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Pavilion of Women Audiobook
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(4.00) - 3,472 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
On her fortieth birthday, Madame Wu carries out a decision she has been planning for a long time: she tells her husband that after twenty-four years their physical life together is now over and she wishes him to take a second wife. The House of Wu, one of the oldest and most revered in China, is thrown into an uproar by her decision, but Madame Wu will not be dissuaded and arranges for a young country girl to come take her place in bed. Elegant and detached, Madame Wu orchestrates this change as she manages everything in the extended household of more than sixty relatives and servants. Alone in her own quarters, she relishes her freedom and reads books she has never been allowed to touch. When her son begins English lessons, she listens, and is soon learning from the "foreigner," a free-thinking priest named Brother Andre, who will change her life. Pavilion of Women is a thought-provoking combination of Old China, unorthodox Christianity, and liberation, written by Pearl S. Buck, a Nobel Prize winner born and raised in China. Few stories raise so many questions about the nature and roles of men and women, about self-discipline and happiness. At the center is the amazing Madame Wu -brilliant, beautiful, full of contradictions and authority.
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"Pavilion of Women is one of the novels that Ms. Buck wrote about the struggle of old vs new. Within the Wu household are bought concubines along with revolutionary wives who chose their husband and did not have their parents involved. Madame Wu is an interesting character who sparks a riveting tale with her decision. It might not be for everyone, but whether or not you're a Pearl S. Buck fan, you should enjoy this story."
— Delicious (5 out of 5 stars)
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“Pavilion of Women is Miss Buck at her best, the dedicated storyteller. Beneath the deceptive simplicity of the narrative flows the clear, swift tide of human life—the small commonplaces of daily living, the clashes of personality, the episodes mean and magnificent.”
— Saturday Review of Literature -
“Narrating simply in gentle, dignified, and understated tones, Adam Verner gives this masterful book the perfect touch. On the surface, his delivery is plain, devoid of flourishes, while worlds of underlying meaning emerge through subtle means.”
— AudioFile
Pavilion of Women Listener Reviews
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" I loved this book so much that I did not want it to end. I wanted it to go on and on. I wanted to keep knowing more about Madame Wu and her family's life. It made me sad to see the book come to an end. "
— Kim, 2/10/2014 -
" I read this book because The Good Earth is one of my very favorite books, and I was so curious to read something else by Buck. I liked this book overall- I love the way that Buck lays out juicy family gossip, and the way that she describes people in such an in depth manner; however, I found myself getting bored as the book became increasingly spiritual and philosophical. "
— Melanie, 1/28/2014 -
" Soooo well written. I really enjoyed "
— Barbara, 1/24/2014 -
" I loved "The Good Earth" and thought this was also very good. The main character, Madame Wu, is intriuging as she grows and changes throughout her life. It was fascinating to see inside the walls of a wealthy Chinese family and the family dynamics of the Wu family. "
— Carrie, 1/18/2014 -
" I love reading books about the Chinese Culture. This book was that and more. It was about women anywhere. Unfortunately I could not find a copy of my edition to post on my books shelve. I scored an old version off of ebay. When I read another Pearl S. Buck book, would love to read the Good Earth. "
— Cindy, 12/12/2013 -
" Ever timeless. An amazing read! "
— G, 12/5/2013 -
" Great book by Pearl S. Buck. One of my favorites.... "
— Jenn, 11/9/2013 -
" I didn't enjoy this as much as Buck's "The Good Earth," but it was stil very good, offering a glimpse into a culture so very different from our own. "
— Sue, 9/28/2013 -
