That about Steinbeck -whether he was blue or just bewildered by his fame-reminds me of an interview with the old frontiersman Daniel Boone near the end of his life.
He lived long and traversed woodland and prairies from Pennsylvania (?) to Missouri. Unmapped territory,he was often alone. So he was asked by an admirer “Did it ever happen that you got lost!” Some thought and he answered “Never got lost. But onced l was bewildered for about two weeks...”
l appreciated that story so much when l read it. That perspective has kept me from being downhearted about life many many times.