The Pastures of Heaven is a book by John Steinbeck consisting of
twelve interconnected stories about a valley in Monterey, California, which was discovered by a Spanish corporal while chasing runaway Indian slaves. Enchanted by the valley's natural beauty, the corporal names it Las Pasturas del Cielo or "The Pastures of Heaven". The stories are written in classic Steinbeck style, full of foreboding and paganistic themes dealing with the lives of the families that relocate to the valley.