" It took me a little while to get into it, but I really liked the independent-thinking main character. She was ahead of her time. "
— Jen, 8/28/2013 -
" I find that I really enjoy her books. They give a good insight of the culture and customs. "
— Libby, 8/16/2013 -
" As with The Good Earth, I enjoyed this book. Her style of writing is with out flare or glitz and yet I find I am compelled to keep reading. She is a great story teller and I found myself reflecting on the themes in this book even while I wasn't reading it. "
— Liesa, 6/29/2013 -
" Madame Wu's desire to help others overshadowed her own needs. "
— R, 4/16/2013 -
" I really enjoyed this book. A favorite passage is:"the first love in a man's heart is love of self. Heaven put that love first in order that man would want to live, whatever his sorrows." "
— Roseanne, 11/6/2012 -
" bertele-tele, hurufnya kecil, memang jadul, tapi mengajarkan banyak memahami dunia orang cina dan para wanitanya yang...ternyata kuat.. "
— Antonini, 9/10/2012 -
" Another good one by Pearl Buck. Madame Wu has just turned 40. She wants her time as a wife to be over and to have her mind and body to herself. So she buys her husband a concubine. Things don't go well. She hires a tutor (a western priest) to teach her son and ends up learning about herself. "
— Cathy, 8/31/2012 -
" This is definitely a feminist book. "
— Barrie, 2/25/2012 -
" bagus bgt nih buku...keren,aku pikir bukunya berat dan cenderung ke sastra, tapi sekali baca gak bisa berhenti sampe selesai,ceritanya menyentuh banget, Pearl S Buck top deh ^^ "
— Christine, 11/19/2011 -
" Did you know Pearl Buck wrote other books? This was a very interesting book. Started off as a classic Chinese novel, but then went in a direction I didn't expect. Very enjoyable! "
— Lara, 11/16/2011 -
" I was sick of this book with still 150 pgs to go, but I finished it just to make sure it didn't have an unexpected twist that would change my opinion. It didn't. I didn't care about the characters, I didn't understand them. The story didn't move me at all. "
— Meghan, 11/15/2011 -
" 1920's China "
— Jayne, 9/7/2011 -
" Ihave been fascinated reading books by Pearl Buck and her life. What a far advanced and forward thinking woman for her day and age. My interest and knowledge of China and its history has been greatly enhanced, thanks to Ms. Buck. "
— Irene, 8/17/2011 -
" A little to philosophical/self discovery for my taste, but a good story. "
— Susanne, 7/28/2011 -
" Very good book but of course, Pearl Buck, is an accomplished writer and knows how to tell a story. "
— Marie, 7/17/2011 -
" Probably third time I've read this book. Worth reading every time. "
— Barb, 7/3/2011 -
" Wow! this novel gave me so much to think about, its the first time I've read this author and I'm really impressed. "
— Starry, 5/23/2011 -
" fascinating first half in development of Madame Wu's character, motivation, and insight into her household. loses energy later. "
— Ann, 4/26/2011 -
" bagus bgt nih buku...keren,aku pikir bukunya berat dan cenderung ke sastra, tapi sekali baca gak bisa berhenti sampe selesai,ceritanya menyentuh banget, Pearl S Buck top deh ^^ "
— Christine, 11/26/2010 -
" Ihave been fascinated reading books by Pearl Buck and her life. What a far advanced and forward thinking woman for her day and age. My interest and knowledge of China and its history has been greatly enhanced, thanks to Ms. Buck. "
— Irene, 11/21/2010
About Pearl S. Buck
Pearl S. Buck (1892–1973), the daughter of missionaries, was born in West Virginia but spent most of her time until 1934 in China. She began writing while in China and published her first novel shortly after returning to the United States. Her novel The Good Earth was the bestselling fiction book in the United States in 1931 and 1932, and it won the Pulitzer Prize in 1932. In 1938 she became the first American woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, “for her rich and truly epic descriptions of peasant life in China and for her biographical masterpieces.”
About Adam Verner
Adam Verner is a stage, film, television, and voice actor and an Earphones Award–winning audiobook narrator. He holds a BS in theater arts from Bradley University and an MFA from Chicago College of the Performing Arts at Roosevelt University.