Books are, of course, great ways to experience a taste of another culture or time. One of the key lessons of reading books focused on different cultures is that we are all more alike than different. Another lesson is that every culture has its champions and heros, as well as its jerks and irritating people. Keeping these lessons in mind helps us not only understand other cultures and values but our own. A third lesson is that people deal with a lot of hardship and heartache in their lives – much of which may happen behind closed doors. With the help of family and friends and neighbors, we get through the challenges of life and become stronger. Without that support, we may feel depressed and vulnerable. The fourth lesson is to realize that one book does not represent everyone of a given background. In the case of this post, China and India are huge countries with long and rich histories. The Good Earth, The Inheritance of Loss, and A Passage to India are snapshots of fictional characters that are set in a time and place and created by an author – they are neither real nor factual. These books provide insight on how some people might respond in a given situation … and why.

The Good Earth by Pearl Buck, published in 1931, was my introduction to a part of Chinese history by way of a family living in largely rural community in the early 20th century. I was probably about 12 years old when I first read it and now it is book #2 of 2025. The book follows Wang Lung, his wife O-lan, and their family. Wang Lung starts off as a poor young farmer with big ambitions who finds a wife at the House of Hwang, where the nobles live. O-lan is a slave at the house and has been given to the farmer by the reigning family. So, we can already see that there are going to be some troubling issues, including the treatment of women. As an example, babies are either sons or slaves and girls may be sold to help families make ends meet. If this is triggering, stop now!

Wang Lung is a dreamer with ambitions who works hard on his land and understands his responsibilities … until he is rich … you’ll see. He buys land and continues to ensure that his family is well-supported. He sends his oldest sons to school to be educated. He hires a tutor for his third son. He supports his oldest daughter who has intellectual disabilities at a time when some families would not care for her, even during a famine that threatens their family. He takes care of his elderly father. Against his own better judgment and in the face of potential violence and robbery, he takes in his uncle, aunt, and nephew. He sends his second daughter to live with another family when his nephew’s behavior becomes inappropriate. He listens to his wife and, at least early in their marriage, values her input. So far, he seems okay. Then, he becomes rich and starts to think he deserves more than what he has … especially in terms of a wife.

O-lan is my favorite character and, to me, the real hero of the story. She was sold by her family into servitude when she was a young child and was frequently described as not attractive – though at least she didn’t have pock marks (yikes, the poor women in this book!). She could cook, sew, clean, decorate, farm … you name it, she could do it. When they had to abandon the farm during drought, she taught the kids to beg. Whatever was needed, O-lan made sure her family survived. She quietly advised Wang Lung about managing the farm and household, even though that probably would have been a step too far for most women – and men. So, when her husband decided that a rich man should have a pretty and young second wife …. My heart broke for O-lan. Wang Lund became cruel in his treatment of this woman who had been so supportive of him, had five children with him, cared for his father for many years, and created a comfortable home for him. He spoke to her harshly, dismissed her contributions, and stopped appreciating her. She did all the work and the second wife got all the rewards.

Though Wang Lung’s appreciation of the value and substance of O-lan is reawakened, he had already lost me! He lost sight of the important things and wasted time and money on superficial things and people. Yet, the story of this family could have been transplanted to just about any place. The story was well-written and the descriptions of the land and the relationship between husband and wife were lovely and evocative. I haven’t read the sequels yet, in part because I was not a big fan of the sons and daughters-in-law! Maybe one day, I’ll pick them up.

The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai, published in 2006, is a “slice of life” book that follows the stories of several people as they experienced the impact of everyday life in the midst of chaos. The story focuses on a retired judge, his orphaned granddaughter, and their cook in post-colonial India. The situations in the story were very different from my experience and opened up my understanding of people in a culture in a time of upheaval. The emotions and reactions were relatable and I could get a glimpse of the love, loss, indecision, fear, and joy they were experiencing.

I had difficulties with all the characters at different points in the book, though it was impatience rather than true dislike (except the judge, who was just pretty vile). I think my impatience stemmed from the fact that I felt like I was looking in from the outside – the book just didn’t draw me in enough to feel like I was “part” of the story and fully engaged with the characters. I love books were every word and every sentence is carefully selected and moves the story in some way or describes things in almost poetic prose.

The balance between ordinary life – adolescents experiencing first love, the banter of people who live and work together – and the violence of the insurgency made for an interesting counterbalance. Sai the cook and Gyan the tutor were very interesting. Gyan was a rebel and confused young man trying to make his way in a confusing world while taking care of his family – was the most interesting character for me. He was on the cusp of a decision about which way to go. What did he believe? Who did he love and respect? The ending was a bit abrupt – I would have liked a little more. And I seriously loved the dog!

A Passage to India by E.M. Forster highlighted the journey taken by the characters, including the seminal event that changed their lives. The story focuses on a town in India in the 1920s, as people of British or Indian extraction are brought together, and highlights the importance of understanding the historical, political and cultural context of a situation. It also raised the importance of realizing that what is heard and what is intended may be two very different things. Dr. Aziz is a quiet, friendly, smart and ambitious man who becomes the friend of Mrs. Moore, a British woman whose son holds an important position in India and is to be married to a British woman who travels with Mrs. Moore. Initially, Mrs. Moore and Adela Quested are curious about India and want to learn more about it. Dr. Aziz is a willing guide, but all three end up in over their heads, largely because of their own inability to communicate and the influence of friends, family and others who use a life-changing event to their own advantage. The misunderstandings and misinterpretations between Aziz, Moore, Quested, and others are partly amusing and partly frustrating. They talk past each other rather than trying to understand each other. The effort to be proper and not offend make it challenging to have meaningful and productive conversation.

A picnic that takes place away from town, at nearby caves provides the backdrop to a difficult situation. Mrs. Moore is overcome by the heat, leaving Aziz and Quested (and their guide) to explore the intimidating caves. Miss Quested experiences some sort of attack or hallucination – Aziz is falsely accused and arrested, though it is unclear what happened. Quested is overcome first with illness and then with reticence to set the record straight. This attack pits Indian against Brit and exacerbates the tensions between the two groups. The resulting actions bring out various types of people: the naive, the prejudiced, the smug, the proper, the conspiracy theorist, the dull, the idealist, the pessimist, and so on. Seeing how each of these personalities interprets information and expresses oneself, is fascinating. The resulting misconception and distrust illustrates that, even if people speak the same language, they see and hear everything through a unique lens that draws on history, personal experience, and culture.

It is tempting to “choose sides” and yet that is exactly the problem that the story highlights – when people choose sides, it often becomes ugly and intolerant. It’s hard to see beyond the cultural issues that are on every page of the book, but the reality is that even within cultural groups, all of those personalities exist. On one level, it is about India and Britain in the 1920s, with all of those political and historical implications. On the other hand, it is about a more universal sense of:

• Belonging and maintaining a sense of “home”.
• Feeling inferior or persecuted, exacerbated by education, experience, or understanding of culture.
• Feeling superior, believing that one person/side is always right or is asked to make sacrifices.
• Conflating cultural issues and personal issues that make it difficult to understand motives and deal with consequences.