Edward Ricketts

Edward Ricketts was a marine biologist, philosopher, writer, ecologist, and friend to many who profoundly influenced the thinking of writers, artists, and scientists through his non-teleological approach to the study of life. Immortalized as “Doc” of John Steimbeck’s Cannery Row, he was described by Steinbeck as a man whose “mind had no horizons, he has an interest in everything.” At his laboratory on Cannery Row, he built up the most comprehensive file of marine tidal animals ever attempted on the Pacific Coast. His marine science writings, including Between Pacific Tides, Sea of Cortez, and The Outer Shores, remain among the most respected works in the field. His life was cut short when the car he was driving was struck by the evening train at this site on May 8, 1948, but his influence on the world community and the people of Cannery Row endures.

Monterey, California · United States