Pearl S. Buck Quotes

Powerful Pearl S. Buck for Daily Growth

About Pearl S. Buck

Pearl Sydenstricker Buck (June 26, 1892 – March 6, 1973) was an American novelist and humanitarian, best known for her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, "The Good Earth." Born in West Virginia to missionary parents, she spent much of her childhood in China where her father served as a Presbyterian minister. This experience significantly influenced Buck's writing, providing her with deep insights into Chinese culture and life. Buck's first novel, "East Wind: West Wind" (1930), was a semi-autobiographical account of her experiences in China. However, it was "The Good Earth" (1931) that brought her international acclaim. This epic novel follows the life of Wang Lung, a Chinese farmer, over several decades and is considered one of the most important works about rural China in the 20th century. The novel won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1932, making Buck the first American woman of Asian descent to win a Nobel Prize in Literature (which she received in 1938). Buck's writing career spanned over four decades and included more than 60 novels, collections of essays, short stories, poetry, and children's books. She was also an active social and political activist, advocating for women's rights, civil rights, and international understanding. Her dedication to these causes led to the establishment of Welcome House, a home for biracial children in China, and the Pearl S. Buck Foundation, which continues to support various charitable causes today. Pearl S. Buck's impact on literature and humanitarianism remains significant. Her works continue to be read and studied worldwide, offering insights into Chinese culture and life as well as the complexities of family, love, and social change.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"The noblest pursuit is the pursuit of happiness."

This quote by Pearl S. Buck underscores the inherent human desire for happiness and positions it as a noble endeavor. It suggests that seeking one's own happiness, in the context of respecting others and living harmoniously with society, is a commendable goal and an essential part of personal growth and fulfillment. The quote also implies that true happiness lies not only in material possessions or worldly success, but rather in finding meaning, contentment, and peace within oneself and one's relationships.


"It is better to know some of the questions than all of the answers."

This quote emphasizes the value of asking questions and seeking understanding over merely accumulating knowledge or facts. It suggests that while having answers is useful, knowing the right questions to ask can lead to deeper insights, critical thinking, and a more holistic understanding of a subject. In other words, it's better to have a few thoughtful inquiries that guide us toward meaningful learning than to possess a wealth of information without direction or purpose.


"To know what really matters is wisdom, to climb up above the mists and see it is perception."

This quote highlights the profound wisdom of discerning what truly matters in life, which is a key aspect of inner knowledge and understanding. Climbing above the mists symbolizes rising above everyday distractions, illusions, or confusion to gain a clear perspective - this is perception, the ability to see things as they are and appreciate their significance. The combination of wisdom (understanding what truly matters) and perception (having a clear, unobstructed view of it) provides insight into one's purpose and prioritizes one's actions towards achieving meaning and fulfillment in life.


"We cannot love God unless we love each other and cannot wait to meet God, but can only be eager to meet each other."

This quote emphasizes the interconnectedness between love for others and love for a higher power (God), suggesting that they are inextricably linked. By loving our fellow human beings, we demonstrate our capacity for compassion, empathy, and understanding – traits often associated with divine love. The eager anticipation to meet each other is seen as a reflection of our eagerness to reunite with God, implying that our relationships with one another mirror the connection we seek with the divine. Essentially, this quote posits that by loving and respecting each other, we are reflecting and practicing love for God.


"The more a truth seems unbearable to us, the more we may be sure that we are touching the core of truth."

This quote by Pearl S. Buck suggests that when a truth is uncomfortable or difficult for us to accept, it indicates that we are confronting a fundamental aspect or core of reality. The discomfort serves as a signpost, urging us to face our fears, question our beliefs, and grow in understanding. Ultimately, accepting such unbearable truths can lead to personal growth, self-awareness, and wisdom.


You cannot make yourself feel something you do not feel, but you can make yourself do right in spite of your feelings.

- Pearl S. Buck

Yourself, Feel, Cannot, Spite

Every great mistake has a halfway moment, a split second when it can be recalled and perhaps remedied.

- Pearl S. Buck

Mistake, Perhaps, Split, Halfway

When good people in any country cease their vigilance and struggle, then evil men prevail.

