First published 1960
A Chinese farmer, Wang Lung, toils the land with his wife O-Lan, finding dignity in the soil. But when drought and flood devastate their village, they must flee to the city, where they witness the collapse of the noble House of Hwang. As the poor riot and the rich try to flee, Wang Lung seizes an opportunity, and with hard work and compassion, begins a remarkable ascent, even as the grand estate falls. At its heart, this is the story of one family's resilience through the tides of history.
Genres: literary-fiction, family-life, historical-fiction, 20th-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: family-saga, rags-to-riches
Setting: China
Period: 1912-1949, 1928-1937
418 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Howard Publishing Co