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vaekay's review against another edition
0.5
Highly offensive. 1/2 stars because it was not terribly written.
ogperry's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
leiakaye's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
cytung's review against another edition
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
angelsrgorgeous's review against another edition
5.0
Simple, heart-rending, and beautiful.
Since I had first read this book 9 months ago, I have re-read it once, and it has truly become one of my very favorite books. I feel no review I could write could adequately do it's calm, unshaken, understated style any justice.
I highly recommend it.
Since I had first read this book 9 months ago, I have re-read it once, and it has truly become one of my very favorite books. I feel no review I could write could adequately do it's calm, unshaken, understated style any justice.
I highly recommend it.
midwifereading's review against another edition
5.0
Wow.
Never have I had such a vivid glimpse into a non-European culture. Ever. This book is hard to take in, and I should have read more slowly, in order to digest it better. I couldn't put it down, though.
There isn't much of a traditional "plot," and this is the first book like this that I have felt moved by. Moved deeply, in fact. So deeply, I struggle to put it into words. It was hard to relate to in many ways, because I come from such a vastly different culture, and I find myself wondering how in the world the Chinese lived the way they did at the time. (I am ignorant of how different things are today, so I won't try to compare.) And how in the world I grew up knowing so little...
What a vivid portrayal of the life of one man and his family. Some things that moved me:
1) That when a girl was born, they would say that "only a slave was born to me."
2) His sons were not named at birth (at least, it wasn't indicated that they were). They were just called Elder Son and Younger Son. What the youngest was called, I don't know.
3) His girls were never named at all.
4) When girls are named at all, they are already women, and seem to be named after their appearance. I don't know why his wife was called O-lan. That's never explained.
5) Wang Lung's compassion is real, as he does not kill on sight his oldest girl, born in a time of famine and developmentally and mentally handicapped. He cares for her his whole life, for no one else will, calling her his "poor fool." Many times, it is indicated that she should have been killed or sold long ago. And even her father acknowledges that it should have been so... He sometimes seems ashamed the he couldn't do it.
6) The title is one of the most fitting of any book I have ever read. Read it yourself to find out why.
7) Every line of every page moved me. So I'll just stop here.
This book illustrates vividly the theme of the book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible. Truly, there is nothing new under the sun, and as different as Wang Lung's culture is from mine, the human struggles are the same.
Wang Lung wants nothing more than peace in his household, but never finds it. Life comes full circle. We reap what we sow. And without Christ, there is only emptiness at the end. Not peace. And my heart breaks for him.
Never have I had such a vivid glimpse into a non-European culture. Ever. This book is hard to take in, and I should have read more slowly, in order to digest it better. I couldn't put it down, though.
There isn't much of a traditional "plot," and this is the first book like this that I have felt moved by. Moved deeply, in fact. So deeply, I struggle to put it into words. It was hard to relate to in many ways, because I come from such a vastly different culture, and I find myself wondering how in the world the Chinese lived the way they did at the time. (I am ignorant of how different things are today, so I won't try to compare.) And how in the world I grew up knowing so little...
What a vivid portrayal of the life of one man and his family. Some things that moved me:
1) That when a girl was born, they would say that "only a slave was born to me."
2) His sons were not named at birth (at least, it wasn't indicated that they were). They were just called Elder Son and Younger Son. What the youngest was called, I don't know.
3) His girls were never named at all.
4) When girls are named at all, they are already women, and seem to be named after their appearance. I don't know why his wife was called O-lan. That's never explained.
5) Wang Lung's compassion is real, as he does not kill on sight his oldest girl, born in a time of famine and developmentally and mentally handicapped. He cares for her his whole life, for no one else will, calling her his "poor fool." Many times, it is indicated that she should have been killed or sold long ago. And even her father acknowledges that it should have been so... He sometimes seems ashamed the he couldn't do it.
6) The title is one of the most fitting of any book I have ever read. Read it yourself to find out why.
7) Every line of every page moved me. So I'll just stop here.
This book illustrates vividly the theme of the book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible. Truly, there is nothing new under the sun, and as different as Wang Lung's culture is from mine, the human struggles are the same.
Wang Lung wants nothing more than peace in his household, but never finds it. Life comes full circle. We reap what we sow. And without Christ, there is only emptiness at the end. Not peace. And my heart breaks for him.
kaykay38's review against another edition
4.0
A shockingly insightful portrayal of a pre-revolutionary rural Chinese male perspective written by a missionary American female author. I really appreciated some of the themes in the book. It definitely affected me on many different levels. I felt it was a surprisingly realistic portrayal of the historical period and the protagonist is quite an anomaly of the era in terms of his ethics. I applaud Pearl S. Buck. I was certainly skeptical of the book's credibly before I began; that was the reason I have not read The Good Earth until now, but I am glad it defied my expectations, and the fact that I read until 3am unable to put down the book!
cafes's review against another edition
5.0
Un muy buen libro, que está contextualizado en una china pre-moderna y por ende mayormente campesina, con la tierra como centro del desarrollo cultural. Wang Lung, así como su familia y mayormente O-lan son personajes duramente reales, me gustó mucho la representación de O-lan como parte del arado y el cultivo, y no sé si fue tan real en China esa realidad, pero al menos aquí en occidente si bien el rol de la mujer fue fundamental, esto estaba determinado a aspectos más complementarios de la tierra, y no al trabajo directo que se puede sacar de ella. Un muy buen libro que entrega pinceladas de una cultura tan ancestral y con una gran historia interesante, definitivamente se ha convertido en uno de mis libros favoritos.
"En algún tiempo, en alguna época remota, cuerpos de hombres y mujeres habrían sido enterrados aquí, y aquí se habrían levantado casas que habían caído y vuelto a la tierra. Así volverán a ella sus propios cuerpos y su propia casa. (...)"
La tierra como uno de los elementos centrales de China, hasta el día de hoy.
"En algún tiempo, en alguna época remota, cuerpos de hombres y mujeres habrían sido enterrados aquí, y aquí se habrían levantado casas que habían caído y vuelto a la tierra. Así volverán a ella sus propios cuerpos y su propia casa. (...)"
La tierra como uno de los elementos centrales de China, hasta el día de hoy.
protoman21's review against another edition
5.0
An epic story of a man's life, the good, the bad and the ugly. Wang Lung is one of the most complete characters I have ever encountered in literature. His work ethic at the beginning, only gives the tragedies that befall him in the middle and his character decline at the end that more of an impact. We want so much for him to prosper, but when he does it just causes a new set of problems. This book is as real as it gets.
brendalovesbooks's review against another edition
4.0
This was good. It kept my interest from the start. The different culture was interesting. My biggest problem was the writing style, there were too many "ands". By the end of the novel I was quite annoyed with the main character and definitely ready for the book to end.