William Faulkner: First Encounters

by Cleanth Brooks

In this clear-sighted and enjoyable book, Cleanth Brooks, acknowledged to be "the best critic of our best novelist," introduces the general reader to Faulkner's most important novels and The Sound and the Fury; As I lay Dying; The Hamlet; Go Down, Moses; Light in August; and Absalom, Absalom!  Brooks focuses on theme, character, and plot as well as on Faulkner's world—the fictional Yoknapatawpha County that provides a unique setting for Faulkner's tragicomic vision. 

Genres: Literary Criticism

241 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1983

Reviews

[David]

This was a really good book for me when I needed a guide for getting into Faulkner's world, which is a semi-real place geographically in the Deep South, with various characters reappearing throughout many of the stories and novels. It recommends starting with A Rose for Emily, which I did, then I progressed to Light in August, and the other short stories. I didn't finish all the tales because the mood lifted, as it so often does, and went in search of another interest. I feel a lot of the time that I'm being pulled frantically around by a large and powerful dog in the park. It lingers occasionally and sniffs everything in sight, then off it goes in search of something else.

[Peter]

great supplement to my faulkner journey