Simply Faulkner

William Faulkner (1897-1962) is probably the most famous Regionalist in American Literature, and one of the few American writers to win the Nobel Prize in literature. Faulkner was also an explorer of the psyche, our hearts and souls, especially for those who faced the turmoil and troubles of living in the turbulent South. He has left a wide body of literature, much of which is about his fictionalized southern Yoknapatwpha County, based on Lafayette County, Mississippi, where he spent most of his life.

Simply Faulkner from professor and Faulkner-expert Philip Weinstein gives a brief introduction to his writing and life. There are chapters about his struggle to achieve success and fame, his views on racial problems, his life in the movies, literary stardom, and his drinking problems. One will find here useful information about him and his novels. The book succeeds with the readers who have read the books mentioned as well as those who have not. This is an interesting primer but also a way to revisit and understand this author who did experimental work. Faulkner is a great treat for those who want to read about families and the deep and dark places of the mind. Weinstein’s short treatment makes Faulkner compelling.