The 9 Best Books by William Faulkner You Should Read
His mastery of modern modes of narration, multiple narrators, and displacement of time can be enjoyed in his works, which won him the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1949 and was mentioned in Gabriel Garcu00eda Mu00e1rquez’s acceptance speech for the same prize thirty-three years later.
His fourth novel, The Sound and the Fury, was also his favorite of all his works, set in Jefferson in Yoknapatawpha County, Mississippi, the fictional but symbolic landscape for many of his southern American novels.
How many books has William Faulkner published?
William Faulkner’s bibliography includes 19 novels, 125 short stories (not including stories that only appear in novels), 20 screenplays (including uncredited rewrites), one play, six collections of poetry, and various letters and essays.
What book did William Faulkner win the Nobel Prize for?
Faulkner received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1949 for “his powerful and artistically unique contribution to the modern American novel,” which he shared with Bertrand Russell at the following year’s banquet. Faulkner despised the fame and glory that came with his recognition.
What is the easiest Faulkner book to read?
As I Lay Dying is a nice, short, relatively easy-to-read standalone novel that will introduce you to Faulkner’s Southern weirdness, and your reaction to it will be a good predictor of how you will react to his more intense work, such as The Sound and the Fury.
Where should I start with Faulkner?
Absalom, Absalom! and The Sound and the Fury are his most difficult works, for reasons of style and density, but As I Lay Dying is one of his more accessible significant novels, the other being Light in August.
What is William Faulkner writing style?
Faulkner’s stories were often written in a highly emotional, delicate, cerebral, complicated style with Gothic or grotesque elements, and his rich and brilliant baroque writing style is developed in extremely long sentences embedding with complex subordinate parts.
Why should I read William Faulkner?
When the light finally comes, as it always does in Faulkner’s great work, we realize how precious the light is all the more powerfully, which is why Faulkner is worth reading.
Is William Faulkner good?
William Faulkner, an American novelist and short-story writer, is widely regarded as one of the greatest writers of the twentieth century, remembered for his pioneering use of the stream-of-consciousness technique as well as the breadth and depth of his characterization. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1949.
What is a Faulkner?
Faulkner is an occupational name for someone who kept and trained falcons, as well as someone who hunted with falcons or participated in hawking as a sport. The name comes from the Old French word fauconnier, which means “hunting hawk.” It was their job to supply hunting hawks to the lord of the manor.
Is Faulkner difficult to read?
There is no such thing as a difficult Faulkner; if you’re having trouble understanding it, try reading it aloud or listening to an audiobook; the sentences can be confusing when read silently, but they become clear when you listen to them.
Who was the first American to win the Nobel Prize in Literature?
Because of the five great novels he wrote in the 1920s, Main Street, Babbitt, Arrowsmith, Elmer Gantry, and Dodsworth, Lewis was very honored to be the first American to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature, which the Swedish Academy awarded him in 1930.
Where does the last name Faulkner originate from?
Faulkner is a medieval name variant of the English surname Falconer, derived from the Old French name Faulconnier, which means “falcon trainer.” It can be used as a first or middle name.
Which Faulkner was first?
THREE: The Sound and the Fury (1929), the book that cemented Faulkner’s reputation, is also his first attempt at his greatest theme, the rigid uncertainties of the color line in the Jim Crow South.
Should I read As I Lay Dying?
1. Short length || At around 250 pages, As I Lay Dying is more manageable than some of Faulkner’s other works, and the pace moves quickly due to short chapters and multiple narrators, making it feel even shorter. If book length intimidates you, this is a good place to start with Faulkner.
How do you read As I Lay Dying?
Christopher Rieger’s suggestions for reading William Faulkner
- Be willing to re-read.
- Focus on the characters.
- Identify the historical context of the work.
- Look for the timeless tales.
- Think of a Faulkner text as a suspense or mystery story u2014 but with you, the reader, as the detective, rather than a character.