Living Reed: A Novel of Korea

by Pearl S. Buck

The Living Reed follows four generations of one family, the Kims, beginning with Il-han and his father, both advisors to the royal family in Korea. When Japan invades and the queen is killed, Il-han takes his family into hiding. In the ensuing years, he and his family take part in the secret war against the Japanese occupation. Pearl S. Buck's epic tells the history of Korea through the lives of one family. She paints an amazing portrait of the country, and makes us empathize with their struggle for sovereignty through her beautifully drawn characters.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Classics, Asia, Historical, Asian Literature, Novels

480 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1963

About the author

Pearl Comfort Sydenstricker Buck was an American writer and novelist. She is best known for The Good Earth, the best-selling novel in the United States in 1931 and 1932 and which won her the Pulitzer Prize in 1932. In 1938, Buck became the first American woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature "for her rich and truly epic descriptions of peasant life in China" and for her "masterpieces", two memoir-biographies of her missionary parents.
Buck was born in West Virginia, but in October 1892, her parents took their 4-month-old baby to China. As the daughter of missionaries and later as a missionary herself, Buck spent most of her life before 1934 in Zhenjiang, with her parents, and in Nanjing, with her first husband. She and her parents spent their summers in a villa in Kuling, Mount Lu, Jiujiang, and it was during this annual pilgrimage that the young girl decided to become a writer. She graduated from Randolph-Macon Woman's College in Lynchburg, Virginia, then returned to China. From 1914 to 1932, after marrying John Lossing Buck she served as a Presbyterian missionary, but she came to doubt the need for foreign missions. Her views became controversial during the Fundamentalist–Modernist controversy, leading to her resignation. After returning to the United States in 1935, she married the publisher Richard J. Walsh and continued writing prolifically. She became an activist and prominent advocate of the rights of women and racial equality, and wrote widely on Chinese and Asian cultures, becoming particularly well known for her efforts on behalf of Asian and mixed-race adoption.

Reviews

[david · Rating 5 out of 5]

Last week I went for my annual physical.

“david, you are putting on some weight,” claimed the doctor I have known for a decade.

“Why? How much do I now weigh?” an innocent member of the GR community asks the internist.

“One hundred and sixty-two pounds with your clothes on,” was the reply.

“I confess, Doctor. I have been doing a lot of reading and writing. How much should I weigh?” the obeisant knight errant, challenged.

“Let’s see,” as he plays with the touchpad of his laptop. “A 5’4” male should weigh one hundred and fifty-two pounds. “You are a little bit chubby.”

I was unaffected. I have read Thackeray. Ha. (I’ve had only one meal a day since that visit and who does he think he is with all those pretentious degrees hanging on the walls? And above that fancy schmancy head, replete with grey hair, he was obviously seated, I calmed myself with learned mindfulness, staring at a painting of a boat in the harbor from an octogenarian patient of his who must have just taken up a drawing class, and should not have used chalk)

I went home, if one could call it such, and started a nearly five-hundred-page book (although on my Kindle it is location, location, location and not page numbers) that would shield me from the contents of the refrigerator and one of three million restaurants nearby.

It was a Pearl S. Buck piece titled, “The Living Reed, A Novel of Korea,” which makes me think of ‘kimchee,’ but I rather not talk about food right now, probiotic or not.

Perhaps some sashimi….it’s light.

This is a fictional account of Korea, an old nation, surrounded by hostile countries and its insistence to be independent from them. It spans three or four generations of a family and culminates in what is now known as North and South Korea.

It matters not that I am a man, about the height of an average sixth grader. Ms. Buck knows how to reach inside and bring out the Yin that resides in me underneath the reported ten pounds of fat.

She knows how to push the emotional and inquisitive buttons of a reader and concomitantly weave a tale that is rich in fastidious research of the subject. In simpler terms, you can learn from it while you weep. (notebook and tissues required)

Her mode of expression is gentle, feminine, erudite and is consistent with two of her other novels which I enjoyed. She is a ‘Noble’ recipient after all.

For the Un-students among us, like me, who prefer their history in a literary offering and not from college textbooks, I recommend it. It's my cup of green tea.

I knew nothing of Napoleon or Leningrad or Samovars until I read Tolstoy.

Now it’s time for a snack.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning book. This book had AMAZING characters and I found myself falling in love with Korea and the Korean people. Pearl Buck is an amazing author and has a way of bringing people's struggles, desires, fears, loves and hopes to life in a way that no other author does. Before I read this book I could have cared less about Korea and her history. But this book brought that country alive and gave me an appreciation for what has happened to that nation over the last hundred years and how the US has betrayed and help her. Lets just say the Korean war makes MUCH more sense to me now. I am so glad that I've discovered Pearl Buck because I feel that through her books I get a glimpse into the life, religion, and history of Eastern cultures, something that my Western education has neglected to do. Ooooh, I like her books.

