Charlene C. (mccoffield) reviewed on 2/24/2011 + 76 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 1

Very interesting read by a great writer. As is usually the case, this novel is better than the film version, which starred Katherine Hepburn. I'm not criticizing Hepburn's acting abilities; it's just that I think they made a big mistake by 'Americanizing' the main female character, O-lan. We must remember that the novel is set in China of the 1920's, a time when Pearl Buck was also living there. At that time, Chinese women had few rights of their own, and though not to the extent depicted in the film, the novel does depict O-lan as a strong female character.

THE GOOD EARTH is an enjoyable, well written read, and it gives the reader great insight into rural and political China at a time when the last emperor reigned. It's the story of a young farmer and his new wife and their life together into old age.

Pearl Buck was the first American woman to win the Nobel Prize. Thoughout her life, she was a human rights activist in many arenas, including campaigns for African American civil rights. She founded 'Welcome House' to find homes for mixed-race children fathered by servicemen in Asia and established the 'Pearl S. Buck Foundation' to provide foster care for Asian-American children that remained unadopted by American families.

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