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The Townsman
English born and pioneer bred, Jonathan had but two great passion in his life. One was the sea of waving grass known as Kansas. The other was the captivating Judy.
The restless pushed westward in search of new land. But Jon saw in the raw frontier before him not a settlement of sod houses but a town with a future- where he too would have a future- to teach, to marry, to raise a family.
His faith in both dream's was unshaken- until the impetuous Judy met Jonathan's closest friend.
The restless pushed westward in search of new land. But Jon saw in the raw frontier before him not a settlement of sod houses but a town with a future- where he too would have a future- to teach, to marry, to raise a family.
His faith in both dream's was unshaken- until the impetuous Judy met Jonathan's closest friend.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1945
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
July 31, 2019
The life story of Jonathan Goodliffe who immigrated from England as a young man and settled in Median, Kansas. In Median he became a schoolmaster and helped planned the town as it grew. The tale is basically of his loves and difficulties as he grows as a person and as an American. It is much better than I have made it sound and is well worth your time. Recommended.
September 5, 2015
Pearl Buck je za ovo djelo 1938. godine dobila Nobelovu nagradu za književnost, i to opravdano. Predivna priča o borbi jedne porodice da stvore sebi bolji život daleko od mjesta u kojem su rođeni.
Priča prati porodicu Gudlif koja u potrazi za boljim životom odlazi iz Engleske u obećanu zemlju zvana Amerika, ali na tom putu se zaustavljaju u mjestu zvano Medijan i tu počinje njihova borba. Jer sve što je u to vrijeme Amerika imala da pruži je ime, a ostalo se tek trebalo stvoriti. Svakako ću se potruditi da pročitam i nastavke ove američke trilogije; Glasovi u kući i Duga ljubav.
Nobelova nagrada za književnost 1938.
Roman "Tvorac grada" je prvo delo Perl Bak u kome se autorka bavi pričom o američkom Zapadu, objavljeno pod imenom Džona Sedžisa. Glavni junak romana je Džonatan Gudlif, skromni čovek čije je jedino zadovoljstvo da postane ozbiljan osnivač jednog grada.
"Ljubav je tako otrovna kad traje i dalje, mada želiš da prestane! Ona truje i onog koji voli i onog ko je voljen."
Priča prati porodicu Gudlif koja u potrazi za boljim životom odlazi iz Engleske u obećanu zemlju zvana Amerika, ali na tom putu se zaustavljaju u mjestu zvano Medijan i tu počinje njihova borba. Jer sve što je u to vrijeme Amerika imala da pruži je ime, a ostalo se tek trebalo stvoriti. Svakako ću se potruditi da pročitam i nastavke ove američke trilogije; Glasovi u kući i Duga ljubav.
Nobelova nagrada za književnost 1938.
Roman "Tvorac grada" je prvo delo Perl Bak u kome se autorka bavi pričom o američkom Zapadu, objavljeno pod imenom Džona Sedžisa. Glavni junak romana je Džonatan Gudlif, skromni čovek čije je jedino zadovoljstvo da postane ozbiljan osnivač jednog grada.
"Ljubav je tako otrovna kad traje i dalje, mada želiš da prestane! Ona truje i onog koji voli i onog ko je voljen."
July 10, 2016
Very good, but sad
November 3, 2024
this cover is utterly humbling
November 23, 2010
Would be 3.5 stars if technically possible.
As I read more Buck (and I still need to go back and re-read The Good Earth), I grow more enthralled with her writing, and especially her skill at creating and dimensionalizing people and characters.
As with The Angry Wife, there is not a huge ton of plot/storytelling, but more following one protagonist through his life and development. I enjoy how Buck gets into one's head and thoughts so convincingly. She also doesn't shy from portraying a character's negative characteristics (and therefore, depth and truth at the same time) - like Jonathan's weakness in being superficial when it comes to the women he loves - but they also tend to redeem themselves by the end of the book/their lives and realize their mistakes. While that might not be as true as 'real life' (meaning, how many people actually ever learn/grow/redeem themselves?!), it's comforting, and somewhat inspiring, at least. I liked The Angry Wife a touch more though, because the ending of this book - while nice for Jonathan - felt a bit flat.
As I read more Buck (and I still need to go back and re-read The Good Earth), I grow more enthralled with her writing, and especially her skill at creating and dimensionalizing people and characters.
As with The Angry Wife, there is not a huge ton of plot/storytelling, but more following one protagonist through his life and development. I enjoy how Buck gets into one's head and thoughts so convincingly. She also doesn't shy from portraying a character's negative characteristics (and therefore, depth and truth at the same time) - like Jonathan's weakness in being superficial when it comes to the women he loves - but they also tend to redeem themselves by the end of the book/their lives and realize their mistakes. While that might not be as true as 'real life' (meaning, how many people actually ever learn/grow/redeem themselves?!), it's comforting, and somewhat inspiring, at least. I liked The Angry Wife a touch more though, because the ending of this book - while nice for Jonathan - felt a bit flat.