[Joel Judge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, yet another fantastic read. Pearl S. Buck is rapidly becoming one of my favourite authors. The Living Reed is a multi-generational saga centred upon the Kim family who struggle to maintain their proud Korean heritage and culture through the dark and harrowing days of Japanese occupation. The story tells of Korea's historically unfortunate geographic location, a small nation which from the late 1800's to after the Korean War was destined to be a pawn of more powerful nations including China, Russia and Japan.

Ever mindful of Korea's precarious position, The last King and Queen of Korea could not agree on whether to seek the support of their long time protector China, or move towards closer ties with the USA. As China's own position was weakened and Japanese military might confirmed, Korea was left with few options and little room to manoeuvre. For it's part, in the early 1900's, the USA failed to recognise the value of supporting Korean independence and to some extent acquiesced to Japan's imperial designs. The result of this was a national calamity for the people of Korea who were required to endure Japanese rule leading to years of subjugation, humiliation, state sponsored terror and the brutal uncompromising repression of their national aspirations.

Through it all the proud Kim family struggles with dignity, courage and perseverance to do all that they can to bring about an end to their country's occupation. They must endure personal tragedy and years of forced separation in the hope that one day Korea will see a brighter future, free from foreign interference and control.

[Kressel Housman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pearl S. Buck is most famous for her books on China, but when I learned that she wrote one about Korea, I just had to get hold of it. North Korea is regarded as one of the world’s biggest threats to stability, safety, and peace, so it seemed imperative to learn more Korean history. Almost everything I knew until now came from watching reruns of M*A*S*H.

As it turns out, Korea has a history that a Jew can appreciate. It’s an ancient culture with its own language and customs, but rarely has it had control over its own land. Japan, in its quest for empire, has periodically occupied it, and in such times, Korea has been forced to turn to China for protection, which of course comes at a political cost. Korea has been a pawn between these two great Asian powers for centuries.

The book opens in 1881 when nobleman Il-han Kim, favorite of the Korean Queen, advises her to reach out to the Western powers instead of to China. After much political intrigue, both the Queen and Il-han are forced into exile. This political intrigue lasts for the entirety of Part I, but it is interspersed with domestic scenes with Il-han’s wife and sons. Sunia, Il-han’s wife, is one of my favorite characters in the book. She starts off as a stereotypically passive Asian woman, but as the book goes on, she gets bolder and savvier.

The book really picks up in Part II. Il-han’s sons are now young men, and as Western influence is beginning to shape Korea, each follows a different strain of it: one becomes a Christian, and the other a Communist. Japan regains control over Korea as a result of the Russo-Japanese war, and its rule makes for the most brutal scenes in the book. But my favorite scene is also in this section, and it involves none other than President Woodrow Wilson. If the book is historically accurate, and I have no reason to doubt it, then dominated peoples like the Koreans saw Wilson’s Fourteen Points as a great hope for their ultimate liberation and self-determination. Il-han gets an audience with Wilson, and it’s a mostly positive portrayal of the former president, which is quite a contrast to the way he’s seen these days in light of his attitude and treatment of African Americans. So I wondered: did Koreans and Poles and other diverse ethnic groups really attempt to meet and appeal to Wilson? If so, I want to read a non-fiction account of it. (I invite your recommendations.)

Part III is about the third generation and takes place during and immediately after World War II. The book ends with Japan’s defeat, which is when Korea was divided into North and South at the 38th Parallel, the cause of the Korean Conflict and the cause of its problems today. In her afterword, Ms. Buck observes, “The mistakes of history bring relentless reprisals.” Oh, such wisdom! So if you want more insights like that in novel form, I highly recommend this book. You won’t just learn about Korea. You’ll get a picture of the human potential for cruelty set against our potential for kindness and courage.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

A stellar read! I am an absolute fan of Pearl S Buck and this book is an easy 5 stars. I learned so much about the era that is the main focus in this book, 1910-1945. I had no idea what the Koreans experienced during the Japanese annexation of their country.

What dawned on me while reading this book, is that Pearl S Buck truly understood her characters. I often feel disappointed with authors because to me, a story should be more than relating events or conversations. A good writer conveys life and character within the people who frame the story. She is an absolute master of character framing. Now I am going to be looking for more of this caliber.

