Suggestion Box for Future Book Discussions ~

[JoanP]

  September Book Club Online

  The Good Earth by Pearl Buck

Contact:  JoanP

[JoanP]

Try this, Fry...let me know if it works for you?

Arrowsmith - http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks02/0200131.txt
  I'll enter Arrowsmith into the mix in the chart of nominations and we'll see if there is interest in this classic some of us have never read!

[Frybabe]

Yes, I saw the AU page. Australia has a different copyright law time period than the US. Since the copyright was renewed here in 1953 it will be a while until we see it in the public domain. Some of Lewis's works are in the public domain, including Babbitt and Main Street . Don't know why these weren't renewed. Copyright laws have changed a bit over the years.  For those interested in such things, here is a current quick guide to copyrights expiration  in the US.

http://copyright.cornell.edu/resources/publicdomain.cfm

I'll probably get a hold of a used copy or library copy rather than try to read it on my computer.

[BarbStAubrey]

For straight through reading a book on either the kindle or computer is fine but I really find it a challenge especially reading on the kindle to go back and re-read sections to clarify as we often do when discussing a book - with a real book I can visually see the page I am looking for in my head and the pages are numbered - just going back to an earlier chapter can be difficult - some books have a content list by chapter but then you have to remember what chapter has what you are looking for - on the computer it is not as bad probably because there are what in a book would be pages of the story right in front of you and so for me it is not the challenge as is the kindle.

[JoanP]

I could not agree with you more, Barbara!

[marcie]

Arrowsmith sounds good to me.

[BarbStAubrey]

I need to put a good word in for A Visit from Voltaire    I recommend if it is not chosen to go ahead and get a copy - if you are like me, the only thing I really knew about Voltaire was reading Candide in English Lit - this guy is dynamite - a true Renaissance man with so many interests - I had no idea he had houses so close to Switzerland in eastern France  - his story is subtlety told as he is a Ghost in the home of an accomplished Journalist who spent years in China and Hong Cong reporting as well as reporting at the UN where her husband was a UN official - they married and had two boys moved to the husbands homeland living in the community where the husband grew up.

The wife is lonely and misses NY - with the help of Voltaire she accomplishes all sorts of inroads that include some background in how this Swiss Village handles its affairs and how the children are educated. Although, no one can see Voltaire except the wife she sets him up with an Amazon account to satisfy his reading curiosity - he gets online and is successful investing which she has to shut that down - he knows medicine and successfully helps her with her son's asthma -

He was a outstanding gardener and helps her start a garden - Helps her plan several dinner parties that all have to have entertainment. One evening the boys entertain with their musical accomplishments - he corresponds by email to an official in Pakistan using a pseudonym helping a political prisoner obtain his freedom.

The story is not heavy however, as outlandish the concept she carries it off believably and well - we learn much about Voltaire's extraordinary life and how people lived during his time in history in addition to what was happening historically.

 After reading this I am in awe of Voltaire and plan on reading more of his work - had no idea the extensive number of books, plays, letters (now available as a bound copy) and articles this man wrote.  

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1870015843/ref=oh_details_o07_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[JoanP]

Barbara, I'm so glad you posted that review - and explanation of A Visit from Voltaire.  It's your description that puts it up there as an interesting choice.  Can you suggest one of Voltaire's works...other than Candide that might be interesting to read along with A Visit?

[BarbStAubrey]

For anyone with a Kindle there is a copy of Works of Voltaire for only 2.99 that includes these works

Table of Contents:
- Azolan
- Candide
- From Love to Friendship
- In Camp Before Philippsburg, July 3, 1734
- Letters on England
- Mahomet
- Micromegas
- On the Death of Adrienne Lecouvreur
- The History of Peter the Great, Emperor of Russia
- The Origin of Trades
- The Padlock
- Thelema and Macareus
- To a Lady Very Well Known to the Whole Town
- To Her Royal Highness, the Princess of
- To the Queen of Hungary
- Voltaire's Philosophical Dictionary
- Voltaire's Romances Complete Work
- Zadig or the Book of Fate

IN the novel A Visit from Voltaire there is an exchange between him and the wife- forget her name now - anyhow the exchange is about how much he enjoyed England and his letters were mentioned in that exchange. Barely did he mention Candide but other plays sounded more important - he has real issues with the church and thinks Rousseau is more or less a ragamuffin with no class. Also, his love life was romantic, but to a married women - they did live together for I think it was 12 years. I want to read,  Passionate Minds: Emilie du Chatelet, Voltaire, and the Great Love Affair of the Enlightenment by David Bodanis

Voltaire's Philosophical Dictionary is free on kindle and full of great quotes - not near as dry as the title would make it appear but then it may be because I am reading his work after having a wonderful introduction to the man from the book A Visit...

