Pearl S. Buck Books In Order

Publication Order of House Of Earth Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Short Stories/Novellas

Publication Order of Short Story Collections

Publication Order of Picture Books

Publication Order of Children's Books

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

Publication Order of Au bord de l'eau Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

There are not that many American writers as Novelists with two names from two very different cultures. Pearl S. Buck however, is not like most people she is also know by her Chinese name Sai Zhenzhu. Born in June 1892, she was amongst the legends in the world of writers being the first woman to win a Nobel prize in literature in 1938 for here many masterpieces. Although she died at age 80 in March 1973, here work remains vibrant, thought provoking and inspiring to all who continue to read and watch the movies made from her books. She was a wife, a mother, a daughter a sister, an editor, an author and a political activist who was never afraid to say what was in her mind and to fight for what was right.

Born to two Southern Presbyterian missionaries, Caroline Stulting and Absalom sydenstricker in Hillsboror, West Virginia, she was named Comfort. A name that is perhaps an irony of the eventful and sad life she had or maybe a perfect description of the words in her books for the people in the west. Soon after their marriage, her parents moved to china. They however returned to the United States for Pearl’s birth only to move back again when she was five months old. Because she was born in china, she opted to spend most of her life there stating that although by birth and documentation she was an American, the Chinese were the people she could easily relate to. The people who taught her how to write and who believed in her so much, she began believing in herself. According to her she lived in two worlds: one strict, clean, small and white and the other not too clean, merry, big and very loving. These worlds according to her were almost like water and oil, they could never mix. Although not part of her plan, she became a missionary for a while when she heard that her mother was seriously ill. However, she resigned because her views were seen as very controversial especially during the Fundamentalism- modernist controversy.

In her books The Good Earth and Sons, she describes Suzhou in Anhul province where she and her husband lived during their marriage. During the many uprising and wars against American in china, she lost many of her Chinese friends, property that belonged to both her and her parents. She also lost her mother to a tropical illness in china. In her life, she has lost very many people including her siblings, parents, her husband and most friends. In her tough life however, she managed to be the light for so many people buy being the voice for the broken hearted.

Like most writers, here experiences and her life made her begin to write what she thought and how she wished the world was into a book. Her books are some of the most famous and most read books in china, Japan and India because she became the voice they did not have. She was committed to speaking about issues that her generation ignored. She described most of her experiences and encounters in her books. She wrote on diverse issues such as the rights of women, the adoption processes which outraged here because mixed race and Asian children were not to be adopted and the immigration issues.

Here books are loved because of her writing style which is systematic, vivid and simple. In her writing she allows the reader to understand exactly what is going through her mind. She describes her characters so vividly you could draw the person she is talking about without confusing any features. It is in the same way she captivates her readers by making them see what she sees. Her readers are also captivated by the fact that her stories feel real. While she did write some fiction, it was still not the kind of fiction that is for entertainment purposes only. Hers are the kind of books most people can relate to. The kinds that help a person understand what other people in other parts of the world are going through. The reality in her books have earned her a lot of fans and audiences and it did help give comfort to the Asian women whose children were rejected by the American men who went to Asia as soldiers. She is amongst the readers who have worked all their lived to make the world a better place. Most of her books including the good earth and dragon seeds have been made into movies.

Her book The Good Earth follows the story of a farmer who marries a slave from the next village. In the beginning, he is very influential and rich with a big beautiful farm that has a lot of harvest. He however soon because just another poor person in his village due to opium use, uncontrolled borrowing and overspending. When his wife gives him his first child, a daughter, she is mentally handicapped because of the lack of proper nutrition as a result of the heavy famine in the land and the poverty in his family. He names her poor fool because he pities her because she does not deserve the life she lives.

His wife however kills her second child at birth so that she will not have to experience the hard life they are experience and so that the rest of her family can have a better chance of surviving without the extra mouth to feed. The farmer sells all his belongings and takes his family to the big city where they become borrowers. Although they are no longer starving, they live in abject poverty. One day he takes the chance and corners a rich man whose house is being looted. To buy his safety the man gives the farmer all his money. The farmer uses the money to reestablish himself and take his sons to school. He however steals pearls from his wife to buy a concubine. When his wife dies he realizes that she had a very important role. In the end, he over hears his sons speaking about selling all his wealth and diving his money.