The Good Earth (House of Earth, #1)

by Pearl S. Buck

Words were to her things to be caught one by one and released with difficulty.

Then there was always distrust of that which one did not know and understand. It is not well for a man to know more than is necessary for his daily living.

Now five years is nothing in a man’s life except when he is very young and very old,

And he wondered at the love of old age, which is so fond and so easily satisfied.