Pearl Buck(1892-1973),American novelist,best known for her sympathetic portrayals of peasant life in China. Her residence in China,her study of classics of Chinese literature,and her understanding of Chinese character enabled her to make Chinese civilization understandable and significant to Western readers. 33 Pearl Buck (1892-1973), American novelist, best known for her sympathetic portrayals of peasant life in China. Her residence in China, her study of classics of Chinese literature, and her understanding of Chinese character enabled her to make Chinese civilization understandable and significant to Western readers