William & Ruth came from two different worlds. He was a sensitive, proud artist, son of a rich and often selfish family. She was the unlettered daughter of an earthy Pennsylvania farmer. Yet, from the moment William saw Ruth, he knew he must have her. And with a stubborn intensity that shattered his family's objection, William went after this soft-spoken but provocative woman who knew nothing of art and elegance, but who was all-wise in the ways of love.... Written by Pearl S. Buck, PORTRAIT OF A MARRIAGE remains a haunting reading experience - one of the finest novels by one of America's greatest novelists.