[marjifay]

I agree with Rosemary re P.D. James' Death Comes to Pemberly. Very disappointing.   I read it last year and found it to be very repetitious.  I skimmed much of it.  My notes say I would not recommend it to anyone--Jane Austen fan or not.  (I have enjoyed many of James' previous books with Adam Daigliesh, tho.')

Marge

[JoanP]

OK, no Pemberley on the list of nominations.  Any more suggestions?  We'll stay open a little longer and then vote.

A play?  Would you like to read a play this time?  Henry Ibsen's A Doll's House has been staged throughout the world, and still is - one and a half century later.  It's available online too.

[BarbStAubrey]

Ouch JoanP for me I rather read something more up-beat that takes me away from the concerns in life - this sounds like another version of Tuesday with Morrie only this time two women and the issue is cancer.

[JoanP]

I know what you mean, Barb. (Barbara is talking about   Helen Garner's The Spare Room which I had posted for about two minutes - took it out and replaced it with A Doll's House.) What do you think of a play?

[BarbStAubrey]

Ah good choice - like that...

[marcie]

I too would read The Doll House.

What do you think about THE GOOD EARTH? We disscussed it on SeniorNet.org but that was in 2000. Or another book by Pearl Buck? A novel written shortly before her death in 1973 was recently found and will likely be published this Fall but it's probably not a good idea to choose a new book because of the cost. The publicity around the new book will generate interest in her.

See the article about the found novel at http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/22/business/media/a-pearl-buck-novel-new-after-4-decades.html

[JoanP]

Another of Pearl Buck's novels...to be published 40 years after her death! That's amazing! I see talk of The Good Earth in the Library too.   I'll put both of these titles in the heading.  What a good idea, Marcie - thanks!

[nlhome]

JoanP, just got back to the computer from several days of house guests and fun. I remember the Awakening because it seems I run across copies of it at used books sales frequently - always pick it up and consider it, but don't buy it to reread. I'm thinking what appealed back then were the women's issues it raised in my mind.

[marcie]

nlhome, as you likely know Pearl Buck is known as someone who was concerned with women's issues also.

[JudeS]

Are any of you familiar with "Wolf Hall" by Hilary Mantel? It won the Man Booker Prize in 2009.

It deals with history, intrigue, passion and politics in the Years of Henry the VIII who was the person that was instrumental in England's breaking with the Catholic Church which refused to give him a divorce  from his wife of 20 years.

We know he had six wives. But why and how did this happen? What was life really like at court and in the countryside during his reign?
Told through the eyes of a "commoner" ,Thomas Cromwell, who has made his way into the Court .
This is the first of the three book series.

Even if you don't choose this book to discuss, read it and feel yourself engulfed in the world of yesteryear.

[JoanP]

I agree with what you say about , Hilary Mantel's "Wolf Hall," Jude.  It is a fantastic read.  HOWEVER, when it's been nominated for discussion here in the past, there has been strong questionning and protest of its veracity - for this reason we circle around it.  It's a wonder the Man Booker people didn't pick up on it, don't you think?

We have a large field from which to choose this time...I wouldn't be surprised if we don't have two votes, one to narrow the list, the other to pick the winner.

You can vote here - or in the header - but just ONCE!  Before you go into the poll booth, you might want to read about the nominees - the titles in the header are all links to reviews.

  VOTE HERE FOR September Book Club DISCUSSION (press this link)

[JeanneP]

Do we have to vote for a older book that every one has read. I just read a book by a first time author. Very good. If we could vote in new ones people still have time to read them.

I would like to read "good Earth  " again.

[JoanP]

We do read first time authors too, Jeanne.  The problem is that if we choose to read them when they first come out, libraries don't have enough copies...too early for paperback.  Next time, nominate a title, before the vote begins...and we'll talk about its availability, okay?  In the meantime, did you vote?  There's a link to the poll in the header - the first post at the top of the page.  Hope to hear from you...Good Earth is on that list, you'll notice. 

