Evening star., 1940-07-14
Pearl Buck Thinks
Three Novels Ahead;
Writes Swiftly
Finds Contentment in
RombIes Over Peaceful
Countrysides
BY MARY ELIZABETH PLUMMER,
Associated Press STAFF Writer

BY MARY ELIZABETH PLUMMER,
Associated Press STAFF Writer.
NEW YORK, July 13.-In the
peaceful Pennsylvania countryside,
rambling over the land with her
children and writing half of each
day with unfiagging zest, Pearl
Buck, author of "The Good Earth"
has found the quiet center" which
she feels every human being needs
in the modern world. ..
The woman who has won the
Pulitzer Prize and the Nobel Prize
for literature and who is the mother
of seven boys and girls-six of them
adopted finds strength giving
sources in her farm home and fam
lily life, and constant renewal of her
creative energy.
She is always thinking three
novels ahead; and is clearly aware
today what her next two books will
be. They are long in preparations;
but when the actual writing begins,
she does it swiftly, unencumbered
by notes and charts and writing "out
Of the people in my story" 4.
Nine years ago she wrote all of
"The Good Earth" and typed it
twice herself, in three months.
Quiet Center Defined.
A quiet center she said, is not a
matter of geography but Of man
aging to keep certain part of ones
life absolutely quiet.
Il don't believe in the ivory
tower. I don't believe in with
drawal from people and the events
of ones time.
"Yet at the same time you
shouldn't be at the mercy of life. but
should take time and space to be
yourself, and live your own inward
life, full of what enriches you.
II can do all sorts of things on
the fringe of my life, but must
have quiet center"
A time such as this ''is the time
to renew ones strengthening
sources-discover the things you
find deep calm in, the things that
make you confident of the worth of
life.
1T isn't right to give way to a
sense of futility and feel that things
In part of the world are coming to
an end. They don't come to an
end. Things 60 on. And if the
individual keeps his own balance,
he is ready to go on, too. But not
If he is all frittered away"
Many Lessons Learned in China.
Many lessons learned during her
years in China are back of Miss
Bucks philosophy. 1t is because
the Chinese people, harassed for
years by war; manage to keep their
poise and maintain their inner life
that she admires them, she said.
War became so much part OF
Pearl Bucks life in China that now,
she said, war doesn't shake any
foundation of mine. I havn't
scrap of fear or anything.
After you have suffered, seen
death, had loss, you are not afraid
any more. Those fears get out of
your way, and I'm lucky.
II don't believe in suffering for
Its own sake. think you learn as
muci1> from happiness as from suf-
fering.
But if you live, you can't escape
suffering; and you find that you get
through, and it opens a door,"
Miss Buck was born in Hillsboro,
W. Va, 48 years ago. She has
smooth brown hair untouched by
gray. a clear, fresh complexion ami
lively blue eyes.
Her face is thoughtful, but tram
quill and unmarried by worry.
Il don't have to waste time in
resentment" she said, "and I don't
have to fight against life"
Farm Secluded From Highway.
The farm which she and her pub
Usher husband, Richard j. Walsh,
bought several years ago, has hills
and a stream secluded from main
highway 30 miles from Philadelphia.
Miss Bucks first writing was done
in China after the birth of her
child, now II, and the adoption Of
her first baby.
She keeps no record in her own
mind of the number of books she
has written. Actually, she's writ
ten H.