The Living Reed by Pearl S. Buck (New York, First Edition), 1963 📜🎨🇺🇸

1. Introduction 📜🔍🏛️

This is a first edition of The Living Reed by Pearl S. Buck, a Pulitzer and Nobel Prize-winning author. Published in 1963, this book is a cultural artifact that provides an account of a nation’s history.

The volume is a book for any library focused on 20th-century literature or Asian history. Its status as a first printing and its association with a literary figure of such stature document its desirability.

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2. About the Book 📖✍️✨

The Living Reed is a historical novel that chronicles the lives of four generations of a prominent Korean aristocratic family, the Kims. The narrative spans from the late 19th century to the conclusion of World War II, a period marked by foreign invasion and the fight for Korean independence.

Buck interweaves the struggles and triumphs of the Kim family with the grand sweep of history, providing a detailed portrayal of a people striving to preserve their culture. The novel is documented by scholars as one of Buck's works on Asian life, bringing a complex history to a Western audience.

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3. About the Artist/Author/Maker ✍️🏛️

Pearl S. Buck (1892-1973) was an American writer and humanitarian. Born to missionary parents in West Virginia, she spent the majority of her life in China, where she was raised bilingual and developed an understanding of Chinese culture and society.

Her upbringing informed her work and shaped her legacy. In 1932, she was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for her novel The Good Earth. In 1938, she became the first American woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. Her writing, spanning over seventy books, explored the cultural intersections between East and West.

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4. Historical/Political Era Context 🌍🕰️📜

The book is a record of a complex era in Korean history. The narrative begins in 1881, a period of political intrigue as Korea struggled to maintain its independence. It traces the nation's journey through the Japanese occupation, which began in 1910 and lasted until 1945.

The novel documents the cultural resistance, the rise of nationalist movements, and the sacrifices made by families during the world events. By embedding the personal story of the Kim family within this historical framework, Buck transforms historical facts into a personal narrative.

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5. The Ideal Collector 💡🧐🏛️

This piece is intended for a curator of a specialized East Asian history collection, a scholar of American literature, or a private collector of first editions. This book is for the collector who values a narrative of human resilience and the intellectual honesty required to confront a nation's struggle.

It is an artifact that speaks directly to a collecting niche of intellectual depth and cultural awareness.

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6. Value & Rarity 💎✨🏛️

This First Edition is a choice for a collection of literary works. A first edition of a novel by a Nobel Prize laureate is a non-replicable asset class. While the market may have many of Pearl S. Buck’s works, a true First Edition of a title like The Living Reed is distinct.

The item is 62 years old.

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7. Condition 🔎📚✨

The book is presented in good vintage condition.

• The original hardcover is present and the binding remains tight and square.

• The pages are clean, with no signs of toning or foxing.

• There is minor shelf wear to the cover.

• The absence of a dust jacket is noted.

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8. Translation of Inscriptions/Ephemera (Conditional) ✍️📜🔤 The volume is marked by a personal inscription on the inside front page. 

• Transcription: “To Margaret, For a story of a family as strong as our own. Love, John Xmas '63”

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9. Fun Facts & Unique Features 🤓📜🤩

• Pearl S. Buck founded Welcome House, the first international, inter-racial adoption agency.

• Buck's upbringing in China deeply influenced her lifelong work in civil rights and cultural understanding.

• Buck was an avid reader of Charles Dickens, a habit her missionary father disapproved of.

• The book’s narrative provides a factual look at Korean history and culture for a Western audience.