Letter from Peking: A Novel (Hardcover)

by Pearl Buck (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From AudioFile
This gentle love story is perfect for peaceful days at home. The lives of Gerald MacLeod, his wife Elizabeth, their son Rennie, and Gerald's father gradually come into focus as Elizabeth reflects on her life in China and their forced separation at the outbreak of the Communist revolution. Bonnie Hurren successfully uses slight changes in her pleasing voice to define each character. She reads in a clear and concise manner, making the story understandable. Her narration suits the story very well since it is told from Elizabeth's point of view. For readers who may have overlooked her, this is a wonderful introduction to Pearl S. Buck. C.W. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 252 pages
• Publisher: The John Day Company (June 1957)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0381980391
• ISBN-13: 978-0381980399
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,402,473 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sincere advice for true love, October 29, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Letter from Peking (Audio Cassette)

In this book, the author tells us about deep hearted love. I was very pleased to see her view of love especialy because we live in the world which is mostly concernd about only the surface. Well, I can't say if it was really a right thing that the mother had to intervene her son's relationship with the first girl friend. But I personally do think there is something we need to learn from her opinion about love. Those who are deep hearted will like this book.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Deeply Moving Love Story, July 3, 2000

By	Marian Powell (Silver City, New Mexico United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Letter from Peking (Audio Cassette)

I was originally forced to read this novel in high school and didn't expect to like it as I hadn't liked The Good Earth. Letter from Peking turned out to be one of the most deeply moving love stories I've ever read and I still remember it after all these years. It goes deeply into both the joy of love and the high price you have to pay and, quietly in the background, the quiet miseryof life without love. At the beginning of the story, an American woman living with her teenage son in New England is waiting with a desperate grief and hope for a letter from her husband in Peking. She had had to leave for her own safety when the communists took over. Her Chinese husband could not bear to leave his homeland. He loves China too much to be separated from her even though that means separation from his beloved wife and son. The story then recalls their meeting and decision to marry despite the problems of an interracial marriage. It becomes a beautiful tribute to and description of a loving marriage that is eventually torn apart by the greater love of country. Meanwhile, the teenage son is growing up and falling in love with a shallow, pretty girl. The mother has to agonize over whether this marriage will be a tragedy. They love each other now, but is this a healthy love? Can it survive the pressures put on an interracial marriage when it seems more infatuation than love? This question haunts much of the novel as the mother agonizes over what to do. She makes a courageous and painful decision to intervene in a way that will resolve the relationship even at risk of alienating the son she adores. Meanwhile, the long-awaited letter from Peking has arrived. This book is a must read for anyone who likes a genuinely mature love story. I might add that, believe it or not, it has a happy ending. The happy ending is again based on the happiness that maturity, love, acceptance and wise choices can bring. It's a shame it's out of print for this is a book well-worth reading and rereading.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Run, don't walk, to your nearest used book store...!, September 2, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Letter from Peking (Paperback)

A heart-rending tale of separated lovers, beautifully told. Especially timely read in light of the political turmoil in the current world scene. One can easily imagine this story being replayed time and again, as refugees flee war-torn countries, leaving behind family members who, through no personal fault, may never see their loved ones again. A story of courage, of perserverence. Find time to read it all at once if you can - it is almost impossible to put it down!