[Tomereader1]

I don't think Wolf Hall is meant to be taken as "verifiable history".   Isn't it just "novelized history" which so much of the writing is nowadays?  I'm sure there are a few among us who are history afficianados, and consider reading historicals as "each and every line, character, happening, motivation" must be absolutely, unequivocally true.  For that, I would recommend taking a history class somewhere, or reading a history text.  And, who writes history anyway? Just mortals, who search, research, and form their own determination of what really happened 400 years ago.

[ginny]

What an interesting discussion on what constitutes "history." Too bad it's not in the Library where more people can see it and participate.

What draws a person to a book, which is set in a particular time and is a fictionalized account of a real person?

It can't be the writing in this one,  which has been routinely panned despite the Man Booker, in both of Mantel's books. People get tired of feeling stupid, of not knowing what she's talking about, and the main complaint is dealing with  sentences with several people mentioned and the vague "he said to him," with no hint or clue who "he" or "him" are. Guess, Dear Reader.

I believe, and I may be wrong, that people who are drawn to reading a fictionalized account of an historical event expect to enjoy themselves, and  hope, in the end, that they will learn a little  something and enjoy doing it.  I believe they do expect to know more about the subject.

They feel, for the time they have expended, whether  they've immersed themselves in it (by watching Jeremy Irons as Rodrigo Borgia on TV or reading Wolf Hall), that they have a better feeling for the events and they can talk about them with friends or at least privately feel they  know something they didn't before.

I would be willing to bet there is not one person who reads historical fiction  who doesn't harbor that hope.

I think it's our culture. We live now in an age of instant  Internet, where everybody is an instant expert in anything, just declare yourself so and bingo!  An age of revisionist history where  people who don't know any to begin with and can find instant internet confirmation, particularly on Wikipedia, of the craziest theories.  Who cares?  Why bother to do it the hard way?  If one goes about with the wrong interpretations of Cromwell, unless one runs into somebody who does know the difference, (which is probably going to be a rare occasion), one is safe. What's wrong with that?

I think there's a lot wrong with it.  Why rewrite history and promulgate ignorance, because that's what it is? Is the reader supposed to know somehow? If an author researches things so well, why has she NOT written history? It's just a label, right? History/ Historical Fiction.  Why fiction? Because she's not writing what really happened, maybe and she is putting her own 2013 spin on the past?

I personally, other than a distaste for Mantel (couldn't get thru either of her books and donated them both to the library which seems to have a LOT of copies  and having read the critical reaction when it came out from people who have taken the time to really study the subjects, think this kind of book  cheats the reader. In some ways it makes a fool of the reader for his efforts.

 Here's a great story, why not set it in your own neighborhood? The royals are romantic? Then pick an obscure king about whom nothing is known, say so, and  have at it? Make it up. Say you've made it up.(Maybe she thinks people understand that by the word "Fiction.")

As you can see I have a lot of problems with historical fiction. I know there are some good ones out there, I know people enjoy reading them,  but there are some very  bad ones, too, which give the wrong impression and promote...sorry....ignorance. And if you actively promote ignorance when people are trying to actually learn and enjoy,  I think it's a sad day for literacy.  Like the old expression, fool me once, shame on you.

That's my opinion and I'll  yield the soapbox now (where did that expression come from) to the next person.

[Frybabe]

I have to agree, Ginny. On the whole I do not read historical fiction and when I do, I expect history to be presented in a mostly accurate way. The same problem exists with movies. How many times have you run across people who believe that what they saw in historical movies actually happened? Such misinformation colors and pollutes thinking that can and does affect the future. Propaganda books and movies, whether in the guise of fiction or not, with a definite skewed agenda are the worst.

Having said that, it got me to thinking about the SciFi I love to read. I have no clue whether or not whether the science and technology behind some of the things that are written are valid or theoretically possible. I've seen quite a few reviewers who point out that the author has it wrong when explaining technical or theoretical advances. I take note, but keep reading. After all, what we think possible now seems to change and expand as we barrel ahead into the future.

History is static. We need to have a good grounding in what already happened in order not to repeat mistakes in the future. The future is fluid, but advances depend in no small part to knowledge of past events and technologies. Civilizations that lose that knowledge or not longer pay attention to history's lessons disappear or are severely curtailed.

