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Pearl S BuckAwards:
Pulitzer Prize for Fiction-1932 ( The Good Earth) ;Nobel Prize in Literature-1938,
Born: 26/06/1892 in Hillsboro, West
Virginia, US
Died: 06/03/1973 in Danby, Vermont, USA of
Lung Cancer. The grave marker was inscribed with Chinese characters
representing her name Pearl Sydenstricker.
Citizen: American
Language: English
Pearl Sydenstricker Buck, also
known by her Chinese name Sai Zhenzhu was born in US but soon
after her birth, the family moved to China and stayed in Huai'an,
Zhenjiang. Pearl mostly stayed in China till 1935 when she shifted to
USA. She had a very thrilling experience of her childhood and early
adolescence when she moved in two completely different worlds-- one
protective, clean ambience of her home and the other of Chinese
neighborhood with different language & customs. During Boxer Uprising,
the family moved to Shanghai as the country sides were not safer.
In 1911, Pearl went to USA
to continue her college studies in Randolph-Macon Woman's College in
Lynchburg, Virginia. In 1914, she returned to China, married in 1917
and stayed in Suzhou, Anhui Province which was a small town on the
banks of Huai River. It was here that most parts of her novel Good
Earth was written. From 1920-33, she stayed in Nanjing and taught
English Literature in the University of Nanjing. In between, she had a
brief stint in USA when she did her Master's Degree from Cornell
University.
The Nanking Incidence in March,
1927 changed her desire to stay in China. It was a period of clash
between the Communist forces and the Nationalist troops of Chiang
kai-Shek and assorted Warlords in which many westerners were
killed. Pearl and her family fled their home which was ransacked and
took shelter in a poor peasant's house. Finally, they were rescued by
American gun boats, moved to Shanghai and then to Japan. They returned
back to China in late 1927.
In 1929, Pearl went to USA for
long term treatment of her daughter Carol who was suffering from
Phenylketonurea, a rare genetic disease. While in USA, she came in
contact with Richard Walsh, Editor of John Day Publishers in New York
who volunteered to publish her novel, East Wind: West Wind.
They had a romantic relationship which culminated in marriage after
Pearl divorced her first husband in 1935. Walsh was a constant source
of encouragement and stability to Pearl.
Apart from writing, Pearl was engaged with a
lots of issues such as feminism, child adoption, women's rights ,
immigration etc which were reflected in her writings. She was also
instrumental in creating a healthy understanding about the land and
people of China to the Western World.
Influence: Charles Dickens
Landmarks:* Pearl was
heartbroken when she was prevented from visiting China with Richard
Nixon in 1962. * She was honored in
1983 with a 5¢ Great
Americans series postage
stamp issued
by the United
States Postal Service
Notable Works:
East Wind:West Wind(1930),
The House of Earth Trilogy --
The Good Earth(1931),
Sons
(1933) , A House Divided(1935),
Dragon Seed(1942),
The Townsman
(1945), Peony(1948), The
Big Wave(1948), Imperial Woman(1956),
Letter from Peking(1957),
The Three Daughters of Madame Liang(1959),
A Bridge for Passing(Autobiography,1962)
Order Pearl S Buck's Books below
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