The Saddest Words: William Faulkner's Civil War

A Òtimely and essentialÓ (New York Times Book Review) reconsideration of William FaulknerÕs life and legacy that vitally asks, ÒHow should we read Faulkner today?Ó

With this Òrich, complex, and eloquentÓ (Drew Gilpin Faust, Atlantic) work, Pulitzer Prize finalist Michael Gorra charts the evolution of an author through his most cherished_and contested_novels. Given the undeniable echoes of ÒLost CauseÓ romanticism in William FaulknerÕs fiction, as well as his depiction of Black characters and Black speech, Gorra argues convincingly that Faulkner demands a sobering reevaluation. Upending previous critical traditions and interweaving biography, literary criticism, and rich travelogue, the widely acclaimed The Saddest Words recontextualizes Faulkner, revealing a civil war within him, while examining the most plangent cultural issues facing American literature today. 10 illustrations