Collected Short Stories of William Faulkner, William Faulkner
Vintage Trade Paper, 1995
912 pages
The score on LibraryThing is 1,124 reviews for Stephenie Meyer's Twilight to 3 reviews for William Faulkner’s Collected Stories. To add insult to injury, the latter hasn’t had a review since 2007. What a shame—a Nobel Prize winner whom hardly anyone reads. And shame on me for not reading him until my 61st year; I too bought into the myths that "He is too hard to read," "I don't understand him," and "He doesn't make any sense" before I ever tried to read one word.
When I expressed a desire to read something by Faulkner but had no idea where to start, a wonderful woman on LibraryThing readily agreed to mentor me through the labyrinth. After five of his lesser (but hardly forgettable) novels, I turned to these short stories.
I admit that he is difficult at times and I don't understand every line he writes, but reading Faulkner is a moving experience for me, both mentally and emotionally. His stories are to be savored like a pot set to "simmer" on the stove—as opposed to Meyer's read-it-and-forget-it microwavable pop.
This collection includes 42 stories spread over 900 pages, many of them forerunners to future novels. Every one of them sucked me in from the first sentence, and I wasn't able to close the book until I had finished the story. Some stories had neatly tied-up endings, but many did not—a frequent Faulkner device that requires the reader to create or imagine the ending. I suspect it is the latter that frustrates people: unwilling to use their imaginations, they ask, “What the hell was that all about?”
Many of these stories take place in fictional Yoknapatawpha County, Mississippi. But Faulkner was a master of the war story too, and the effect war has on an individual—both soldier and civilian. I liked these best. My favorite is "Two Soldiers," a poignant tale (and title) of an eight-year-old boy who tries to join the Army and ship out to Pearl Harbor with his beloved older brother. On the flip side is "Victory," a WWI horror story (and title) of a Scotsman who shoots and machine guns his own troops in France—receiving in turn medals for valor because, in war, events happen with lightning speed and few remember exactly what happened.
A complaint I have about the Viking edition is the stories have no dates, so obviously there is no way to tell the order in which Faulkner wrote them.
I recommend this book highly with reservation; if you are brand-new to Faulkner, start with his short novel The Unvanquished. My mentor in northeast Pennsylvania will probably agree.
13 comments:
Well, good for you - you're a better, more patient reader than I am. Though I do believe I have read SOME Faulkner in my distant university days, but cannot seem to remember what it was...
WC: I guess not remembering is better than forgetting altogether.
Even more insult to injury - Meyer # 26 on Forbes 100 Most Powerful Celebrities. Try not to hurl your computer - invective is fine - upon reading the words 'instant classics'.
MICHAEL: Thank you for that bit of good news on an otherwise quiet Sunday morn. "Instant classics" my ass. I can't hurl my computer, though, because it's a true classic and I can't afford a new one.
i hate faulkner. i've never forgiven him for 'go down moses'. but that doesn't make my review of twilight any less poignant. oh wait, i reviewed the movie.
still.
I have tried to work my way through a Faulkner novel -- I think it was Absolom, Absolom (sp?) -- but I have to admit that I'm with Kara here, partly because I'm a stickler for shorter, punchier, well punctuated sentences. But after reading this review, I'm going to look out for those stories, which sound great. If I like them, you'll have worked a small miracle.
And I'd pick Faulknner over Stephanie Meyers any old day.
Hi Charlie! I've always wanted to read Faulkner but I can't get past the long sentences. I guess the logical step would be to sample his short stories. Thanks for your review!
KARA: A "poignant" review of Twilight, the movie? You've got balls, woman, to tell me I'm funny . . .
MARY: Hell, I'd pick a Harlequin romance or Nora Roberts before I'd read Meyer!
PETER: Like Mary, Faulkner's short stories might work for you.
And you welcome for the review.
I can't remember whether I have read Faulkner in college or not. I think that I will look up one of his books at the library and give it a try. It is great to find a review of a true classic writer.
Great review and excellent point. How many authors have I avoided that I have heard are a difficult read.....
"Guilty" : (
JEMIMA: There does seem to be a dearth of "classic" classics on the book blogs, save for Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters. "Contemporary" and "instant" classes seem to rule.
SHEILA: I suspect we've all done it. I stay away from SF for the same reason.
I want to give you a medal. Promoting Faulkner is a brave act on LT, let alone over here in Blogger World. You make me proud, you really do.
LW3: Medals have been given for lesser deeds, so I'll take one.
And damned if you don't sound exactly like my mentor.
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