August 21, 2011
My paperback copy is from 1969 originally published in 1945. About a Goodliffe family coming to this country from England in the early 1800's and making their way through a very new western frontier. I picked this book up because my daughter's great grandparents were a Goodliffe family who came to America through Canada then to New York State. Even though they didn't go west it was a book that told of a family in a new country and I could only imagine the hardships even in the mid 1800's. This book was a small beginning into my love of genealogy today and researching MY families.
It's a good old fashioned story and if you can find it, read it.
It's a good old fashioned story and if you can find it, read it.
February 12, 2017
I like how the book is written. Very readable. But for me, Johnathan is too passive as character. I also hate the way he always put Judith before even thinking of Katie. I don't think he tried enough to love her because he had a fate, he will be with Judith one day. His life looks so simple and ordinary, but at the end of the book you realize he changed whole city into something great and that he achieved his life goal.
August 24, 2013
This is one of the most amazing books I have read. While not action packed like some other novels, it is a study of human character and perseverance. Small town America in the early 1900's on the plains of Kansas, comes alive. Love, loyalty, betrayal and faith are all part of the equation which make this book so outstanding.
I have read it several times, to the point where my copy is held together by tape and elastic bands. It was originally published under the name of John Sedges.
I have read it several times, to the point where my copy is held together by tape and elastic bands. It was originally published under the name of John Sedges.
February 7, 2018
This is by far the best book I've ever read, on all levels. Buck weaves and paints a beautiful and compelling story about love, life, and loss that is as real today as ever. This is a family saga among the likes of The Forsyte Saga and The Loving Spirit, and Buck shows she's truly among the best.
October 10, 2018
This book was an amazing journey from start to finish. The beginning had a mild Oedipal feel to it, but as the book progresses, it fixes up that feeling proper. I honestly cried twice, but will not divulge why for spoilers. Everyone should read this classic.
December 28, 2020
'The Townsman' is one of the lesser known novels by Pearl S. Buck, who is best known for her books on Chinese country-life. In this book, which was published under her pseudonym John Sedges, an English family moves to the United States in the 1860s and settles in the small town of Median, Kansas. While the restless father moves further west to California and takes his wife and his younger children, the main character Jonathan stays in Median. He soon takes it as his responsibility to develop a vivid, descent town from the few scattered houses built on the prairie. He starts a school, builds roads and soon is well known and appreciated by the towns people. When a wandering priests and his daughter visit Median, he desperately falls in love with Judy. His love for her never fades, not even when she leaves him on the day of his mother's funeral.
Jonathan proves to be a very faithful, devoted, honest and selfless man: as a teenager, he takes care of his mother and when she dies, he takes care of his siblings, not thinking about his own needs. He takes care of Median, protects it from becoming a wild cattle trading town even though this would mean riches. He marries a girl of the town, even though he doesn't have the passionate loving feelings for her as for Judy. And even though he never receives the passionate love from a woman he's been longing for, he receives the love of the town, which might be just as precious for him.
The book provides a beautiful description of prairie life around the turn of the century, the American dream, and the hardships of life - both on a physical as on an emotional level.
There were things I didn't like though: it's all nice and stuff that Jonathan wants to hang out with the black family residing in Median, and that he teaches their four children at his school. But why must it be that the cleverest kid of the four is the sprout of Sue and her former white master (who slept with her against Sue's will, of course)? Also, the women are protrayed rather one-sided. They are either beautiful and selfish, or dedicated and ugly. This white, male supremacy is something I recognized in the other book (Ostwind - Westwind I read of Pearl S. Buck, as well - even though she was a prominent advocate of the rights of women and minority groups.
Jonathan proves to be a very faithful, devoted, honest and selfless man: as a teenager, he takes care of his mother and when she dies, he takes care of his siblings, not thinking about his own needs. He takes care of Median, protects it from becoming a wild cattle trading town even though this would mean riches. He marries a girl of the town, even though he doesn't have the passionate loving feelings for her as for Judy. And even though he never receives the passionate love from a woman he's been longing for, he receives the love of the town, which might be just as precious for him.
The book provides a beautiful description of prairie life around the turn of the century, the American dream, and the hardships of life - both on a physical as on an emotional level.
There were things I didn't like though: it's all nice and stuff that Jonathan wants to hang out with the black family residing in Median, and that he teaches their four children at his school. But why must it be that the cleverest kid of the four is the sprout of Sue and her former white master (who slept with her against Sue's will, of course)? Also, the women are protrayed rather one-sided. They are either beautiful and selfish, or dedicated and ugly. This white, male supremacy is something I recognized in the other book (Ostwind - Westwind I read of Pearl S. Buck, as well - even though she was a prominent advocate of the rights of women and minority groups.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 3, 2025
The Townsman was written by Pearl S Buck. She uses the pseudonym John Sedges instead of her own name. She thought she would do this because her fans knew her as a writer of the Chinese where she grew up and understood people best. This book sold tens of thousands of copies.
