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What are readers saying about The Good Earth (Enriched Classics (Pocket))?
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Tan posted a review at 2010-07-25 05:46:03.
(Language: English)
 
A book which traces the rise of Wang Lung, a poor farmer who through hard work, good luck, and good support, became a rich landowner. The story is primarily about how success leads to the erosion of values which brought about the success in the first place. The story also affords a peek into the traditions, belief systems, societal norms and class structures in feudal China.
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-11-28 11:00:53.
(Language: English)
predictable
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-10-11 04:33:11.
(Language: English)
A classic. Engaging, well-written, enlightening as to the conditions in China at the transition of one order to the present communist order.
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-09-20 03:00:44.
(Language: English)
Not so good.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-08-18 09:54:09.
(Language: English)
An engaging tale everyone should read. Then one will understand why the author Pearl S. Buck deserved to win a Nobel Prize for Literature and the Pulitzer Prize. It kept realizing us the raw nerves of human frailty, of selfishness, self gratification at the expense of the weak and poor; of honesty and hard work yet when succumb to a moment of lust and fall into the trap of temptations, that is the beginning of a spiral of downfall to a pit of wickedness and unjust. It explores women's role in society, the cycle of man's repetitive downfall despite having ssen others fall in their foolishness.
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-09-22 07:43:06.
(Language: English)
Pearl Buck was able to capture the pressures put on women of all societies and cultures. She was able to tell a wonderful story of raw human emotions and inner drive. Brilliant writer!
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A Reader posted a review at 2011-02-04 05:24:39.
(Language: English)
classic that transcends time...
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A Reader posted a review at 2007-09-01 11:21:19.
(Language: English)
dust to dust. a man's life is interlinked with the earth from beginning to end. The earth is good but good things can be abused. Pearl S. Buck tells the story of the raise and fall of a Chinese farmer as the earth is the pathway into a life of wealth. But with success comes excess and with the political turmoil of the country in flux our hero nearly loses all that is dear to him but he finds redemption within the soil of the earth. Buck's attention to the details of Chinese life during that period really brings the reader into story. But as she delves deeper into the culture there is a more universal humanistic thread that spans the novel and that is quite an accomplishment.
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Laura posted a review at 2010-09-04 03:23:20.
(Language: English)
I felt as though it was well written but very depressing.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-08-22 05:17:21.
(Language: English)
I finally finished this book--boy talk about your drama. I would of disliked being around in that time frame with that particular culture--much less have been born a woman in that era as well. The story is good, though there is some deragatory words and statements used as unforunate cliche's (mostly towards women-being that the culture was Chinese I believe) Like a drama, it has laughter, sorrow, akwardness, all the emo you can muster up, like pulling a rabbit out of a hat so to speak.
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A Reader posted a review at 2007-08-16 02:52:49.
(Language: English)
This is a very interesting and informative book that will teach you about the conditions of pre-Communist China. However, Buck's writing style drove me insane. For some reason, about half the spoken sentences begin with "Well, and..." I was flipping through and saw on four pages: "Well, and I am no fool and I will not stand anywhere..." "Well, and if he likes if there is an end to this curse..." "Well, and he may even be killed..." "Well, and it is like the old days..." "Well, and if it is a grandson..." "Well now, and we have cared for you..." "Well, and there is a son..." "Well, and I have been sitting here..." "Well, and I did not fear like this when..." "Well, and if it must be so..." I guess.. perhaps in Chinese it is customary to begin every single thing you say with the Chinese equivalent of "Well, and..." I really doubt it though. I realize it's not tthhaatt big of a deal, but the constant "well, and..." made the book somewhat less enjoyable for me.
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-06-22 09:31:16.
(Language: English)
No significant use of luxurious language, but I was cast by the magic spells of how each characters evolved in the story. This is not just about the good guys, bad guys, or even romance; it's about the great connection a person, Wang Lung, has with the land. The Good Earth is abundant with peasants' ways of lives and the savage struggles of survival during the Chinese Revolution.
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-03-15 06:57:38.
(Language: English)
This is one of my favorite books -- I first read it when I was 12 and re-read it periodically ever since. Pearl S. Buck is a simply superb author who was instrumental in shaping my love for travel. In this book, we meet a simple Chinese farmer, Wang Lung. His outlook on life is simple -- work the land to provide for himself and his family. But as he becomes more successful and more affluent, we see Wang Lung's world become much more complex. While at heart he is still the simple farmer we met at the beginning of the story, he is suddenly burdened with social ambitions and responsibilities that he never imagined as a poor and simple farmer.
