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The townsman

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Pearl Buck was an early twentieth century American novelist who lived in China for most of her first forty years. She is best known for The Good Earth and other novels set in China. She also wrote a few books under the name "John Sedges." The best of them is "The Townsman."

Jonathon Goodliffe is the townsman, an emigrant from England who sets out for the barren plains of Kansas during the late nineteenth century. The novel eloquently describes the hardships and victories Jonathon faces as he gradually becomes an American while working to turn a small part of the Kansas prairie into a community, a town. There are no towering heroes in this moving and engrossing story, just steadfast decent people working to build a future for themselves and their families and neighbors. The newly created town is vibrant and alive, but flawed by racism. A brilliant former slave can find no place for himself in Kansas or anywhere else in this country, and finally moves to France where he becomes a doctor. But overall, this is an uplifting story that you'll be glad you read.