[Bob Newman · Rating 1 out of 5]

....when she really started churning'em out

I'm no expert on Korea or Korean history, though I did live there for six months some years ago. At that time, I learned enough about the country to realize that THE LIVING REED is a joke. If you like soap opera, uplifting prose about valiant people striving to overcome whatever, then this book could be for you. But, if you like reasonably authentic background and depiction of central characters who are not cardboard figures, then think twice before devoting too much of your time to such a book. Pearl Buck had a hit with 'The Good Earth', true. But she tried to capitalize on that and churned out more and more 'uplifting sagas' of this type. OK, so maybe she did it to increase understanding of Asia in the USA. It was for a good cause. But what we are doing here is reviewing books. This book is just not very good. Times have changed and it's out of fashion (happily) to regard individuals of any one nation as particularly charged with moral values, fighting spirit, special will power, etc. These traits are pretty well spread across the human race. You will not find this observation salient in THE LIVING REED. The Koreans are portrayed as a nation of heroes and heroines. That's bunk. They are people just like everyone else. However, it IS true that this is a second-rate novel just like a lot of Buck's others.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a poignant story of a Korean family set against the backdrop of ancient Korean history and the betrayal of Korea by America with a secret treaty by Taft giving Japan complete control over Korea. I thought the book would end with Korean Independence tied up with a beautiful bow by America, but I was wrong. Apparently(which I must read about somewhere else) Japanese control continued until 1948.

The overall feeling provoked by the story is profound sadness for a nation coveted by China, Japan and Russia, pining for complete independence, only to be subjected to a ruthless and brutal Japanese rule for 35 years.South Korea is a true American ally, and we should make sure we continue to protect their independence.

If only Buck could have written a historical novel about the plight of the Palestinians!

[path · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story takes place over three generations of a Korean family from the mid-late 19th century through the end of WWII. Arguably, the aim of the novel was to tell a story of the transformation of Korea from a more isolationist country through its modernization, colonization by Japan, and eventual geographical and ideological split along the 38th parallel. This historical setting is what attracted me to the novel in the first place.

The book delivers what was promised, but like a lot of sweeping historical fiction, historical nuance is compressed into symbology. As a result, the characters suffer a bit. Il-han and Sunia, of the first generation, are the most solid and fully-dimensional; they are also the only ones around for the entirety of the book, so that probably helps.

The sons, Yul-Han and Yul-Chun are less dimensional. Each son is largely emptied of personality and motive and each acts in ways that seem ... maybe tautological is what I'm looking for. Yul-Han seems to symbolize modernity and the Chrisitian-ization of (South) Korea and all of his actions seem directed at this point and characterization. Yul-chun seems to symbolize revolution and the esprit de corps of the emerging Korean nationalism and almost all of his actions and dialogue point back to this symbolic meaning. By the time the story focuses on the younger son, Yul-Chun, the story is almost completely in the realm of symbolism. Yul-Chun even becomes known as and referred to by the symbolic image "The Living Reed."

The story told through the third generation, the grandsons, Liang and Sasha, is similarly symbolic and less narrative-rich. The story captured through the grandsons was also representing a time in Korean history that was close to contemporary with Buck at the time she was writing the novel. So, I suppose Liang and Sasha were more speculative as character types interpreted from the tea leaves of history to that point.

And the wives? Outside of Sunia, who has bit of depth to her, the women are even flatter, which was surprising to me. Perhaps this focus on the men was a reflection of the pressure Buck was under at the time to get this book into print. However, my recollection of Buck, from the only other book of hers that I have read (i.e., The Good Earth) is that she has written strong women characters. I was hoping to see more of that her, but alas no.

Recommended but with reservations. Overall, it is a worthwhile read about global political machinations, misplaced trust, and good intentions and geo-political mismanagement. As a riveting storyline, however ... not so much.

[Em*Greedy* (Iniya) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, this book was not at all what I expected when I picked it.. (or when I saw that Kavitha picked it for me in the PIFM challenge). It talks about the lives of the koreans during the world war times and before – covers the experience of 4 generations of the Kim family in Korea.

What I liked:

I was awed by the beauty of korea as described in the book, and the superstitions are well, Koreans overtake us in terms of superstitions :-P The living reed who led the rebellions and passed the information through magazines. It was different to see the perspective of 4 different generation of people on their country and government. Felt really bad for the Koreans, whose status succumbed to their rulers and the conflict of thoughts among them. Their struggle for independence made me think of the Indian Independence struggles which we so much talk about..!

