The Curator's Corner
Meet the Curator
Donna Carcaci Rhodes joined Pearl S. Buck International in February 2007. Ms. Rhodes has an extensive background in museum studies, art history, architectural studies and textiles. She has been interviewed in news and radio, including the NPR and Voice of America Networks. Ms. Rhodes extends an invitation to the public to enrich their knowledge of literature, Bucks County history, and Asian cultures by visiting the Pearl S. Buck House.
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Ask The Curator
Have a question for our Curator? Submit it using our online form!
Our Curator welcomes and encourages you to submit questions about Pearl S. Buck, however please note that if your question(s) requires in-depth research, cross referencing, scanning of documents or photographs for your request, the option of registering as an off-site researcher may be offered to you.
Q: Was Miss Buck a Democrat or a Republican?
A: Pearl S. Buck championed many causes including woman’s rights, rights for physically and developmentally disabled persons, and racial inequalities. The organizations she embraced reflected the causes to which she lent her name and her voice. It is for this reason that Miss Buck did not publicly align herself with a political party. She felt that her voice was best used to address issues and not to be used for or against a single party.
Q: Can you please tell me about the successful plays that Pearl S. Buck wrote? Were they based on her books? What are the dates of these plays? Any further reading you can recommend would be appreciated.
A: There were numerous stage plays written, and submitted to agents and stage producers for many years. Some plays were based on successfully-published books. The only play that neared success was that of The Good Earth; however, it was a failure in terms of most dramatic adaptations. About 18 months after the publication of the book, the dramatic adaptation debuted in Philadelphia's Chestnut Theatre. It closed after 56 performances citing ”limitations of theatre" as its failure. Many plays were rewritten, revised, and resubmitted. For a detailed account, please peruse our website for our archival holdings. You could also read of one of the biographies written on Miss Buck. I can suggest Pearl S. Buck, A Cultural Biography by Peter Conn.
Q: I am doing a history project on Pearl S. Buck. I would like to visit the Pearl S. Buck House. I want to take a tour and get information about Pearl Buck and her contributions to history. What are the best places to go on the tour, and what I should see to help me find more information?
A: Our guided tours take place Tuesday-Saturday at 11:00, 1:00 and 2:00, and Sunday at 1:00 and 2:00. Our Docents are well-versed in the history of Pearl Buck and will be happy to answer your questions. If you care to do further research I will suggest that you access our archival holdings through our website. An index of our holdings is listed for your perusal under Educational Resources. If you would like to schedule a time to do research in our archives on a specific topic, please contact me at drhodes@pearlsbuck.org, and I will discuss availability of research times with you. Thank you for your interest in Pearl S. Buck and the Pearl S. Buck House.
Calling All Decorators:
Interested in becoming a decorator for next year's Festival of Trees? Click here to submit your information!
2012 Festival of Trees Winners included:
First Place: Manor College
Second Place: Liberty Bell Realty
Third Place: Time Travelers needle artists
Honorable Mention: Lutheran Community at Telford
For more information regarding Pearl S. Buck or the organizations she founded, please contact (215) 249-0100 or email pearlshouse@pearlsbuck.org