William Faulkner A to Z: The Essential Reference to His Life and Work

Famous for his novels and short stories exploring the complex culture of the American South, William Faulkner remains one of the most influential authors of the literary canon. He is remembered for novels and short stories that explore the complex culture and tragic legacy of the American South. Winner of the Nobel Prize for literature in 1949, Faulkner's works - "As I Lay Dying"; "Light in August"; "The Sound and the Fury"; "Absalom, Absalom!"; "The Bear"; and many others - are read and studied throughout the world. This text is a reference to his life, writings and characters, as well as the people, events and ideas that influenced him. The book contains over 1500 cross-referenced entries that include: synopses of Faulkner's fiction, poetry and non-fiction, with information on background critical reception, and adaptations; descriptions of characters in Faulkner's fiction, such as Benjy and Quentin from "The Sound and the Fury"; details about the author's family, friends, colleagues and critics; real and fictional places important to Faulkner's life and literary development, from Yoknapatawpha County, Mississippi to Hollywood; interviews and speeches given by the author; and ideas and events that influenced his life and writing, including slavery, the Civil War, World War I and civil rights.