What I didn't like:

In some places, I felt that the author was too biased towards America and the government. The Koreans in this novel continuously thought of the Americans(Government) as almost-Gods. Even though they were repeatedly abandoned/ignored by the American Government, I don’t understand why they trusted them again. That part didn't go well with me. And, was that really the opinion of the entire Korean community? I wonder that too..!
And though the author had taken pains to justify every action/ignorance of Americans throughout the book, why did she decide to ignore the bombings in Japan in the last part?

After highlighting living reed so much, wasn't the ending too unjustified for him :-( ?

I'm not well-versed with the history of Korea and the other nations' intervention in Korea, But this is what reading this made me wonder. Will read more books on this and may later comment further..!!

[Kawthar · Rating 4 out of 5]

un roman historique dont tout y vrai en plongeant dans l'histoire de trois générations d'une même famille a la Corée d'autrefois la Corée suite a l'invasion du Japon le communisme les révolutionnaires les yangban la reine assassinée les Kim les yi
la Corée qui est au centre de trois force Japon chine et Russie et qui recherche refuge et aide auprès des américains moi même je connaissais peu de cette partie de l'histoire et maintenant que la lecture est achevé je me penche pour mieux connaître ce qui s'est réellement passé
toutefois toujours pearl Buck a une tendance a faire connaître les traditions du pays des religions des coutumes et traditions et par de même l'affrontement entre deux monde le monde ancien de l'asie et le fameux étranger qu'est les états unies avec le frottement des jeunes entre autres ces deux mondes

[Dana Bentzen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful and sad, story of a family as Korea changes over the course of 50 years. The dynamics of father and son, tradition vs new ways is beautifully written.

[Rrlgrrl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started this book last year and finally finished it sometime in January. I love Pearl S. Buck as a writer, but this novel was very hard to read for me. The villains in it were the Japanese soldiers, and there were many terrible things they did to the Koreans. It's a fascinating book about a slice of Korean history, between the late 1800s and through the beginning of World War II. The original reason I started to read this book was to learn about unique cultures that are not well know in the Western world.

As per any book by Buck, the plot moves quickly and sometimes the cliffhanger moments keep you reading. I recommend this book for anyone interested in Korean history and philosophy. Many of the events in the story are based on real events and people.

[Kimberly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pearl S. Buck is one of my favorite authors, but this book was probably my least favorite of what I've read from her. It still has all the hallmarks of what Buck does so well -- rich, moving characters who seem real and human, full of depth and complicated motivations. But her devotion to tracking the complicated political tensions of 20th century Korea ultimately bogs her story down, and the narrative gets lost several times, in my opinion. I think she also romanticized America's involvement, detrimentally. The book could have been half as long, since it spans three generations, and the reader loses some of the attachments to characters as a result. Buck has written better stories than this one.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pearl Buck usually writes stories about people in China but this one is about Korea. It made me fall in love with the Korean people. This was a great book about a very interesting time in Korea when they are taken over by Japan. The book takes place during WWI and WWII. It's about a very important Korean family, the Kim family who were very patriotic and loved their country. They hoped that America would help save them from Japan but things didn't work out like they hoped. They did everything they could to return Korea to Korea. Their sacrifices were inspiring to me. The symbolism of the Living Reed throughout the book is masterful. It's a great book!

[Susan Huff · Rating 5 out of 5]

pearl buck, my favorite author

I love reading all of her books, I started with the Good Earth, at the age of 15, in high school and I stayed up all night, in a closet at my sisters house, we were visiting at the time in LaCross, Wisconsin, to finish reading it, my mother yelling at me several times, to go to bed! I finished it that night in the closet with the light on! I couldn’t and didn’t want to put it down until I finished reading it! I have all her books now and continue reading them all over and over again I’m 70, now and will continue to read all of her books over and over again.

[Carolyn Vandine West · Rating 4 out of 5]

Took me awhile to get through this one, I was savoring the time and vibrant history in this book. As an adult I miss the history classes I never took, but this is a pleasant way to catch up. I know I read the good earth many years ago and plan to revisit it again. Don't miss this author I was quite intrigued by the story behind Korea although I still have not researched why and when the country divided into the north and south. That is for another book I guess

[Anne (In Search of Wonder) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The main reason for the four states is because this book really transports you to a time and place you will never otherwise get to see. The author's research and firsthand knowledge of the culture made this book a fascinating and intriguing one.

I didn't give it five stars because it moved very slowly, and because I felt some of the characters' actions were inexplicable and even contradictory. I was confused more than once by the choices made during the boom by various characters.

