• Pearl of China

  • By: Anchee Min
  • Narrated by: Angela Lin
  • Length: 10 hrs and 32 mins
  • 4.0 out of 5 stars (128 ratings)

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Pearl of China  By  cover art

Pearl of China

By: Anchee Min
Narrated by: Angela Lin
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Publisher's summary

An internationally best-selling author, Anchee Min draws upon her Chinese heritage to pen lush historical epics. Here she transports listeners to the Far East for a fictionalized account of acclaimed author Pearl Buck’s youth.

Arriving in late 19th-century China with her missionary parents, Buck is soon fascinated by her new home and strikes up a friendship with a young Chinese girl named Willow. The two become inseparable, even as civil war, failed relationships, and world conflicts threaten all they hold dear.

©2010 Anchee Min (P)2010 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"Ardently detailed, dramatic, and encompassing, Min’s fresh and penetrating interpretation of Pearl S. Buck’s extraordinary life delivers profound psychological, spiritual, and historical insights within an unforgettable cross-cultural story of a quest for veracity, compassion, and justice." ( Booklist)

What listeners say about Pearl of China

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Utterly Fascinating

Anchee Min allows the reader to step right into the world of these 2 young women from different cultures. The reader is flooded with sensory information as well as temporal events. There is no criticism of either way of life which is refreshing... merely an acceptance of difference. Elegant and Evocative. I was dismayed when I finished the book. Highly recommended reading.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

interesting contempory history

I have always been interested in Pearl Buck and this story, told from a Chinese viewpoint was enlightening. It moved slowly in places and the semi-accent of the narator was a bit ponderous. I especially enjoyed leaning about the situatiopn of the peasents in the Mao era. Now I really want to visit Ms Buck's burial place in Pa

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful book

This is a wonderful book. It drew me in, and made me feel that I was there in China with them. P.S. The narrarator, Angela Lin, can really sing!

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The narrator could sing!!

Great book! I could visualize the events. However, the singing was the cherry on top. The narrator had a beautiful voice and sang many songs. Great! Unexpected pleasure!

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Beautiful and nostalgic

A beautifully written story with a mix of non-fiction and fiction. Some parts of the narrative do sound a bit fantastic and exaggerated, but it could easily be a faithful reflection of Buck's passion, experiences, and yearning for China. Well-worth the read. Lovely.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Truly A Pearl

Couldn't stop listening, the author and narrator bring life back to an amazing and brilliant woman.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fictionalized story of Pearl S Buck

This story made me want to get "The Good Earth". Is was a fast moving tour of China in the early 20th century. The characters were very believable.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Fictionalized Pearl S. Buck's Life

Fictionalized Pearl S. Buck's Life

This is eminently enjoyable for a biography, although it is a totally imagined account of Buck's life growing up in China.

Angela Lin does a good job of narrating.

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