Customer Reviews

The Child Who Never Grew

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"The Child Who Never Grew," by Pearl S. Buck, is the true story of the struggle of the author after learning that her daughter Carol, born in 1920, was mentally handicapped. The 1992 Woodbine House edition contains a foreword by James Michener, an introduction by Martha M. Jablow, and an afterword by Janice C. Walsh, who was Pearl's daughter and Carol's's sister.

Jablow notes in her intro that "Child" first appeared as an article in "Ladies Home Journal" in 1950 and was shortly thereafter published in book form. Jablow notes that the book is "a landmark in the literature about disabilities." As such, I consider "Child" a fitting companion text to a book like Helen Keller's "The Story of My Life." Jablow notes that mental retardation "carried a shameful stigma" when Buck first had this story published; Jablow provides further useful historical context for the main text.

Buck writes very movingly of her heartache at the discovery of her child's plight. She documents her awareness of the stigma against people like Carol, and also tells of her search for an institution where Carol's special needs might be met. Buck passionately defends the humanity and worth of the mentally retarded, and tells what her experiences with Carol taught her: "I learned respect and reverence for every human mind. It was my child who taught me to understand so clearly that all people are equal in their humanity and that all have the same human rights."

Walsh's afterword continues the story of Carol. She fills in some of the very obvious gaps in Buck's story. Walsh's contribution to this book is very moving, and includes photos of Carol.

In addition to being a work of historical and sociological importance, I found "The Child Who Never Grew" to be a moving and very personal piece of American literature. For another good companion text, try William Styron's "Darkness Visible," in which the distinguished writer tells of his battle against clinical depression. Also, try "On the Way Home," by Laura Ingalls Wilder; this book has additional material by Laura's daughter, Rose Wilder Lane, and like "The Child Who Never Grew" is thus a sort of mother-daughter literary collaboration.

I cherish this book. I am the mother of a wonderful little boy with special needs who is also terminal. I could never put into words all my thoughts and feelings. Ms. Buck did that beautifully and with heart. I reread it often and share it with other parents needing the encouragement that she bestows with her wonderful writing. Thank you!

A very moving book. The book was written 50 years ago, and it sounds as current as if it had been written today. A mother's feelings are timeless.

This old book was first published in 1950 by Pearl Buck (1892-1973), a 1938 Nobel laureate, but originally drafted by her in the much earlier days. Her first daughter Carol was born as a LD child in 1920, due to a delivery accident in a remote village of China. The cause is now known as PKU, a disorder in phenylalanine metablism (and PKU can be fully cured now), but then nobody knew either cause or therapy. That was a beginning of this tragedy of both Carol and her mother Pearl. But that is not the whole story. Pearl's first husband, a scholar, kept ignoring his own LD child, and did not give any special finacial support to this daughter. So when Pearl, then just a house wife, realized that Carol had to be taken care of by the best special school for LD children in the United States for the rest of her own long life (till Carol's death in 1992), she started writing a novel on Chinese farmers, The Good Earth, hoping to earn some money as royality for the sake of Carol's life-long welfare. In 1932, to her great surprise, this book becames the world best seller, and even filmed in 1937 with a great success, and eventually awarded her the big prize the followig year. In other words, this LD child Carol transformed her mother's life and career so dramatically, in a better sense.

Having met so many other mothers who also have LD children, eventually after the end of WW II, Pearl decided to publish her true story on Carol, which turned out to be her first and sole real daughter, in order to share her own difficult experience with these mothers. Meanwhile she adopted several orphan children including Janice Walsh with her second husband Richard Walsh, a talented editor who published "The Good Earth" very successfully.

In the early days of Carol's youth, Pearl had a great difficulty in being willing to admit that Carol's brain had been permanentally damaged. One day, however, at a small hospital in the United States, an old German doctor privately approached her and explained, though in his broken English, to convince her that her daughter would never grow further. To me, that particular scene was the most moving and unforgettable in this book. For I am a retired molecular oncologist who has been trying to develop, particular during my stay in Germany, the first effective therapeutics for a genetic disease called NF1 (neurofibromatosis type 1) which causes not only tumors but also frequently LD in many young children.

Somehow, Michener and Buck managed to cram an epic into under 200 pages. A revealing look at American society and one life that ended in tragedy - or was it rapture? Little can be said that will not give away key book elements, only this: Read it now! English majors and profs especially. End.

It was fascinating to read the account from such an "open-minded" individual as Pearl Buck as having had such difficulty dealing with/ accepting her disabled daughter. Although she clearly loved her daughter she hid her from the rest of her family and the rest of the world almost until the end of her life. Ms Buck was an advocate for the disabled but could not deal with society's prejudices with regard to her own child.

I"m very satisfied with my purchase. The book arrived much sooner than the specified time and it was in great condition. it was a used book but it almost looked new. I debated buying the book here or another website. I'm glad I chose Amazon.

I was truly touched and moved by this book. As a parent of a child with an intellectual disability I can relate to what the author had felt and thought; As much as the world has changed, a loving parent's heart toward their children has not. The health and welfare of your children and the assurance that they will be taken care of when you no longer can, is the goal of any parent--whether the child has a disability or not.

I was surprised how I didn't feel critical of her for choosing to institutionalize her daughter, which is considered almost taboo today. She truly felt she had done the best thing and explained why.

This is a wonderful and touching story of a parent dealing with handicapped daughter back in the day. It is a very easy read and very worth reading.

I tried, really tried, to like this book. But it was just too dull, too dry.

It meanders and goes nowhere.