It is about a man who left England with his family and emigrated to the plains of Kansas. He drew up a plan of how little by little there would be changes in the town of Median. He always loved books and wanted to be a school teacher. First, in his plan, was to set up a school for the few children who had emigrated to this place. He started it in his parents sod house with only a few students. His parents left this place and went on further west. Jonathon decided he would stay in this place teaching the few children there were. He charged a dollar a month per child. Median was a place that the wagons came through on their way West. When the mother's of these families found out there was a school, many of them convinced their husbands that this was where they were going to stay permanently. Most of these people were farmers, immigrants and people from the Eastern United States looking for a new life in a new land. Many things happen to Jonathon in his quest to make Median a good town.
I found the book to be one that was very hard to put down. It was happy and sometimes sad. Throughout the book, it is about a man who has had so many positive effects on so many people. It was very well written as all of Pearl Buck's novels have been.
It is about a man who left England with his family and emigrated to the plains of Kansas. He drew up a plan of how little by little there would be changes in the town of Median. He always loved books and wanted to be a school teacher. First, in his plan, was to set up a school for the few children who had emigrated to this place. He started it in his parents sod house with only a few students. His parents left this place and went on further west. Jonathon decided he would stay in this place teaching the few children there were. He charged a dollar a month per child. Median was a place that the wagons came through on their way West. When the mother's of these families found out there was a school, many of them convinced their husbands that this was where they were going to stay permanently. Most of these people were farmers, immigrants and people from the Eastern United States looking for a new life in a new land. Many things happen to Jonathon in his quest to make Median a good town.
I found the book to be one that was very hard to put down. It was happy and sometimes sad. Throughout the book, it is about a man who has had so many positive effects on so many people. It was very well written as all of Pearl Buck's novels have been.
February 22, 2022
Jonathan Goodliffe finds himself pulled away from England, his motherland, and dragged towards the wild Kansas in the USA. Now just a teenager, he must balance the responsabilities his own father doesn't own up to, taking care of his family while trying to live a fulfilling life as an honorable man in a little town open to be molded by his own hands.
This book contains some of the most realistically written characters I've read. Pearl S. Buck did an outstanding job crafting a plethora of believable, endearing characters; each one an individual world full of desires, emotions and motivations that feel palpable all throughout the book. I can't write this review without mentioning how specially well written the protagonist is. Jonathan Goodliffe's triumphs and losses, his frustrations, the little moments in which he was actually happy or sad, as opposed to the monotone, rutinary life he led, all were conveyed in a subtle yet effective and credible manner. All of these moments summed up, left us with a character towards whom you can't be indifferent once you've read the entire book.
The Townsman is the proof that a book doesn't need to be exciting to be great. 4/5
This book contains some of the most realistically written characters I've read. Pearl S. Buck did an outstanding job crafting a plethora of believable, endearing characters; each one an individual world full of desires, emotions and motivations that feel palpable all throughout the book. I can't write this review without mentioning how specially well written the protagonist is. Jonathan Goodliffe's triumphs and losses, his frustrations, the little moments in which he was actually happy or sad, as opposed to the monotone, rutinary life he led, all were conveyed in a subtle yet effective and credible manner. All of these moments summed up, left us with a character towards whom you can't be indifferent once you've read the entire book.
The Townsman is the proof that a book doesn't need to be exciting to be great. 4/5
September 8, 2018
As with most books written in the early to middle part of the 20th century, I had my problems with being confronted by the limited role women played in those times, the loveless marriages, betrayals, continual pregnancies often leading to an early death (and the husband saying something as banal and self-ingratiating as "well, gee, I didn't know bearing ten children out in the middle of the prairie under all of the homesteading hardships and not a doctor within 100 miles was going to kill her! I had MY needs, after all", so much so that I can't REALLY say I liked this book. But it was well-written, and if the main character, Jonathan, had been more likeable, I might have actually liked it. I haven't read many Pearl S. Buck novels, but I have to hope this was aberrant I believe it accurately depicted the hardships of the times, but it was not an easy read for the reasons I have stated.
September 18, 2021
What an excellent, intriguing intro to a trilogy! I think Buck's writings set in America work best when you hate characters a bit, but not so much that you think they're unfixable. And this one, especially, has such an interesting premise. If you want to give Pearl Buck a chance but don't want to start with her writings set in China, I'd say this trilogy is the perfect place to start.
