I've been meaning to read The
Good Earth since I first heard about it in grade school. The
author, Pearl S. Buck, was born in West Virginia and was part of my
WV history lessons back then. This month I finally joined the other
millions (billions?), who have read the book when I read it as part
of my book club.
The Good Earth was
published in 1931 and follows the life of Wang Lung in
pre-revolutionary rural China. The book begins with a young Wang Lung
preparing for his wedding day and follows his life until he is old
and close to death. He values the land and farming above all else
which leads him from humble beginnings to being a rich man. Along the
way, we see him suffer through famines and personal hardships and
watch the way his eventual wealth affects him and the next
generation.
This book has been a classic since it
came out. It won a Pulitzer Prize and also helped Buck win the Nobel
Prize for Literature. (And if that weren't enough, it was chosen for
Oprah's Book Club a couple of years ago). What all of this means is
the book has been studied and talked about for decades now. Its
historical significance and literary merits have been debated by many
scholars as well as high school students. So there's a lot of
information out there you can read for an in depth analysis of it.
However, in the meantime I'm going to tell you what I thought about
it when I read it as an afternoon pleasure read.
Buck's writing style is what impressed
me the most about this novel. She writes in a simplistic way about
profound events. It reminded me of Bible stories where powerful
stories are told with just the simple facts. When I was describing
this to Theo he said, “You mean she tells you the story, but
doesn't tell you how to feel about it.” And I think that is a good
description. But among this simple story telling are very rich
details about Chinese culture which also play a major role in the plot. All in all, it is a very compelling read.
I thought the book could have ended
sooner than it did. It seemed to me that the story plodded along a
little longer than it needed to. However, another member of the club
thought that Buck was slowing down the story just as Wang Lung's life
did as he aged. In retrospect, this made a lot of sense to me. Maybe
it ended at just the right time.
What did the other members of the club
think? Everyone liked the book, including me, and it provided a good
discussion. This is not always the case when everyone likes a book.
Recommendation: If you are one
of the few like I was who have not read The Good Earth, give
it a try. Unlike some classics, it is an easy, enjoyable read, but like many
classics, it will give you much to reflect on.
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But Wait, There's More:
--The Good Earth is the first book in a trilogy about this family. It is followed by Sons and a House Divided.
--I don't like to give away much of the story when I do a review, so I don't do that here. However, if you'd like to know more about The Good Earth, read here.
