It is a classic from 1931. It is quite gripping, IIRC.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Good_Earth
I thought everyone got assigned it in HS. Maybe not...?
I loved the movie and read the book several times.
i loved it. in fact 20 years later i sometimes called my newborn Wan Lo because he had asiatic features ( i guess the mongols took some liberties ) with my ancestors.
“It is a classic from 1931.”
Freshman English summer reading!