The Good Earth

Whenever I am asked to talk about a book that resounded with me, The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck always immediately comes to mind. Even though it is no longer my favorite book, which is now Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, I believe it forever made an impression on me. I remember I bought it because my 7th grade history teacher challenges our class to buy it and read it during our visit to the book fair that was set up in our library. I can almost picture exactly where the book was and how it was one of the few times I had seen anything Asian depicted in English literature. It also surprised me that the author was not Asian herself. I ended up buying the book and sped through this book so quickly that I started to read it again right after I finished. I don't think it was necessarily the way it was written that spoke to me, it was the first time I could heavily relate to my culture that was often kept after school, at home, and not with any of my friends. It allowed my two identities to merge; to fuse together in order to help me access this book. I needed fluent English skills along with the understanding of the deep cultural norms and expectations to truly grasp the magnitude of Wang Lung's actions. Whenever I think about The Good Earth, I think about the other books potentially out there that make me realize more about who I am and that excites me.