Pearl S. Buck's Novels of China and America: The Battle of Life

This book is the first single-authored book-length study of Bucks fiction for over twenty years, exploring her thoughts from her early years in China to her last lonely days in the United States. It argues that Buck was a heroic forerunner of those who never feel fully at home in the world, due to her Chinese identity struggling with her American identity. It suggests that her fiction deserves to be considered alongside that of other writers such as Anchee Min, Maxine Hong Kingston, and Amy Tan, and that she is a major novelist capable of speaking to the distress of our times.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 165 pages
Publication date: 01 September 2022
Publisher: Springer Verlag, Singapore

This comprehensive and groundbreaking book, the first single-authored study of Pearl Buck's fiction in over two decades, delves into the profound evolution of her thought through the medium of her writing. Spanning from her early tumultuous years in China to her final solitary days in the United States, the book explores the various stages of Bucks' intellectual journey. It examines her loss of faith in Christianity, her thoughtful reflections on Chinese life during and after the collapse of Old China, her voracious reading habits, her harrowing encounters with the pervasive racism and sexism in American society upon her return, and her poignant metaphorical quest for home as she approached her final days.

The book makes a compelling argument that Pearl Buck, the first American woman to receive both the Pulitzer and Nobel Prizes in Literature, occupies a unique position as a heroic forerunner of those who, while living in the world, never truly feel at home. In Buck's case, her Chinese identity, which she carried with her throughout her life, clashed with her American experiences, contributing to her sense of alienation.

Through her fiction, Pearl Buck powerfully addressed the distresses of her time, resonating with readers worldwide. Her works deserve to be considered alongside the esteemed writings of authors such as Anchee Min, Maxine Hong Kingston, and Amy Tan. The central claim of the book is that Buck is a major novelist, capable of speaking to the challenges of our contemporary era, richly deserving the honor she has received in China and deserving greater recognition in the United States.

This insightful and meticulously researched book offers a fresh perspective on Pearl Buck's literary legacy, shedding light on her profound contributions to literature and her enduring relevance in today's world. It is a must-read for anyone interested in exploring the complexities of identity, culture, and the human experience.

Weight: 258g
Dimension: 210 x 148 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9789811635588
Edition number: 1st ed. 2021