Synopses & Reviews
Pearl S. Buck's portrayal of Chinese peasants was the first literary representation, in China as well as in America, of the majority of the Chinese population. Her work changed the image of the Chinese people in the American mind—ultimately facilitating the 1943 repeal of the 61-year-old Chinese Exclusion Act and arousing Americans' support of the Chinese resistance against the Japanese aggression in World War II. From a multicultural point of view, Chinese scholar Kang Liao analyzes Buck's phenomenal success and the ensuing neglect of her works by American critics. Liao's insights into Buck's function as one of the few writers from an age of Eurocentrism who shed light on a new age of multiculturalism will be of interest to both students and scholars interested in race, class, and gender issues.
Review
Emphasizing that Buck was the first author to focus on Chinese peasants and 'strong Chinese women,' Liao describes Buck's 'singularly important role' in shaping history by improving China's image in American eyes during the WW II era....Recommended for academic libraries, lower-division undergraduate and above.Choice
Synopsis
Evaluates the literary works of Nobel laureate Pearl S. Buck from a multicultural point of view and argues for her pioneering role in demythologizing China and the Chinese people in the American mind.
About the Author
KANG LIAO has been Lecturer and Director of English at Beijing Normal University.