is a Mexican pearl-fisher in the Gulf of California. When he and his wife, Juana, have a baby, their joy is complete... until the infant is bitten by a scorpion. Kino finds a great pearl worth a fortune, far more than enough to pay the doctor needed to save the baby's life, but it brings only tragedy and evil to his family. A masterpiece of American literature.