Pearl Buck
Diana Cercone
Though born in 1892, Pearl S. Buck was every bit the modern woman. Wouldn’t be hard to picture her today on the covers of Time, Vogue and Good Housekeeping. For where today’s woman strives to have it all—career, being a wife and mother—Pearl Buck was doing it. And doing it all with grace, compassion, love and style.
Internationally she was heralded as a humanitarian for her work as an advocate of cross-cultural understanding, women’s rights, racial equality and adoption of multiracial children. She was also the first woman to win both the Pulitzer and Nobel prizes for literature. (A distinction she held for 55 years until 1993.) The 1932 Pulitzer Prize was for her novel The Good Earth. It was later turned into an Oscar-award-winning film starring Paul Muni. The novel is as relevant today as it was more than 80 years ago. Not surprising then, that it was chosen for Oprah’s Book Club in 2004. At the time it was published, it was a Book of The Month Club selection.
The Nobel Prize she won in 1938 for her many writings about China and her missionary parents. From the time she was three months old until she moved backed permanently to the States in 1934, she lived in China.
Once home and living in Bucks County, Pearl was also a wife, mother of eight and a foster parent to many. She was a gardener and has three flowers named in her honor. Pearl Buck was a style setter—she popularized the swing coat. She also raised prize-wining Guernsey cows. The neighborhood kids affectionately knew her as “Mrs. Walsh.”
Though very much an international figure, Pearl Buck was still one of Bucks County’s own. For 40 years she lived here in Perkasie on a 68-acre estate. (At one time, it was 500 acres when Pearl had a working farm.) Called Green Hills Farm, it’s now a National Historic Landmark—one of a few with an intact personal collection. Evident throughout the house is the influence of Eastern art and sensibilities conjoining comfortably with that of Western culture.
To finish reading this story about Pear Buck, turn to page xxx in Spring 2015 issue of Bucks County Magazine.