The Good Earth

“With the first chapter, a wonderful rendition of a time-honored story begins. Anthony Heald captures Buck’s commentary on the human condition with a humble tone that matches the poignant life of Wang Lung and his wife, Olan, as they eke out a living in rural China. Heald’s performance pays homage to the novel’s historical integrity in its detailed account of the Boxer Rebellion and its aftermath. This is an outstanding production of Buck’s most famous work.” —AudioFile

“Heald’s beguiling voice is used to great effect in his impressive reading of this 1932 Pulitzer Prize–winning novel...Heald does not attempt a Chinese accent in his reading of this classic. Instead, he softly eases into tonal shifts...His wise decision not to force a false sound into his reading allows listeners to fully enjoy and luxuriate in the lovely cadence of the narration. A beautiful writer, Buck is a master at controlling the narrative while spinning out delicate and sublime sentences. Heald reads them perfectly, doing what should be done with all literary classics produced in audio format—letting the words take over so that listeners experience the text in a way so profound that they easily immerse themselves into the plot and fall under the writer’s spell. Heald’s fabulous reading is a great achievement, and his subtle changes in tone and inflection to indicate wizened old men and others of varying ages add authenticity to this timeless story. An essential purchase for well-rounded audio collections.” —Booklist