The Good Earth (Oprah's Book Club)

I absolutely love this book. Pearl S. Buck was my first "grown up" author, I read all the books our little library had. The description of all sorts of people in pre-revolutionary China is really interesting, Pearl S. Buck manages to desribe every single person and event so vividly, you feel like you're almost there. We lead a very different life today and I'm grateful for that. It was a hard...more

I absolutely love this book. Pearl S. Buck was my first "grown up" author, I read all the books our little library had. The description of all sorts of people in pre-revolutionary China is really interesting, Pearl S. Buck manages to desribe every single person and event so vividly, you feel like you're almost there. We lead a very different life today and I'm grateful for that. It was a hard life back then, especially for women who were considered a burden to their families and often sold when they didn't have enough money. Wang Lung, the protagonist of the story, manages to get very rich through the land he buys. He owes all this to his wife who used to be a slave. But he doesn't really recognize this and leads a life any male would lead at the time. I cannot really judge him for that because he didn't know any better. I feel sorry for his wife, O-Lan, though for whom life was one big misery.   hide

I read this a long time ago when I got teeth extracted and knew I was going to be home for awhile. I think my Mother got this book for me from the library along with a boat load of others. I don't remember the plot but I do remember liking the book. AGAIN READ THIS WAAAAY BEFORE OPRAH SAID TO!

I was in high school or early college when I read this. I think this was the first book I remember reading where I was able to put my own mores aside and truly look through someone else eyes. When I had my own children, I remembered the scene where the mother lets her breast milk feed the soil because she feels so blessed with bounty.

Profound writing.