Pearl S. Buck

Introduction:

Pearl S. Buck was an American novelist who won numerous awards and accolades for her groundbreaking work, including the Pulitzer Prize and the Nobel Prize in Literature. Her work, which often focused on the struggles and joys of Chinese peasants, helped to introduce a new understanding of Chinese culture and society to the Western world. In addition to her writing, Buck was known for her advocacy for women's rights, civil rights, and other humanitarian issues. She was a remarkable woman who left an indelible mark on the literary world and beyond.

Basic Information and Background:

Pearl Sydenstricker Buck was born on June 26, 1892, in Hillsboro, West Virginia. Her parents were Presbyterian missionaries, and she spent much of her early life in China. Buck attended Randolph-Macon Women's College in Virginia for a year and then returned to China to teach English literature at several universities. She later earned a graduate degree from Cornell University in New York.

Buck was fluent in both English and Chinese, and her work often focused on bridging the gap between these two cultures. She was deeply interested in the lives of Chinese peasants, and her most famous novel, The Good Earth, tells the story of a Chinese farmer named Wang Lung and his struggles to provide for his family. The Good Earth won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1932, and Buck went on to write nearly forty other novels, as well as numerous short stories and non-fiction works.

Personality and Motivation:

Buck was known for her intelligence, compassion, and dedication to social justice. Throughout her life, she was committed to using her writing to raise awareness about important issues like poverty, racism, and gender inequality. Buck was also deeply spiritual, and her faith informed much of her writing and activism. She was a tireless worker who often wrote for hours each day, even when she was not feeling well. Her commitment to her craft and her vision for a better world made her a beloved figure in both the literary world and the wider community.

Before Becoming Famous:

Buck faced many challenges on her journey to becoming a successful novelist. Her parents were often absent due to their missionary work, and Buck struggled to fit in with her peers both in China and in the United States. She also experienced significant health issues throughout her life, including serious ear infections that left her deaf in one ear. Despite these difficulties, Buck remained committed to her goals and worked tirelessly to improve her writing and advocate for social justice.

Family Life:

Buck was married twice in her life. Her first husband was John Lossing Buck, an agricultural economist whom she married in 1917. The couple had one child together, a daughter named Carol. Buck and John Lossing Buck divorced in 1935, and Buck later married Richard Walsh, her publisher at John Day Press. Buck and Walsh adopted six children together, four of whom were African American. Buck was a devoted mother who was deeply committed to her children and their well-being.

Linked to Other People in the Industry:

Buck was friends with many other well-known writers of her day, including Ernest Hemingway, John Steinbeck, and William Faulkner. She also had close relationships with many Chinese writers and cultural figures, including poet Lin Huiyin and artist Xu Beihong. Buck's work was well-regarded by many of her contemporaries, and she was widely admired for her groundbreaking contributions to literature and social justice.