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)

Not Foreign, but Universal

While Pearl Buck writes of the aspirations and acts of Wang Lung, a Chinese farmer, she is writing of the feelings of all men and women, no matter their residence on the earth. Perhaps, the greatest thing about the book is Wang Lung’s distaste for others’ characteristics that he would eventually take on as he aged.

Hearing Anthony Heald’s performance is fantastic, too. As the characters grow and some become old, so do their voices, and he does a magnificent job portraying each of them, no matter the situation. A lovely book and great narrator!

This book was one of my favorite books ever!

This book was very informative and captivating written. Pearl S. Buck has produced an excellent book, the first of her's that I have read. The Good Earth leaves no stone unturned in Chinese life, without being to graphic for teenagers. This book is worth reading and even better on Audible

A book about love of the earth, lust and ego.

This is a well written book about a man who values and loves his land. He is a farmer. But after many years of acquiring land and working hand in hand with his wife, he allows his ego and his lust for others lead him down a self destructive path. Very well performed by Anthony Heald. And well worth reading.

well written story

I love how he was poor then worked hard for richness. amazing story by far

A Fantastic Narration Brings this Timeless Book to Life!

I remember this book from when I discovered it at the age of 13. I loved it then and I loved it now.

I loved holding the book as a young girl and slowly turning the pages, letting my imagination help create each character. I was not sure I would enjoy the spoken version as well, but I decided to give it a try.

I am so very glad I did. The narrator did a magnificent job of bringing each character to life! As a young girl, I did not read the follow-up stories to “The Good Earth.” Now I cannot wait to hear them.

Although the second book did not get rave reviews, I will listen anyway as my curiosity as to what happens to the family is piqued. I cannot help but think from the way this book ends, that I the oldest and second sons will sell off the land and will not hold it dear as the father did. The old father warns at the end of this book that if you sell the land it is the end of the family…so now, I must read the second book and find out what happens to the family. I’m sure the second book will cause me to buy the third and final book in the series, if for no other reason than to find out what happens to Peach Blossom and the daughter who is a fool.

For others who are fans of Pearl S. Buck, if you have not already read it, I HIGHLY recommend her epic story, “Imperial Woman.” In my humble opinion, this was by far the BEST of all her works. I loved it so much that despite its length, I listened to it three times back-to-back and was STILL sad that there was no more to hear after the third reading.

Classic Pearl Buck

A classic that stands the test of time, The Good Earth is a novel that will remain with you for days.

Anthony Heald's narration is superb.

The best.

Listening to this was a new experience.
My fourth time with this classic.
Each time I enjoyed more than the previous.

Timeless!

Loved this story. Land land! Such truth. The main character really evolved. Looking forward to the other books.

Wow

Though written in 1931, The Good Earth hasn't lost a bit of its timeless power and beauty. Set in agrarian, pre-Revolution China, the book tells the tale of impoverished farmer Wang Lung, who, through hard work and a stroke of good luck, goes from being a poor man on the edge of starvation to a rich one with much land and a large family. Yet, his new life only brings him new problems, which keep coming as the years pass.

Buck writes with simple but eloquent brush strokes, and the world and culture she describes are fascinating. In some ways, this novel could describe the life of peasant people anywhere. The language is simple and direct, and beyond a few quaint turns of phrase, doesn't feel at all dated. All of her characters, including the protagonist, are flawed people, and she writes about them without judgment, but truthfully. It's not a world that's always kind, especially to girls and women, but it's a world that was. We also see the virtues and the faults of capitalism, as it existed around the turn of the 20th century.

This is a beautiful, lyrical story that paints a vivid, cyclical picture of life in another time and place. Highly recommended. The audiobook narrator does an excellent job, as well, effortlessly making his intonations more or less Chinese, depending on if he's reading dialogue or description.

The more things change, the more they remain......

Even though this book was written over 80 years ago, there are certain underlying themes, dreams, and events that remain true today.......the more things change, the more they remain the same.

A man of humble beginnings raises a family and rises in wealth and power, only to watch his sons abandon the family business when he grows older and longs for nothing more than peace in his home. The family business is owning land and farming, the home includes not just a wife and children, but a concubine and servants, and there are other particulars specific to the time and place (rural China early 1900s), but it's all still about recognizable hopes and dreams.

Yes, the pacing is slow, but I'm pretty sure life was slow in rural China in the early 1900s, so that's appropriate. It helps to set the tone and feeling for Wang Lung's life and times. Yes, there are prejudices on class and gender lines, but that's also appropriate for the times. This was a slow, subtle road that was, in the end, ultimately very worthwhile.

The narration was wonderful. This is the second audiobook I've heard by Anthony Heald, and he's done a great job each time.