In Search of the Dark Watchers

In this lovely book, Thomas Steinbeck tells a tale that has been part of the Big Sur lore since the early days of the Esalen Indians. His stories inspired Benjamin Brode to venture forth on his own personal journey to paint the mystery and majesty of this wild California coastline.

The result is a charming and beautifully crafted book made up of fifteen sketches, twenty-five oil paintings, and a glimpse into the remarkable friendship of two highly creative men.

When visitors come to the Big Sur wilderness on California’s central coast, they’re often struck by how mystical and remote it feels. Some people even return with tales of encounters with a “presence” —a fleeting glimpse in the sun-dappled shadows, an eerie feeling in the stillness of the trees. Could such accounts be the result of a sensitive imagination or are they a validation that the Dark Watchers live on? Stories of these elusive beings persist and get passed down from generation to generation.

On a fateful, foggy evening not long ago, Thomas Steinbeck told California landscape painter Benjamin Brode about the legendary “watchers” who roam the wilds of Big Sur. The particulars of the account had been told to Steinbeck as a child and authenticated by such credible sources as his grandmother, Olive Hamilton, and Billy Post, descendant of El Sur Grande ranchers and, at that time, the resident sage of the Post Ranch Inn.

Steinbeck’s compelling tale took root in Brode’s imagination. He wondered if it might be possible to go to Big Sur and capture some of the Dark Watchers’ mystery on canvas. Not long after, he packed up his old VW van and headed north to New Camaldoli Hermitage near Lucia. Once there, Brode set aside time to quiet his heart, walk the trails, and sit in the woods… feeling and sketching everything. To insure his success, he brought along a basket of food and offerings designed to appeal to Dark Watchers’ sensibilities.

About the author

Thomas Steinbeck was born in New York City on August 2, 1944 to singer/composer Gwyndolyn Steinbeck and John Steinbeck, Nobel Laureate and author. As a child, Thomas spent a great deal of time with his father and learned a deep respect for the artistry of language. Like his father, Thomas Steinbeck is a natural storyteller and crafts his words with an impressive mastery.

His first book, Down to a Soundless Sea (2002), was a collection of short stories that includes a reference piece to the legend of the Dark Watchers. The two books that followed, In the Shadow of the Cypress (2010) and The Silver Lotus (2012) focused on the history of the Chinese in California. Garnering excellent reviews, both novels are intriguing accounts of mysterious events and the influence of unique cultures upon the history of the coastal regions of the world. Throughout his writing, Steinbeck’s deep knowledge and appreciation of history allows him to develop his characters and stories in such a way that readers may immerse themselves in the intimacy of other times and places.

In 2012, Steinbeck and his good friend, artist Benjamin Brode, began a creative collaboration uniting the lore of Big Sur with the majesty of its landscape. The result became the book In Search of the Dark Watchers (2014). While the tale is rooted in an ancient legend, the story is contemporary and centers around the charming friendship of two creative men.

“My secret of writing is to never create at the keyboard. For me, it’s about knowing the story or the elements that I’m going to be dealing with in such detail that I’m basically testifying in front of my audience.”

For more information about Thomas Steinbeck please visit www.thomassteinbeck.com

Watch Benjamin Brode and Thomas Steinbeck talk about making the book