The Living Reed: A Novel of Korea

Name: The Living Reed: A Novel of Korea
Price: 17.99 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.5 (1153 reviews)
Author: Pearl S. Buck

by Pearl S. Buck

Historical Fiction Literary Fiction

4.5 (1,153)

4.5 stars from 1,153 reviews. Top 88% of Historical Fiction books we track.

478 pages~8 hr readPublished by Moyer Bell Ltd.Published 1963-01-01

$17.99At peak price

Last checked: May 13, 2026

Price history: $1.99 – $17.99

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Price range: $1.99 – $17.99

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Perfect for you if...

You love sweeping historical sagas that follow families across decades and show how ordinary people survive extraordinary upheaval.
You're drawn to lesser-known histories, especially Asian perspectives that Western education often overlooks.
You appreciate character-driven narratives where personal stakes matter as much as the political events unfolding around them.

Maybe not for you if...

You prefer fast-paced plots over deep character exploration and family dynamics.
You're looking for a light read. This is a substantial 478-page novel that demands your attention across generations.
You want a book focused mainly on romance or adventure rather than the slow burn of cultural change and survival.

About this book

The Living Reed is a historical novel following four generations of the Kim family, Korean aristocrats whose lives span from 1881 through the end of World War II. The narrative begins when the Kims serve as advisors to the Korean royal family, but their world is disrupted by Japanese invasion, the death of the queen, and forced hiding. Through the family's experiences, the novel chronicles Korea's transformation from the late nineteenth century onward. The book was a New York Times bestseller and includes an illustrated biography of Pearl S. Buck with rare images from the author's estate.

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Price History

Kindle price over time. Green zones = periods when the book was free.

$1.99 – $17.99

Price has dropped 40 times over the last 5 years. Goes on sale roughly every 47 days. Typically stays discounted for 75 days.

Sales Rank

Amazon sales rank: lower number = better selling book. #1 is the bestseller.

Currently around #20K in the Kindle store — a steady mid-list seller. Climbing the charts — 35% improvement recently.

Rating & Reviews

Purple line = star rating over time. Blue area = total review count growth.

Currently 4.5★ from 1,153 reviews

Gaining approximately 8 new reviews per month. Rating has remained stable at 4.5 over the tracking period.

Sale Prediction

Actual Predicted

This book goes on sale roughly every 47 days. Next drop estimated in about 4 weeks. Typical discount: 89% off.

Prices shown in USD from Amazon US. We continuously pull new data to improve tracking. If dates look old, it usually means there has been no significant change since the last data point.