Pearl of China by Anchee Min

A Biographical Historical Novel of Pearl S. Buck, Female Friendship, and 20th-Century China

In the southern Chinese town of Chin-kiang during the late 19th century, Willow, the daughter of a destitute local peasant, forms an unlikely bond with Pearl S. Buck, the spirited daughter of American Presbyterian missionaries. Raised as sisters despite cultural and racial divides, both girls navigate the political turmoil of the Boxer Rebellion and the collapse of the Qing Dynasty.

As adult life separates them, Pearl returns to the United States to publish her Nobel Prize-winning novel The Good Earth, while Willow stays in China to endure war, famine, and the ideological violence of the Cultural Revolution. Through secret letters and memories, Willow guards her friendship with Pearl against political persecution.

Why You’ll Love This Book

Anchee Min delivers an evocative biographical reimagining of Pearl S. Buck's life from a Chinese perspective. Spanning decades of historical transformation, this sweeping novel is a great fit for fans of Lisa See, Amy Tan, and Jung Chang.