Pearl S. Buck Literary Journal
From Gateways to Graves
Seeing the works of Pearl S. Buck through her use of the strong symbol of gateways, our first issue of the PSB Journal centered on that theme from her best known novel The Good Earth. The theme of the second issue of the PSB Journal grew out of that natural cycle of our human existence on this planet. What starts to live must also come to death and, so, the theme became our writings on the Living Earth and the Dying Earth.
Since the Journal is an outreach to continue the awareness of Pearl S. Buck through her life, her literature, and her legacy, we found especial inspiration in two recent events which confirmed Pearl’s resurgence into the literary limelight after years of neglect.
The most recent was a visit from the former Chief of Staff Colin Powell who visited Green Hills Farms to speak about the strength of diversity which makes America so special. He was accompanied by Chairman Ryu of South Korea, who reaffirmed his dedication to charitable works both in American and in South Korea. In addition, Taek Myung Kwon – the new director of the South Korean branch of Pearl S. Buck International – spent several weeks with PSBI officials, staff and volunteers. All three men praised the work of PSBI and its volunteers for their charitable help for the world’s children.
The second event occurred in September when the many volunteers from the PSB Writing Center drove to Morgantown, West Virginia, for a conference in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Pulitzer Prize for literature. West Virginia University hosted nine academic papers from our volunteers in a truly international meeting of experts of Pearl Buck and her works.
As an editor of the Writing Center, I had the honor of writing a detailed blog on our journey and it is with that entry that we begin our journal this time. Our writers offer their works on the themes of the Living Earth or the Dying Earth.
Anne K. Kaler, PhD
Professor of English Emerita
Gwynedd Mercy University
(Click title to read selection. Author’s biography at end of contribution)
Pearl S. Buck Writing Center 