[MaryPage]

Ginny, you put the case very well.
History has been the passion of my life.  There is enough in it that no one need add any fiction.
I have certainly enjoyed some fine historical fiction.  And I do not mind that the author has to put words in the mouths of the characters in order to have any dialog at all other than that which is on record.  I do not mind as long as it has a probability or possibility to it.
But any author who changes the facts upsets me dreadfully, for the very reasons you have laid out.  Many, many readers are out there who love historical fiction, but have never enjoyed the study of pure history.  The result can be generations who believe certain fables are absolute truth, and that distorts some very important things we really need to know the truth about.
I strongly believe with all my heart that if we were ALL lovers of our real history, we would not repeat over and over again so many disastrous mistakes the human species keeps on and on with.  We would KNOW from our past exactly which way measures taken would lead us, and we would choose not to take them again.
Sigh!  Most of us learn almost no history, and most of the rest only know the romantic tales.  We do not know the details of forms of governing and laws laid down that have wrought misery upon the public, and so, in all ignorance, we try the bad ones again and again.
As a species, we most definitely flunk learning from our mistakes, and this is all down to our not taking the trouble to learn how and why previous paradigms have failed us.
Shoot, the vast majority of us do not have a clue that we've already been there and done that!

[ANNIE]

OMG, what will we do with Ken Follett's wonderful books like "Pillars of the Earth" or Rutherford's titles, "The Forest" and "London"???When one knows what one is reading, historical FICTION,  one puts their mind in that place.  Historical fiction is just that but there are so many good authors out there who do extensive research when writing any fiction that if I question any statements made, there's always Google!  Even Laurie King's Russell-Holmes books are researched(and I do check, many times, out of pure curiosity).  I don't always read to learn but to enjoy.  Much of the historical fiction is certainly questionable but that's only clear to pure historians, which I am not.  I appreciate the fleshing out of the past with interesting people and their lives.  The first semi bio that I read led to reading many others and how fortunate we are to have authors who peak our interests.  How many of us read Chastain's many bios?  How many of us sing praises for Follet and Rutherford?  How  pleasant it is to read and then check up on history.  But don't believe the stuff on WIKI unless you check it out.  I can't say enough good things about the authors who bring us stories about the history of our world.  They write their characters into the plots and tease us along with fictional characters who might have lived in that time or that place.  How they use the "back then" languages and happenings to help us see some history that we might never have been curious about. 
I have always been fascinated with the Impressionists' art but its partly because I have read the many books concerning their lives. "The Luncheon of the Boating Party" by Susan Vreeland, "David" by Mary Hoffman, Author  who wrote of Michelangelo, and so many others.  There was an excellent book about John Freeman, senator from CA, Varina Howell Davis, Jeff Davis' wife.  All that I have delved into have made me want to know more about that person's life or that city's history.  Because of historical fiction, I have always looked into art exhibits, historical tours, anything pertaining to how we got to this point as a people.  How many of us the history of Hawaii and how it was taken over by the US.  It was a country with a Queen, and we thought it was okay to declare it another American property.  We went on several historical tours while there and just shook our heads at what happened to it.
 
I just found a "new to me" historical novel about the Plantagenets and Elizabeth Woodville,the consort of Edward IV, King of England and the mystery that has confounded historians for centuries: the missing princes in the Tower of London whose fate is still unknown. There are so many ways to discover our history and do enjoy my reading.  I guess I am just not a purist.

[nlhome]

I mostly read historical mysteries, and when I do, I often find myself reading articles or parts of books to learn how much of my book plot and setting is fact-based.

[MaryPage]

I have found that most authors of historical fiction make every effort to fit their stories into the real framework of the true historical dates, people, and happenings.
It is the newer breed of today who don't give a fig and have famous people traveling to countries they never, ever in their lifetimes visited and/or meeting with other famous people they never met, or working some miracle of time and place that just was not part of the historical record, that are driving me nuts.  Shoot, they even have them inventing things or writing things they never invented or wrote.
This is a free country, and no one can stop them from doing it.  Nor would I wish they could be stopped by anyone or anything.  I just wish wholeheartedly they would not do it!

[Dana]

I agree with you nlhome.  An interesting historical novel, or movie, often prompts me to find out more--for example,I recently saw the German movie Frederick the Great and am just now reading a biography of Frederick..And a fascinating person he is, too.....!

Oh, and about 10 years ago I read Colleen McCullough's ancient Rome series.  Since then I've read countless (well I think 4) biographies of Caesar, taken up Latin again and have translated most of the Gallic wars up till now.....all thanks to Colleen!!   (Also Cicero etc, thanks to Ginny!)

[BarbStAubrey]

Well the whole thing to me is very very confusing - I have read several versions of History that was not supposed to be fictional -

I have read about the same period from the view point of differing sides in a conflict and you would never know unless you had some background that they were writing about what caused the same event.