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-07-31 04:10:15.
baca waktu kelas 5 SD, dapet dari ibu yg minjem di perpustakaan Dharma Wanita...:)...ga terasa baca buku sampe halaman trakhir...pertama kali tahu bahwa di CIna salah satu ukuran kecantikan seorang perempuan adalah makin kecilnya kaki mereka... alurnya bagus dan sangat menyentuh...kekuatan seorang perempuan, plus kerakusan keluarga akan harta warisan. ...akhirnya pas punya duit sendiri bela2in nyari ke Gramedia dan akhirnya dapet...puas..puas....
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-08-17 01:32:38.
(Language: English)
My favorite book of all time.
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A Reader posted a review at 2011-01-14 04:23:56.
(Language: English)
Loved it. I couldn't stop reading. At times I wanted to cry because there are parts that are very sad, but well worth the read!
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-03-16 07:53:26.
(Language: English)
A very depressing tale of the lives of the poverty stricken pre-revolutionary Chinese and the horror of how people with money and power can treat others. I know this book is a classic but I did not enjoy it at all. Perhaps I would have liked it more if I had even remotely cared for the main character, Wang Lung and was not constantly upset at how women in that culture were treated.
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-12-05 06:46:47.
(Language: English)
perfect! asian style
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-11-09 10:41:22.
(Language: English)
This is not a book to read for any other reason than to gain insight into the mindset of another culture, pre-industrial revolution. I did enjoy it, but it was so thought provoking that to me it was sad nearly all the way through. It wasn't unbearable-sad. It was something else. It made me think about my life and make comparisons and some I found in favor of them, and some I found in favor of me.
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-04-03 02:53:59.
(Language: English)
"Then the good land did again its healing work and the sun shone on him and healed him and the warm winds of summer wrapped him with peace." The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck. I loved how he loved the land so much and I could relate to that feeling of peace. Well written and I felt for the character Olan (the first wife).
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-08-31 06:42:20.
(Language: English)
I was really bored with this book. I didn't ever feel sympathy or empathy for any of the characters. I guess I understand why it was written, but it was a chore to finish.
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Sherry posted a review at 2010-03-12 06:27:30.
(Language: English)
A Pulitzer Prize winner, the author's writing is simple yet powerful. The story of a farmer's life during Chinese civil war is unfolded through the eyes of author. What lies beyond the story is the hardship of life, the class difference deeply rooted in the society, the social status of women, and a humble man's dream and reward.
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-11-23 11:11:16.
(Language: English)
The first Chinese epic to become part of Western literary culture. I loved this as a young reader and -- who knows? -- it may have influenced me to marry a Chinese American woman years later. Thank you Ms. Buck. Thrilling epic of a land then unknown to me by one of the world's best story-tellers.THE GOOD EARTH was the first Chinese epic to become part of Western popular literary culture. I loved this book as a young reader and -- who knows? -- it may have influenced me to marry a Chinese American woman years later. Thank you Ms. Buck.
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-06-14 07:17:52.
(Language: English)
So this is a funny story. I read this book probably 35 years ago (it is 2009 today). Recently I was in a book store and the bookseller rushes to me with "this great book that just came out" presenting me with "The Good Earth". I looked at her (she was in her 40s) surprised saying that this may be a new issue but the book has been around for a while... This is probably one of the best books I have ever read. 30+ years later I still remember the story (well, basic details) and bought it for my kids.
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-01-22 01:27:26.
(Language: English)
After rereading this and sharing it widely, I get the impression that this is a book anyone can enjoy - not so much because it has great variety to appeal to different tastes, but because the spare language and original insight into a simple yet romantic life of a peasant draws out our most basic instincts. I am proud of Wang Lung, the literally salt-of-the-earth underdog who farms his way to pre-revolutionary China's upper echelons. But I am disgusted by the inexcusable mistreatment of his wife as success corrupts him. Buck has no interest in painting a rosy picture, and I understand we must see his good and bad, but I think I'm much less forgiving of the emerging decadence than Buck wants us to be. Wang Lung buys a mistress, his uncle dangles the threat of bandits in exchange for opium, his son spends extravagantly to keep up appearances. Good thing China's nothing like that anymore.
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