Saratoga Sampler

Lynch's new book offers recollections of Steinbeck

By Mary Ann Cook

NEW BOOK: Saratogan Audry Lynch's latest book is Steinbeck Remembered, just out from Fithian Press of Santa Barbara. The book is a compilation of interviews with friends and acquaintances of John Steinbeck, including several from Saratoga and Los Gatos.

The last interview is from noted colleague John Baggerly, who was a young reporter for the LG General Mail News at the time he interviewed Steinbeck. He found him straightforward and burly with something of a hippie lifestyle.

Other locals whose remembrances are documented in the book are Bill Thomas and Eleanor Ray of Saratoga and Ruth Duval and George Beatty of Los Gatos. Duval was a kid sister in the group that hung around with Steinbeck in the Cannery Row years.

"He was the one who made things happen," she says.

Thomas, who lived across from the Steinbeck family home in Pacific Grove, says, "he wrote about real places and real people ... left an authentic record of a place, a time and a people."

Beatty, a cousin of Vince Garrod's, was a neighbor of the Steinbecks' and said they reportedly gave great parties, but he never attended any, though invited. They drank a lot, but so did everyone in those days, he comments.

Martin Ray was a noted winemaker at Paul Masson's, and friend of the Steinbecks at the time Grapes of Wrath was published. His then-wife was Elsie. After Elsie's death, Eleanor Ray became Martin's second wife and passed onto Lynch her reminiscences of those years.

"My vintage for yours," Steinbeck wrote in an inscribed copy of the first edition of Grapes of Wrath that he presented to the Rays.

The book covers the early years in Salinas, the hell-raising years on Monterey's Cannery Row and the established, reclusive-writer years in Monte Sereno. Are these recollections sugar-coated? No way.

Lynch is a counselor at Bernal Intermediate School in San Jose. As for her favorite author, she has taught community college classes about him, leads tours to the Steinbeck Center and other JS haunts, and collects all his first editions.

THANKS, TONY: Too bad there were no Saratogans or Los Gatans on TV's recent Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? game show. They could easily have answered the $250,000 question: "Which species of tree does cork come from?" That is, if they had read horticulturist Tony Tomeo's gardening column that week in the local paper.

The cork oak is the answer, which was the subject of his column the week of Aug. 2. Elle Stern alerted us to this corking coincidence.

BANJO JUBILEE: Banjo aficionados label the banjo the happiest of music and America's only original musical instrument. To get happy, try the 28th annual Banjo Jubilee to be held Sept. 3, noon-5 p.m. at Rickeys Hyatt House in Palo Alto. The Peninsula Banjo Band is the host group.

That band boasts two Saratogans--Chris Bracher and George Thum. Charlie Tagawa is the musical director of the 42-member group and Floyd Oatman is the jubilee chairman. The public is invited to PBB rehearsals every Tuesday, 8 to 9 p.m. at Straw Hat Pizza, 1535 Meridian, San Jose.

Others participating in the jubilee are Bob Lasley's Scarlet La Rue's Band, formerly of Los Gatos, and bands from Redwood City, Oakland, Pleasant Hill and Sacramento. Tickets are $12 in advance; $15 at the door. All proceeds go to charity or scholarships to teach the 4-stringed banjo.

LAST LUNCH: The last luncheon for this summer scheduled at Villa Montalvo and hosted by the Montalvo Service Group will be on Aug. 23, with fashions by Tom Teifer of Los Gatos and Capitola. For reservations, call 408.961.5823.

NEW OFFICERS: New officers for the Summit League are Molly Swenson, president; Therese McNeil, vice president; Ginny Bowman, treasurer; Jan Willoughby, recording secretary; and Joey Vaudagna, corresponding secretary. New members include Carrie Arata, Barbara Bocks, Cheryl Colman, Cody Jones, Anne Lafoon, Joyce Mitakides, Anne Marie Vogel and Randi Zanardi.

BROADWAY SHOW TUNES: The Funtimes Singers will present a selection of songs from musicals at concerts on Aug. 26 and 27, at 7:30 p.m. at the Campbell Congregational Church, 400 Campbell Ave. Local members of the group are Lynda Fox of Saratoga, and Julie Austin and Sue Heller of Los Gatos. Tickets are $5 at the door.

SANBORN BARBECUE: The annual Sanborn Park Barbecue Picnic will be held on Aug. 27, at the hostel from 1 to 5 p.m. Music will be furnished by Variety Pack, who live up to their name by playing folk, oldies, jazz, country and swing. Barbecued chicken is the entree. To reserve by Aug. 24, call 408.293.3787.

GOLF TOURNEY: The Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce golf tournament will be held on Aug. 21, at La Rinconada. A best ball scramble, the cost is $200. Major sponsors are Harlan McHugh, Phil Johnson, Dan Doore, Jack Ryan and Phil Couchee. To register, call 408.354.9300.

DeCinzo

Los Gatos and Saratoga high schools proceed with their facilities improvements

Sales Listings

Obituaries

Saratoga Sampler

Sports Briefs

Follmars run to Dammit wins

Photo: Practice makes perfect for young soccer players