Pearl S. Buck (1892-1973)
Filed under the name Pearl · March 6, 2026
Pearl S. Buck won both a Nobel and a Pulitzer, mostly known for The Good Earth, but the part that actually got me was that she spent her life advocating for children's welfare beyond just the writing — like, she used the platform for something real instead of just collecting the accolades and moving on, which happens with a lot of famous authors honestly. I think a lot about how people with a big platform choose to spend it, probably because I watched one bad joke of mine get taken out of context and blow up for the wrong reasons last year, and had to sit with what it actually means to have any kind of public voice at all, even a small, temporary one. She had a real one and used it to actually help kids, across a career and a life that spanned a lot of upheaval. Anyway, I clearly need to actually read The Good Earth at some point instead of just knowing the vibes of it secondhand — adding it to the list, for real this time.