I have read various versions of the same historical period by different professors, sometimes writing from the same national culture like British or American university professors and the story they weave has a different motive or other events are included that significantly change the motive for the historical event or the viewpoint of the event. They then proceed to label principle characters differently.

I have read about a period of history and then archeologists or a farmer plowing his field digs up artifact that change the factors involved in an event or the understanding of the event there after putting into question all the history we knew and read of the times.

Now I do know, as we all now know, that two people looking at the same accident will observe it differently and even assume a different cause and effect - it is why police do not settle for one description but question all who were privy to the accident.

Is this true of history and we just never came to terms with that as a factor - we know reading a book we bring with us our personal experience and value system - are historians reading everything ever written about a person, time, event in history - are they visiting the site, although changed where the event took place - do they have a handle on the values of the culture when the event took place or are the painting unknowingly their values on the event.

I do know that some of the recent historian visit and interview anyone that was part of the circle that touched on the time or character - I have been most impressed with Robert A. Caro, a New Yorker who has spent years living and being a part of the Austin and Hill Country community, partaking in all the cultural events many times with the friends and children of the friends of President Johnson to be able to more accurately portray the man, quickly learning there is a vast difference in Johnson's home environment and culture as compared to his own.

Seldom do we read simply a list of timed events - we are given the cause and the whys and the wherefores - we trust they are correct - but do we really know what is truth. We do not know if the historian immersed himself in the environment and culture of the players he or she is writing about.

Then I compare to historical fiction - years ago I read and enjoyed Thomas B. Costain - loved the stories - they were filled with appropriate atmosphere as he resurrected the culture and the surroundings - was his work accurate? I do not know. He used the names of historical figures but his books were located in the fiction section of the library not the section with the history books.

I started Wolf Hall when it first hit the shelves - thought it started off rough and then when I realized the time in history and the characters were historical, written about ad infinitum I set the book aside - was shocked to see it receive so many awards but just never picked it up - it's still squeezed in a drawer that further extends my library between BlackBird House by Alice Hoffman and Matthew Kneale's English Passengers.

I think it was last summer but maybe the year before I read The Tower, The Zoo, and The Tortoise - cute bit of whimsy - in the process I learned a lot of bits and pieces about folks who were sent to the tower - how they lived while in residence - essentially the atmosphere that is usually not included in a history of the person or event - I learned the litany of who was held in the tower and that was actually helpful since I read in history about this one and that one but never put together all those who were made occupants of the tower. A history book - no - did I expect a history book - no - was I shocked to learn some real history - yes.

I think the difference was I knew Julia Stuart was writing a bit of fluff using historical facts and characters where as I did not get the impression Hilary Mary Mantel was going for fluff or stopping at adding atmosphere to our understanding of the meaning of what the goings on of Cromwell and Henry VIII etc.. I guess we can all have our insights but these individual insights are simply bringing into the events our own cultural interpretations unless we pull off what Robert A. Caro is doing to explain President Johnson and the events he touched.

Since then Booker did not even consider Thomas A. Costain for an award in the 1930's 40's or 50's I wonder why and how Hilary Mary Mantel became a contender in 2009 - ah so... then I thought Alison Weir did a pretty good job with the history as we know it when she wrote her novel The Princes in the Tower but evidently not good enough for the review panel of Booker Mann -

And so how do we measure a worthwhile book - I think we may all use different measuring sticks - some of us want accuracy that I question how accurate is history and others of us are looking for a rousing story and still others of us are looking for atmosphere and the culture of the times - and then there are those who decide the value of a book based on the awards bestowed on it by the opinion of others, granted usually educated in critiquing literature.

For me if I am reading history I am not satisfied with one author or even two - there are always over lapping events that give another viewpoint and I always need to read about the culture where and when the principle characters lived - and so for me if it is history it involved many books - a historical novel I approach with a smile and expect to be dazzled with fluff, innuendo, with an outline of facts used as the bones to hold the storyline together.

I guess we each have our way of looking at and enjoying Historical Fiction - I just do not see a right or wrong way of reading however, I do hate that inaccuracy becomes factual for many in society and the facts are denied or not known by many. We know the victor writes history that is included in Historical Fiction however, amazing how average folks determine a point of view if they were on the side of victory.

