The Good Earth

By: Pearl S. Buck

Narrated by: Anthony Heald

Length: 10 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's summary

Pulitzer Prize Winner, Novel 1932

This Pulitzer Prize-winning classic tells the poignant tale of a Chinese farmer and his family in old agrarian China. The humble Wang Lung glories in the soil he works, nurturing the land as it nurtures him and his family. Nearby, the nobles of the House of Hwang consider themselves above the land and its workers; but they will soon meet their own downfall.

Hard times come upon Wang Lung and his family when flood and drought force them to seek work in the city. The working people riot, breaking into the homes of the rich and forcing them to flee. When Wang Lung shows mercy to one noble and is rewarded, he begins to rise in the world, even as the House of Hwang falls.

©1958 Pearl S. Buck (P)2007 Blackstone Audio Inc.

Critic reviews

"A beautiful, beautiful book. At last we read, in the pages of a novel, of the real people of China." ( Saturday Review)
" The Good Earth has style, power, coherence and a pervasive sense of dramatic reality." ( New York Times Book Review)
"To read this story of Wang Lung is to be slowly and deeply purified; and when the last page is finished it is as if some significant part of one's own days were over." ( Bookman)

Life Lessons!

Excellent storytelling by Pearl S. Buck & marvelous narration by Anthony Head. Highly recommended! An audiobook you will not forget.

Full of Teachings

I would recommend this book to anyone who is searching for meaning in their life. There are many ways to guide one to meaning and fulfillment, this book is unlike many other teachers I have gravitated toward. Thank you for this book I am a better person from having read it.

The first book I read that I truly loved

During my life I have liked remembering the words of The Good Earth. It is a very soothing book, and the most important messages in the book I have needed to keep with me.

Complete immersion in alternate life

This book was one of the few novels that kept me intrigued by the plot, as the main character is intelligent and you are put in his every day life endeavors. It truly felt like being somewhere else through all your senses.

Excellent narrator

Really enjoyed this book and most particularly Anthony Heald's narration. Highly recommended.

Wealth as an Enemy of Traditional Values

I can vaguely recall "reading" this book as a sophomore or junior in high school and preparing a book report as a class assignment. However since that was several decades ago, before listening to this Audible book, I had no recollection of the substance of the book, so I enjoyed rediscovering it.

The Good Earth is a simplistic story -- almost like a fable or analogy -- that remains applicable and can be instructive, even in this modern day and age. Wealth as a destroyer of traditional values, the cycle of nature ,and the oppression of women are three of the major themes of the book.

There are lots of take aways, but one seems paramount and timely: when we are without wealth, we can be critical of the lifestyles, morality and culture of the wealthy; but when we become wealthy, it is easy to adopt those same lifestyles, moral codes and cultures. Interesting, the outcomes we observe for the wealthy are parallelled in our own experiences, and happiness is not among them.

The narration of this audio-book is superb! Anthony Heald is simply wonderful. Pearl S. Buck's writing, somewhat barebones in terms of background and description, stands the test of time and warrants accolades.

This is a great book!

A book of it's times but well performed

I've been working my way through some of Western culture's "classic" literature and have enjoyed many of them. Some I disliked so much I didn't finish them. I did enjoy this performance, and I enjoyed many aspects of the book. I did struggle with a general dislike of pretty much every character however. I kept waiting for the lead character to grow and change but he did not. I'm guessing it's a combination of cultural differences and literary tastes from the early part of the 20th century. I didn't like any characters in the Great Gatsby either and certainly there isn't anyone likeable in Atlas Shrugged. Having listened to this book soon after the Grapes of Wrath, it was difficult not to compare the two, with the Grapes of Wrath being the clear winner. Still, I am glad I made the effort. The narration is very good and I'll be looking for other books done by this narrator.

Countdown to Revolution

Would you listen to The Good Earth again? Why?

Probably not. I greatly appreciated learning what the book had to teach me but it is a difficult book to read, at least for me it was, emotionally. I typically pick books to re-read which are enjoyable or comforting.

What other book might you compare The Good Earth to and why?

I recommend other readers try 'The Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China' by Jung Chang which continues the story of the Great China Cultural Revolution through the lives of three generations of women.

'The Good Earth' reminds me also of an American classic, 'The Grapes of Wrath' by John Steinbeck which also takes place in the 1930's and is centered around around a man and his family relocating to enable them to survive.

Which scene was your favorite?

The scenes with the father and his first daughter---very touching scenes.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The wife's last days and her life.

Any additional comments?

No.

Very good read (listen)

I really enjoyed this book and the narrator did a wonderful job with the voices.

Excellent narration

A superb narration makes this classic well worth listening to and enjoying.