The sequel to Steinbeck's best work turns out to be one of his worst: bland, unimaginative, contrived to a fault, unfunny, and totally lacking of any of the wisdom and insight into the ways of human beings that graced "Cannery Row". The happy ending with Doc and the hooker is totally implausible if you take into account the way this man was portrayed in Steinbeck's other works. "Sweet Thursday" does not detract from the qualities of "Cannery Row" - but it certainly left me wondering just what possessed Steinbeck to ignore the truism that certain books (this is one of them) are best left unwritten.