Translation: Zora Minderović
Translation: Zora Minderović
March 28, 2021
A reread from my extensive Buck collection. Written under her pseudonym, John Sedges. Great chronicle of the Westward movement they the Great Plains. I love the genuine characters that inhabit this novel.
August 11, 2025
I totally loved this story about a man's life coming from England to Kansas as a boy. It is well written and a meaningful story at the turn of the century, the western development I believe. Not sure if the history had any reality to it. Yet, I enjoyed it intensely.
July 22, 2017
Sad story, but Buck's usual good story. It's amazing how much language in a relatively short period of time!
October 3, 2018
TB Sammlung
September 16, 2019
Un western que no lo es, salvo en el escenario. Un relato romántico, trágico y duro de la vida de antaño de los colonos. Precioso y entretenido.
October 23, 2019
Perl Bak divno piše. O bilo čemu. Posebno o trpeljivosti i pozrtvovanosti kineske zene.
March 8, 2020
Me encanta porque refleja la vida tal cual es, dura y difícil, con sus toques de felicidad.
March 25, 2020
Can't say for sure why I enjoyed this so much, but I have loved many of her Chinese novels. She is a fascinating writer; taking the most ordinary lives and imbuing them with life and passion.
December 30, 2025
Posted under Ann. Pearl Buck wrote. under a male name on this usa story. very good
March 1, 2013
Not the most interesting story, but I felt the characters were extremely well portrayed.
I like how Buck introduces us to everyone with care. I also appreciate how well varied all the characters were. Evan is flamboyant and boistrous, but still well mannered. Jonathan is quiet, strong, and has a very good knack for reading people. Katie, while not pretty, is likeable and never sits still for a minute. Even the father and Jamie, who are said to be so alike, had enough differences to be individuals. Only Judy didn't seem quite complete, to me. I felt like she was rather one-dimensional.
The story itself was less of a story, and more of a memoir. I never got the impression of much plotline at all. It was just a series of mundane, daily events--teaching at school, minding the shop, building a house. There was really no adventure.
The largest irritation, for me, was how Buck liked to switch viewpoints--sometimes even within a paragraph. All of a sudden you'd be seeing things through the mother's eyes, or Evan, with no warning. It was always a bit of a jolt.
I like how Buck introduces us to everyone with care. I also appreciate how well varied all the characters were. Evan is flamboyant and boistrous, but still well mannered. Jonathan is quiet, strong, and has a very good knack for reading people. Katie, while not pretty, is likeable and never sits still for a minute. Even the father and Jamie, who are said to be so alike, had enough differences to be individuals. Only Judy didn't seem quite complete, to me. I felt like she was rather one-dimensional.
The story itself was less of a story, and more of a memoir. I never got the impression of much plotline at all. It was just a series of mundane, daily events--teaching at school, minding the shop, building a house. There was really no adventure.
The largest irritation, for me, was how Buck liked to switch viewpoints--sometimes even within a paragraph. All of a sudden you'd be seeing things through the mother's eyes, or Evan, with no warning. It was always a bit of a jolt.
November 10, 2009
This book was good, but not spectacular. Some parts were boring and still there were others where I couldn't put it down. Here are several themes I picked up on
1. Love of country: this was written at the height of World War II. The main character, Jonathan, is very dedicated to his town and his country. This parallels the patriotism felt during the 1940's.
2. Physical beauty vs. inner beauty: the two main female characters are greatly contrasted. One is unattractive, hardworking, and honest while the other is beautiful, vain, and lazy. Jonathan learns a lesson as he interacts with both women.
3. Education: Jonathan is a lifelong learner and education is his lifework.
4. Racism in post-Civil War Kansas
1. Love of country: this was written at the height of World War II. The main character, Jonathan, is very dedicated to his town and his country. This parallels the patriotism felt during the 1940's.
2. Physical beauty vs. inner beauty: the two main female characters are greatly contrasted. One is unattractive, hardworking, and honest while the other is beautiful, vain, and lazy. Jonathan learns a lesson as he interacts with both women.
3. Education: Jonathan is a lifelong learner and education is his lifework.
4. Racism in post-Civil War Kansas
April 11, 2014
Started out thinking this was some type of Oedipal story but it progressed into being a very good novel about a young English man who is forced to come to America with his family in the mid 1800's and ends in Median, Kansas. His father, mother and siblings eventually move further west but he stays and decides to create a town he can be proud of. He starts a school in his sod house and falls in love with a wandering preacher's daughter. He stays in Median and builds the town up until it becomes the city he wanted it to be. His life has ups and downs but he stays pretty even. A good book to read!
September 4, 2023
Wonderful! I've read many Pearl S. Buck novels, but didn't know she had this American story. I so enjoy her writing.
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July 20, 2018I read this book as a fairly young girl and re-read it a couple of years ago. Fully enjoyed it both times.
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