[MaryPage]

Well, and we know that the victor wrote the histories and all of the histories and the only histories for centuries and centuries.  It has taken painstaking research in the field and in the libraries and attics to come up with some alternative facts, and this we know!
I have recently read so many books about the twenties and thirties and forties and even fifties that have had dozens of little aggravating mistakes.  Things that were not yet invented being used in the story, or sayings that were never yet said back then, and attitudes that simply were not heard of back then.  I think no matter how hard people TRY, it is impossible to get it purely right.
Still, I find it disappointing in a sort of painfully nostalgic way that most cannot seem to capture the flavor of the way it was, not to mention the details.

[JudeS]

Why did Mantel win the Man Booker prize?
Well as one article put it ,
"Cromwell is still wildly seen as the warty toad in the garden of Henry VIII."
Mantel has succeeded in making him into a believable human being. A man, born to a brutal Blacksmith, who learns law and manages to become part of the court and adviser to the thrown.
This book flew off the shelves not because of its veracity but because we identify with the main character. Is it a mixed bag of historical fact and fiction?
Perhaps.
However, we the ignorant public,are not history buffs but simply readers after a good story where the underdog succeeds.

Personally, I suggested this book to learn from you folks, who are steeped in historical facts, to see how you would tease out fact from fiction. But as it is not to be I will have to remember not to believe everything I read.

Oh, I just remembered...I learned not to do that in third grade.

[JoanP]

As you can see, we hesitated to include Wolf Hall in the upcoming selection for September.  So where will your vote go?  Clearly we will need a run-off vote, judging from early returns.

For those of you who have not voted, the poll is open until Monday.  Please let us know where your interest lies... Remember the titles in the heading here are all links to descriptions of the books...

  VOTE HERE FOR September Book Club DISCUSSION (press this link)

[Frybabe]

Since we were talking about historical fiction and I know a lot of you have read and like Phillipa Gregory, I thought I'd just mention (if you don't already know) that StarZ is going to be running The White Queen series beginning tomorrow night.
http://www.starz.com/originals/thewhitequeen  I don't get Starz.

[JoanP]

One more day to vote for September's group discussion...be sure to let your voice be heard - the link to the Survey Poll is in the header here.

[JoanP]

So happy that you all selected The Good Earth for September.  It's been so long since I first read it - that I've forgotten the story - I remember the title, and I know Pearl Buck is still talked about.  I just don't remember exactly why.  I did intend to find out.  My son lives in Lynchburg, VA, two blocks from Randolf College, where this sign is located.  He sometimes asks me if I've read The Good Earth, as we walk by with the dogs.  I've given him a vague answer like, "hasn't everyone  read it?  This time I'm going to read it - next time, I'll give him a decent answer.

How about you?  Have you ever read it?  If yes, how long ago?  We'd really love for you to join us in September and discover  together (discover again?)  - why her popularity has continued so long.

Please join us today and let us know if you can make it into the discussion on September 2?  We'll be gathering here - The Good Earth

[marjifay]

Yes, I read THE GOOD EARTH.  Wonderful book.  But I won't be re-reading it.  Have too many other good books waiting (you know, "so many books, so little time.")  Enjoy it.

Marj

[BarbStAubrey]

Hate to add to the downbeat but I too read the Good Earth not only the last time we did it but back when I was young - twice is enough and I do remember at the time we read it purchasing several of her other books that are still in their cellophane wrapper and so this may be when I finally take on the Imperial Woman and the Pavilion of Women - remember reading many years ago Dragon Seed but never read  East Wind: West Wind so I may look that one as well.

My grandson just came back from spending 8 weeks in Hunan China - he was shocked with all the fried food and astounded the Chinese were so thin eating fried food everyday - he also learned that the typical stance is to squat. He had problems but as he said it was good practice since he suffers with shortened tendons at the back of his ankles. He had a great time and with no choice but to speak Chinese everyday his vocabulary increased. Just back and turns around to start studies at UNC Chapel Hill on Monday.

[marjifay]

Thanks, Barb, for listing other books by Pearl Buck.  I've put them to my TBR list.  

Good for your grandson traveling to China.  I've traveled a lot, and always wished I'd made it there.  I'm a bit old to give it a go now.  But I can still read about it.  A good book I read is China Road by Rob Gifford (352 pp, 2008).  Gifford had been a PBS correspondent from China for several years.  He decided to travel (mostly by hitchhiking) on China's new highway from Shanghai, 3000 miles across China along their old Silk Road, and through the Gobi Desert, to the border of one of the "-stan" countries.  Fascinating book.  He speaks good Chinese, and talked with people in all the towns where he stopped, and told some of the history of the different areas.  Very interesting to hear the people's comments on their country.  

Marj

marj