William Faulkner

A landmark in American fiction, Light in August published in 1932, explores Faulkner's central theme: the nature of evil. Joe Christmas-a man doomed, deracinated and alone-wanders the Deep South in search of an identity, and a place in society. After killing his perverted God-fearing lover, it becomes inevitable that he is, pursued by a lynch-hungry mob. Yet after the sacrifice, there is new life, a determined ray of light in Faulkner's complex and...

The unforgettable tale of an American soldier's return home from WWI by the Nobel Prize—winning author of The Sound and the Fury. Lt. Donald Mahon served as a fighter pilot in the Great War. After suffering a terrible head injury, he was released from the hospital with lost memories and a disfiguring scar. Now, back in America, he makes his way home to Georgia with the help of a fellow veteran and a young war widow. But as his health continues to...

These short works offer three different approaches to Faulkner, each representative of his work as a whole. "Spotted Horses" is a hilarious account of a horse auction, and pits the "cold practicality" of women against the boyish folly of men. "Old Man" is something of an adventure story. When a flood ravages the countryside of the lower Mississippi, a convict finds himself adrift with a pregnant woman. And "The Bear," perhaps his best known shorter...