The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
What's not to love about Wang Lung? We meet him as he's paying for his new bride who is a slave to a wealthy landowner. Wang Lung is a lowly farmer who must have a wife who is a virgin to give grandchildren to his aging father. He knows she'll be ugly since the pretty slaves are taken by their rich and self indulgent master. What he doesn't know is the value O-Lan will bring to his family and his farm.
I've read The Good Earth many times and I always learn something new from it. This time it's a book club selection and I was excited to read this wonderful story once again. Not only do I love this book because I love to read about the Chinese culture, but I adore the way this story is told. Just as Wang Lung moves thoughtfully forward in his decisions, the prose transports the reader as if we are seeing the world through Wang Lung's eyes. I could sense his pride as he harvested the rice from his field and the warmth of the silver coins the crop brought to him. As the good earth sifted through his fingers, he discovered the meaning of life living deep within his soul.
The Good Earth tells the story of all of us. We are constantly searching for something more out of life, that which will make us happy. Wang Lung is no different and grounds himself in his land that provides more than enough for his family. He becomes a wealthy man and the one thing that never fails him is the good earth.
The Good Earth is one of those classics that shouldn't be missed. Thank you, Pearl S. Buck for your incredible insight and for sharing this story with all of us.
What's not to love about Wang Lung? We meet him as he's paying for his new bride who is a slave to a wealthy landowner. Wang Lung is a lowly farmer who must have a wife who is a virgin to give grandchildren to his aging father. He knows she'll be ugly since the pretty slaves are taken by their rich and self indulgent master. What he doesn't know is the value O-Lan will bring to his family and his farm.
I've read The Good Earth many times and I always learn something new from it. This time it's a book club selection and I was excited to read this wonderful story once again. Not only do I love this book because I love to read about the Chinese culture, but I adore the way this story is told. Just as Wang Lung moves thoughtfully forward in his decisions, the prose transports the reader as if we are seeing the world through Wang Lung's eyes. I could sense his pride as he harvested the rice from his field and the warmth of the silver coins the crop brought to him. As the good earth sifted through his fingers, he discovered the meaning of life living deep within his soul.
The Good Earth tells the story of all of us. We are constantly searching for something more out of life, that which will make us happy. Wang Lung is no different and grounds himself in his land that provides more than enough for his family. He becomes a wealthy man and the one thing that never fails him is the good earth.
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