Faulkner: where to start? - Page 2

caleb72 · 05-07-2013, 06:06 AM

I was thinking of starting with Absalom! Absalom! for my first. Bad choice? It was going to be either that or some collected short stories of his.

Faulkner only popped up on my radar this year and I was thinking of taking the plunge myself. Sometimes I can't decide whether the fact that there's so many amazing books I haven't read is a good thing or a bad thing. I guess it depends on your state of mind at the time.

poohbear_nc · 05-07-2013, 10:08 AM

Start with the short stories, or novellas first - to get a "feel" for the language and the characters. "The Bear" is a favorite of mine.

Sound & Fury is a challenge - with the disjointed narrative, stream of consciousness, and lack of identification of just who is thinking/speaking. It's a book that begs to be re-read once you've made it through the first time. Many stories are narrated by children, and the point-of-view can be disconcerting. Faulkner can grow on you.

kennyc · 05-07-2013, 12:56 PM

Yes, some of his short stories are amazing! The Bear, Barn Burning, A Rose for Emily, and a sappy one I love "Shall Not Perish" and a wild right - "Mule in the Yard"

NightBird · 05-07-2013, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by caleb72

I was thinking of starting with Absalom! Absalom! for my first. Bad choice? It was going to be either that or some collected short stories of his.

I'll go a different way here and say that since you are a horror/mystery fan, maybe start with Sanctuary or Intruder in the Dust. Although not considered his best works, the subjects might be of more interest to you. I haven't read these in many years, but I remember Sanctuary as being pretty gruesome. They're still pricey at $11.99 each, but being Random House, maybe they will come down shortly.

caleb72 · 05-07-2013, 11:52 PM

It's beginning to seem like any place is a great place to start.

I have a feeling he was recommended to me recently based on some comments I made about reading Dostoyevsky's The Brothers Karamazov. I mentioned that reading the book was quite a bit of work but you get out of it what you put into it. I feel like it's a book that keeps giving well after the reading is over. Reading reviews of Faulkner's work, it seems like the same principles apply.

So I'll need to make sure I schedule him such that I don't have too many consecutive challenging reads. I don't want to blunt my enjoyment because of a reading weariness/lethargy. It happens - like when I tried to read Midnight's Children just at the completion stage of building my house and moving in. I could see that the book was impressive, but it wore me down because of bad timing.

taming · 05-15-2013, 08:59 AM

We were assigned A Rose for Emily in high school, and I was hooked. I think I read all of Faulkner after that.

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05-07-2013, 06:06 AM	#16
caleb72 Indie Advocate Posts: 2,863 Karma: 18794463 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Melbourne, Australia Device: Kindle	I was thinking of starting with Absalom! Absalom! for my first. Bad choice? It was going to be either that or some collected short stories of his. Faulkner only popped up on my radar this year and I was thinking of taking the plunge myself. Sometimes I can't decide whether the fact that there's so many amazing books I haven't read is a good thing or a bad thing. I guess it depends on your state of mind at the time.

05-07-2013, 10:08 AM	#17
poohbear_nc Now what? Posts: 58,865 Karma: 135181808 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Durham, NC Device: Every Kindle Ever Made & To Be Made!	Start with the short stories, or novellas first - to get a "feel" for the language and the characters. "The Bear" is a favorite of mine. Sound & Fury is a challenge - with the disjointed narrative, stream of consciousness, and lack of identification of just who is thinking/speaking. It's a book that begs to be re-read once you've made it through the first time. Many stories are narrated by children, and the point-of-view can be disconcerting. Faulkner can grow on you.

05-07-2013, 12:56 PM	#18
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,872 Karma: 118716293 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	Yes, some of his short stories are amazing! The Bear, Barn Burning, A Rose for Emily, and a sappy one I love "Shall Not Perish" and a wild right - "Mule in the Yard"

05-07-2013, 11:52 PM	#20
caleb72 Indie Advocate Posts: 2,863 Karma: 18794463 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Melbourne, Australia Device: Kindle	It's beginning to seem like any place is a great place to start. I have a feeling he was recommended to me recently based on some comments I made about reading Dostoyevsky's The Brothers Karamazov. I mentioned that reading the book was quite a bit of work but you get out of it what you put into it. I feel like it's a book that keeps giving well after the reading is over. Reading reviews of Faulkner's work, it seems like the same principles apply. So I'll need to make sure I schedule him such that I don't have too many consecutive challenging reads. I don't want to blunt my enjoyment because of a reading weariness/lethargy. It happens - like when I tried to read Midnight's Children just at the completion stage of building my house and moving in. I could see that the book was impressive, but it wore me down because of bad timing.

05-15-2013, 08:59 AM	#21
taming Trying for calm & polite Posts: 4,012 Karma: 9455193 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mostly in Canada Device: kobo original, WiFI, Touch, Glo, and Aura	We were assigned A Rose for Emily in high school, and I was hooked. I think I read all of Faulkner after that.

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