January 1st- Of Mice and Nothing Else?

I learnt today that 90% of GCSE students study Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. Steinbeck, an American from California, wrote this Novella in 1937 and based it partly on his own experiences. It is a short (6 chapter) story. Perhaps therefore it is a testament to his writing skill that it is so widely studied, or maybe it is merely that it is short and a "classic" (and therefore easy to teach in a limited time. )  On a side note however, I do remember looking enviously at other people's copies whilst hefting Lord of the Flies to English class...