A summer of Faulkner!

Oprah's book club is sponsoring three books by William Faulker this summer.

As I Lay Dying
A harrowing account of the Bundern family's odyssey across the Mississippi countryside to bury Addie, their wife and mother. Told in turns by each of the family members--including Addie herself--the novel ranges in mood from dark comedy to the deepest pathos.

The Sound and the Fury
One of the greatest novels of the twentieth century, it is the tragedy of the Compson family, featuring some of the most memorable characters in American literature: beautiful, rebellious Caddy; the manchild Benjy; hauntedm neurotic Quentin; Jason, the brutal cynic; and Dilsey, their black servant.

Light in August
A novel about hopeful perseverance in the face of mortality, features Faulkner's most memorable characters: guiless, dauntless Lena Grove, in search of the father of her unborn child; Revernd Gail Hightower, whi is plagued by visions of Confederate horsemen; and Joe Christmas, a desperate, enigmatic drifter consumed by his mixed ancestry.

All of these are sold in a set at your local book store and Oprah.com has Faulkner experts teaching "classes" on how to understand Faulkner. Plus you will able to ask questions. Take advantage on this once in a lifetime chance!

Really I'd been wanting to read something by Faulkner..(probably for the "wrong" reasons, I'll get to that), but somehow association with Oprah...well..I doubt she could ruin something just by association.

By "the wrong reasons", I mean because I believe I've heard him compared to Cormac McCarthy, and this is a good thing. Speaking of which, his new book is out in..July I think, and I can't wait.

edit: 37 days, 21 hours, 24 minutes and 40 seconds according to the timer on the Cormac McCarthy society's website.

FINALLY! A thread about Faulkner! How many times have I told you people to read his works. I have already purchased As I Lay Dying and The Sound and the Fury, the latter being one of my favorite books of all time.

Its nice that Oprah is reccomending them, perhaps now he will become more popular amongst people other than my English teacher and me. I doubt I will pick up the set, since I already have 2/3s of it. However, I have to say that having an expert to help people understand his work is rather unnecessary. The Sound and the Fury is, granted, very difficult to follow, if only because there is no single narrator, as each section follows the life of a different member of the Compson family, or someone associated with them. Plus, the first section is told from the point of view of the mentally Handicapped Benjy, so it really doesn't make a good deal of sense. However, to sum it up, its an extended metaphor. The entire novel, and several of the short stories about the family or the town, are about the fall of the Noble South. Read it to understand for yourself, I doubt I could explain it all.

Awesome books though, by the collection immediatly if you haven't read them.

I am looking foward to reading them, since I have only heard praise for them. I need more time!!!

I've been meaning to read some Faulkner sometime. Should do it.

So I just finished As I Lay Dying, and I warn readers out there to be perceptive. Faulkner's stream of consciousness style is confusing and important facts can be buried among seemingly useless text.

Just some hints!

Question Jewel's relationship with his mother. Where does his allegiance lie? Why does Addie love him and not the other Bundren children?

Darl is a suprising anchor for this novel with 19 of 56 narrations, considering how unstable he is. Question what others think of him.

Question Anse's true intentions.

When a non-Bundren character is narrator, ask yourself "Why is this an important perspective at this point?"

Compare and contrast the views chracters holds about one another.

Happy reading!