Cornflower Book Group - May 2012

 

    Thankyou again to everyone who contributed to the post on possible future titles for the book group to read; I've noted all your suggestions, some have sparked ideas of my own, and as a result it looks as though we'll have many good things to come.

    Our April book is of course The French Lieutenant's Woman (the post which introduces it is here - and I'll whisper this as we're not supposed to be talking about it until the 21st. of the month, but although I'm not quite finished it yet I'd say it's a real cracker), so for May I've decided to take us to a very different time and place, that is to China in the early years of the twentieth century for Pearl S. Buck's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, first published in 1931, The Good Earth.

    This was the bestselling novel in the United States in 1931 and 1932 and contibuted to its author's winning the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1938. Oprah chose it for her book club in 2004, and the spotlight was again turned on Pearl Buck with the publication in 2010 of Hilary Spurling's prize-winning biography Burying The Bones: Pearl Buck in China.

    This, her most famous novel is  "a riveting family saga and story of female sacrifice, a classic of twentieth century literature," and begins when "in the reign of the last emperor a servant woman married a humble man. Together they undertake an epic journey ... [one that will lead them from poverty to great wealth], but they have betrayed the earth that had previously sustained them," and all is not well...

    Let's set the discussion date as from Saturday, 19th. May - a full six weeks hence - so plenty of time to get hold of the book (which shouldn't be hard) and read it in leisurely fashion. There's no electronic edition as far as I can see, though there is an audiobook, but cheap paperback copies* abound (including the Oprah edition from US Amazon, for example) and in case of any local difficulty you can get it with free worldwide delivery from these people.

    As I say every month, do please join us if you haven't done so before, and I hope The Good Earth will prove to be a very good read for all.

 

*Interestingly, I noted the following, obviously by the author herself, at the front of my copy:

"I am always glad when any of my books can be put into an inexpensive edition, because I like to think that any people who might wish to read them can do so. Surely books ought to be within the reach of everybody."

Comments

[m]

I've been meaning to read this for ages, so I'm with you!

[ChrisCross53]

I've got this - one of my charity shop buys, bought out of curiosity, but still unread. I've picked it up and made a start several times and failed to make any headway whatsoever... maybe this will spur me on!

[Ruthiella]

I'm in. Both my libraries have multiple copies. I have, of course, heard of the book before, but was never inclined to read it. So this will be an adventure. I look forward to it.

[lila]

Looking forward to reading this again! Read it as a young teenager!

[Susan in TX]

This has been on my "meaning to get around to it" list for ages as well. Looking forward to it!

[Julie Fredericksen]

I will gladly re-read this book, having loved it the first time around. (Will read it as soon as I locate it in my bookshelves, that is.) I will also read "Pearl of China", by Anchee Min, a novel based on the life of PSB which, says amazon.com, "brings new color to the remarkable life of Pearl S. Buck." Since I know exactly where that book is, maybe I should read it first for background.

[Rose]

Looking forward to this and my copy is 'on order'. Earlier enthusiasm to read FLW, failed miserably I'm afraid, have decided not to join up with you all, but see you all at the end of next month if not before, Happy Easter to everyone on Cornflower

[Karoline]

Interesting choice, I've fancied reading this for a while after seeing some positive reviews online.