- Pearl S. Buck

Good, Country, Then, Vigilance

Our society must make it right and possible for old people not to fear the young or be deserted by them, for the test of a civilization is the way that it cares for its helpless members.

- Pearl S. Buck

Society, Test, Cares, Old People

Inside myself is a place where I live all alone and that is where I renew my springs that never dry up.

- Pearl S. Buck

Myself, Alone, Springs, Renew

Praise out of season, or tactlessly bestowed, can freeze the heart as much as blame.

- Pearl S. Buck

Blame, Bestowed, Freeze, Season

Growth itself contains the germ of happiness.

- Pearl S. Buck

Happiness, Itself, Contains, Germ

In a mood of faith and hope my work goes on. A ream of fresh paper lies on my desk waiting for the next book. I am a writer and I take up my pen to write.

- Pearl S. Buck

Waiting, Mood, Next, Fresh

We send missionaries to China so the Chinese can get to heaven, but we won't let them into our country.

- Pearl S. Buck

China, Country, Chinese, Send

All things are possible until they are proved impossible - and even the impossible may only be so, as of now.

- Pearl S. Buck

Impossible, Possible, May, All Things

Self-expression must pass into communication for its fulfillment.

- Pearl S. Buck

Communication, Pass, Must, Self-Expression

Order is the shape upon which beauty depends.

- Pearl S. Buck

Beauty, Shape, Which, Order

Some are kissing mothers and some are scolding mothers, but it is love just the same, and most mothers kiss and scold together.

- Pearl S. Buck

Love, Mom, Most, Together

The person who tries to live alone will not succeed as a human being. His heart withers if it does not answer another heart. His mind shrinks away if he hears only the echoes of his own thoughts and finds no other inspiration.

- Pearl S. Buck

Other, Away, Tries, Hears

The bitterest creature under heaven is the wife who discovers that her husband's bravery is only bravado, that his strength is only a uniform, that his power is but a gun in the hands of a fool.

- Pearl S. Buck

Strength, Hands, Gun, Bravery

None who have always been free can understand the terrible fascinating power of the hope of freedom to those who are not free.

- Pearl S. Buck

Freedom, Always, Been, Terrible

One faces the future with one's past.

- Pearl S. Buck

Future, Past, Faces

The young do not know enough to be prudent, and therefore they attempt the impossible - and achieve it, generation after generation.

- Pearl S. Buck

Generation, Young, Achieve, Prudent

Love dies only when growth stops.

- Pearl S. Buck

Love, Growth, Only, Dies

A man is educated and turned out to work. But a woman is educated and turned out to grass.

- Pearl S. Buck

Woman, Educated, Turned, Grass

If our American way of life fails the child, it fails us all.

- Pearl S. Buck

American, Way, Our, American Way

To eat bread without hope is still slowly to starve to death.

- Pearl S. Buck

Death, Bread, Still, Slowly

We should so provide for old age that it may have no urgent wants of this world to absorb it from meditation on the next. It is awful to see the lean hands of dotage making a coffer of the grave.

- Pearl S. Buck

Age, Next, Making, Absorb

I feel no need for any other faith than my faith in the kindness of human beings. I am so absorbed in the wonder of earth and the life upon it that I cannot think of heaven and angels.

- Pearl S. Buck

Faith, Feel, Other, Absorb

Like Confucius of old, I am so absorbed in the wonder of the earth and the life upon it, that I cannot think of heaven and the angels.

- Pearl S. Buck

Think, Like, Confucius, Absorb

You can judge your age by the amount of pain you feel when you come in contact with a new idea.

- Pearl S. Buck

Pain, New, Amount, New Idea

Nothing and no one can destroy the Chinese people. They are relentless survivors.

- Pearl S. Buck

Chinese, Chinese People, Survivors

The truth is always exciting. Speak it, then. Life is dull without it.

- Pearl S. Buck

Truth, Always, Exciting, Dull

Truth is always exciting. Speak it, then; life is dull without it.

- Pearl S. Buck

Truth, Always, Exciting, Dull

Race prejudice is not only a shadow over the colored it is a shadow over all of us, and the shadow is darkest over those who feel it least and allow its evil effects to go on.

- Pearl S. Buck

Over, Allow, Race Prejudice, Prejudice

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