Sons (The Good Earth Trilogy Book 2)

For many years, I had lived on Taiwan, before it's vast modernization processes became the order of the day. At that time, one could still visit traditional communities; study the people and their ways up close; share stories, questions and answers with the locals; and learn about the coming of age in the China, in today's world. Hence, my Taiwanese experiences whetted my imagination to know more about the philosophy, social structures and way of life of the classical Chinese. So, in the process of reading many, classical Chinese tomes and tales, I read Pearl Buck's THE GOOD EARTH. At the time, I did not know that this book was the first novel of a trilogy. I am happy to have recently rediscovered this fictional threesome. In SONS, Ms. Buck continues her vast knowledge and love of China, in a skillfully and authentically rendered series of events and characters, aimed at Western readers' understanding. As well, the literary language of SONS, which can appear old-fashioned and stilted by modern standards, does authentically mirror the language style of the era of the entire trilogy's setting and timeframe. To read Pearl Buck's tales of Chinese society and cultural evolution is to travel through time, in a Chinese village and, particularly, many generations of a family that also struggles with the the evolution of it's empire. One could not do better than to read Ms. Buck's GOOD EARTH fictional trilogy, in order to understand the basis for which modern China is now beginning to guide the direction of world events, politics and business. If you wish to understand modern China or just its history and people, than a very good Chinese, philosophical primer is this classic trilogy by Pearl Buck.

Two down, one to go! The Good Earth was amazing, so I looked forward to the 2nd in the trilogy, "Sons". It does pick up right where "The Good Earth" left off. The sons are standing by waiting for Wang Lung to pass away so they can sell his land and divide his estate, ASAP! Well, it doesn't quite work that way. Son # 1 is the landowner who is content to collect the rent and the crop commission from his tenants. However, as he becomes older and fatter and more lazy, this becomes a cumbersome job. Son # 2 has been educated and he is good with figures and keeps track of land parcels, storage of crops harvested, and investments. He lives well but not extravagantly. The two sons get along, but the wives do not. Son #3 has become a leader of a group of soldiers that soon numbers in the thousands, and is a leader in a number of provinces in northern China, quite powerful, but honest and a champion of the poor and down trodden. He eventually marries solely for the purpose of having a son who can take over his small empire. Buck provides so much insight into Chinese lives and culture. Plus it is interesting to note that wealth can change families in China as well as in the USA. She writes very well, it is a pleasure to read. As I approached the end of the book I could see the developing of character to continue in book # 3, "The House Divided". A clue: Son # 3 realizes his son does not want to take over his military empire, but has a desire to learn about the land and the raising of crops, just like his grandfather in the original book!

This author is a classic in that her books are unforgettable. I've never been to China however after reading the first 2 books I Feel I can see the areas described in the books easily. Great characters and interesting story about this family. I enjoyed this book sport.

I love this author and was so happy to find this audio CD. It was great quality. I am enjoying it.

Back before Nixon went to China a person could pass as a China expert if they could speak archly about Who lost China? If they watched any of several mostly silly movies about the American Woman leading Chinese orphans somewhere. I am positive there were at least 3 of these. Or you could read Pearl S. Buck’s Nobel Prize winning The Good Earth. Later we might remember that China was the country with hoards of poorly lead warriors who charged into our guns in Korea. So influential was Buck’s book many of us had no idea she wrote many and that the Good Earth was part of a Trilogy. OK so maybe that was just me. I have now read several of her works including, Sons, Book 2 od the Earth Trilogy. Sons about wore me out. We meet the three sons of the aged and dying Wang Lung. Assuming his wealth and status are his 3 sons, Wang the Landlord, the pleasure loving lazy first son, Wang the Merchant the plain living money scrounger and Wang the Tiger the future war lord. The older brothers are married, so some women none of whom are particularly important to the plot . Except to remind us that the male dominated, traditional Chinese family was a mostly un guided household of people who found their way or did not. Mostly the paternal leader waited until some arbitrary point to take an interest in something in his household not himself. The youngest some slowly takes over the narrative as he at least is doing dramatic things. He is relative to his time and type a kindly up and coming war lord. He is ruthless and clever, but is willing to pay for his what his troops need and refuses them freedom to plunder the peasantry. Eventually he has a son and the narrative will turn to him. Buck makes it clear from early on this is unlikely to end with Happily Ever After. In fact, what would be happy for these mostly rudderless people following traditions to no particular purpose is a major point of the writer. At some point in this overly mannered novel I felt weighted down. It may have been built on traditional Chinese storytelling, but that aspect is not announced anywhere in this edition. Worse there seems to be a formulaic, almost pigeon English based no doubt on how people of this culture tended to think or write, but it slows things down and is mostly repetitious. The literary equivalent of fake Chinese Sing Song in the cheaper movies, only written out. At this book’s abrupt, cliff hanger ending I was going to stop, but my Kindle copy includes almost all of book 3 so I finished this extensive sample then read on to the end of book 3. Things there got a little better.

Gewiss, P.S. Buck ist Trägerin des Literatur-Nobelpreises und das hier rezensierte Buch ist in den 30er-Jahren des letzten Jahrhunderts entstanden. Dennoch unterscheidet sich der Erzähl- und Schreibstil ganz erheblich vom ersten Band der "Good Earth"-Reihe. Waren dort die Charaktere noch detailliert entwickelt und die Erzählung flüssig und dynamisch, wird dies hier ersetzt durch plakative Protagonisten und einen fast an Märchen erinnernden Erzählstil. Wirkte schon der Vorgänger (allerdings im positiven Sinne) altertümlich, so ist das hier derart überzogen, dass jegliche Spannung und jeglicher Handlungsfluss zugunsten seitenlanger trockenster Traktate verloren geht. Es ist schon extrem nervig, dass kaum gesprochen, sondern immer nur gerufen ("crying") wird, auch nur annähernd realistische Dialoge wird man vergebens suchen. Völlig auf der Strecke bleibt denn auch der eigentliche Spannungsbogen, nämlich die sich entwickelnden Differenzen und Konflikte zwischen traditioneller chinesischer Gesellschaft und der aufkeimenden westlichen Kultur und kommender Revolution. Nun gut, man muss der Autorin natürlich zugute halten, dass wir das heute aus einem völlig anderen Blickwinkel betrachten und auch völlig anders interpretieren. P.S. Buck hatte nunmal nicht den Vorteil der historischen Rückschau und konnte zum Zeitpunkt der Entstehung des Werks natürlich auch nicht ahnen, wie sich die chinesische Gesellschaft entwickelt. So bleibt aber dennoch statt einer zeitlosen Erzählung, die immer wieder in die Hand genommen wird ("Good Earth") ein seelenloses, plakatives Sittengemälde der chinesischen Gesellschaft am Vorabend des 2. Weltkrieges und der kommenden Revolution. Dafür zahlt man - auch als Kindle-Ausgabe - einen stolzen Preis, den man sich aber getrost sparen oder das Geld anderweitig ausgeben kann.

Description of characters heart touching.

I have just read the whole trilogy which was amazing. However this second book deals a lot with warfare which I found slightly less interesting than the other 2 books

Fascinante y culto a través de su lenguaje, retrato familiar y social, de la China y sus costumbres de antes de la Revolución. Enganchado a mis ojos de principio a fin.

The Good Earth may be my most favourite book. O'Lan really rugged at my heart. And even though females are now supposed to be equal in many countries we still aren't.