What Do I Read Next?
Buck's novel, Sons (1932), serves as the second installment in the trilogy that begins with The Good Earth. Picking up where the first book concludes, Sons explores the lives of Wang Lung's three sons: the eldest, who becomes a landlord; the second, who becomes a merchant; and most notably, the youngest, who rises to be a warlord. None of the sons honor their father's legacy. Although Sons is not regarded as highly as The Good Earth in literary circles, it remains a compelling story.
Splendid Slippers: A Thousand Years of an Erotic Tradition (1998) by Beverley Jackson examines the Chinese tradition of foot-binding. Jackson delves into the history of foot-binding, detailing the procedure and the erotic allure associated with bound feet. She also draws parallels between foot-binding and other exotic practices allegedly intended to enhance female beauty, such as the Burmese custom of wearing multiple heavy necklaces to appear to lengthen the neck. (In reality, X-rays have shown that the collarbone collapses toward the rib cage.)
John Henry Gray's China: A History of the Laws, Manners, and Customs of
the People, reprinted by Dover Books on Literature and Drama in 2003, is a
reproduction of the original 1878 publication. Gray, who served as the
archdeacon of Hong Kong, provides an engaging history of the era when Wang Lung
from The Good Earth was a young man. The book discusses various topics,
including government, prisons, religion, Confucian philosophy, marriage,
servants and slaves, sports, funerals, and commercial activities like
agriculture and tea and silk production. It features 140 illustrations
depicting scenes from everyday life.
The Cambridge Illustrated History of China (1999) by Patricia Buckley Ebrey
is a highly acclaimed scholarly work that presents over four thousand years of
Chinese history and culture through both images and text.
Get Ahead with eNotes
Start your 48-hour free trial to access everything you need to rise to the top of the class. Enjoy expert answers and study guides ad-free and take your learning to the next level.
Already a member? Log in here.