The Wilbur Smith Discussion Forums

Most known for her works set in China. “The House of Earth” trilogy that starts with “The Good Earth” and follows generations of the same family thru the Chinese revolution is probably her best work. Another novel “East Wind, West Wind” is also very good.

I have a tattered old paperback copy of The Good Earth sitting on one of my bookshelves. According to the cover, it is:

"THE WORLD - FAMOUS NOVEL WHICH EARNED ITS AUTHOR THE NOBEL PRIZE FOR LITERATURE"

That has to be every author's dream.


It is the only one of hers that I have read - & more than once. It well & truly deserves the prize for it is excellent. I was thinking about this book only about a week ago. There's a show here called The Collectors and a lady came on showing her collection of Chinese shoes worn by the women who had their feet bound. It was the feet binding that horrified me the most in this novel. I can't begin to imagine the pain the girls went through. Thank goodness they finally banned it.

Feet binding is also a side theme of “Shangai Station” by Bartle Bull. Author by the way with some similarities to Wilbur.

And back to "The Good Earth" I read it in my teens and it still resonates in my mind. The sequels to it are also worth reading.