[Amanda Slack · Rating 4 out of 5]

First time reading a Pearl S Buck novel. It was quite good. This historical fiction follows a Korean family from the late 1800s until the end of WWII. It is an interesting perspective on the history of Korea during the time.

[Sara G · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thoughts on this one are splintered and divided. The book deals with an extremely complex topic in a very interesting and personal way but I still wasn't sure if I liked that aspect of it. I found it very emotional and the characters were very personable, I just... I don't know.

[Gloria · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.4

[Ajla · Rating 3 out of 5]

It started very good but I completely lost interest in the second half.

[S7 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dense but very impressive - the first book I’ve read by Buck, and I can understand the accolades. If you like consuming your history via fiction this will not disappoint.

[Kira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book so much. Characters are deep and beautiful, along with the book’s depiction of Korea, which is its own character in this incredible book.

[Virginia Tschida · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buck at her finest. This is amazing. Loved it.

[Eric Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did you know this book was a NY Times bestseller in 1963 for 23 weeks? No American writer captures Asia in such detail, not only the scenery and culture, but the very mindset of the people. The Good Earth is one of my all-time favorite novels, and though this one takes a little longer to get into, it has the same attention and care for its characters.

[Renee Kahl · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Pearl Buck's popularity fell off dramatically not long after she won the Nobel Prize for Literature, among the criticisms of her prose style was that it was prone to stock phrases. I could not disagree more; I'll take her over Dreiser (who she modestly said should have won that year) any day. I love her prose style, and I hate clichéd prose. I would call it spare and economical, with just enough descriptive detail on characters' emotions and relationships, landscape, and historical events to advance her sweeping historical sagas decades on a single page while keeping the reader deeply bonded with character and story. And there is practically nobody but Buck who can give you a window into the agrarian societies of China, Korea, and other Asian countries pre-Communist Revolution. Modern Asian writers, who weren't alive at the time, have come around to acknowledging this, after for years Buck was persona non grata with Communist governments who didn't like her sympathetic portrayal of the lot of peasants under both old and new systems.
The Living Reed covers three generations of a patriotic Korean family and their participation in efforts for Korean independence from the 1860s through just after WWII. It's very long, and the writing does decline just a bit as she rushes at the very end--my reason for only four stars. But I highly recommend this book to get a feel for this enigmatic country, especially while there are still people alive who remember the times Buck is writing about.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really wonderful and detailed look at life in Korea during before and during the Japanese occupation. So detailed in fact, that if you weren't sure how babies nurse, there's a whole page explaining it.

The boob page aside - the characters were absolutely amazing and you'll find yourself falling in love with all of them, even though they aren't perfect. I kept trying to figure out just how historically accurate everything is, I mean, it's fiction, but we all know how well researched Buck's books usually are. I've read different accounts ranging from 'this book is terribly researched' to 'it could pass as a historical textbook on korea' - and I don't have a firm enough grasp on Asian history to make a judgement. So I guess, take it with a grain of salt?

Bottom line: If you love historical fiction, you'll breeze right through this.

[Mariana Tomé · Rating 5 out of 5]

Como todas as outras obras que já li da autora, "A Serpente Vermelha" é mais uma extraordinária história que não só nos faz embrenhar totalmente no enredo da mesma como nos dá a conhecer o Oriente de uma forma que não seria possível de outra maneira. Com a acção principal a decorrer na Coreia, a autora relata-nos como é do seu costume e estilo característico, as particularidades da cultura, povo, tradição e história coreana, numa narrativa que se desenrola até pouco depois da II Guerra Mundial.
Tal como sucedeu com todas as outras obras da autora que já li, "A Serpente Vermelha" não só me permitiu ficar a conhecer um pouco melhor este povo e cultura que nos é tão distante como também me permitiu, à luz dos factos da actualidade, compreender tantos outros acontecimentos que sucederam e que, em alguns casos, as suas consequências perduram ainda nos dias de hoje.

[Eileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have always believed there should be one Korea, and that the North/South division is a modern imposition, reading this book, which is both historical, yet gently lyrical, at times, will go a long way towards realizing why one Korea would likely never work. Very different peoples, different belief systems, and the tragedy is that the "line" separated some families, and to the "wrong side" of their actual ethnic divide. Pearl S. Buck is at her best, in this book.

[Lauri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finally finished this book! It's not that it wasn't interesting, it's just that it contained so much Korean and world history, as well as philosophy, religious belief, political ideology... It's really a lot to take in and absorb all at once. At its heart, it's the story of one man's family and how they come to terms with the changing world around them.