William Faulkner: Where NOT To Start (Big Mistake in video. See Below) 

The Sound and The Fury was my first Faulkner. Read it in 48 hours. Only put it down when I needed to sleep. Likely the most incredible literary experience of my life & still my favorite novel. Absalom, Absalom was my second read. Love Faulkner.

I have been waiting for you to do this video! I can't wait to get started on some of these books. Thank You.

Ha! Randomly picked As I Lay dying last weekend in the thrift book store as my introduction to Faulkner. Great content btw, really enjoy your videos 😊

This was fantastic, Brian. I am firmly with you on Absalom! Glad you included The Hamlet in here. I think it’s an underrated Faulkner work and one that can be a rewarding read. My wife and I both read The Sound and the Fury as or first Faulkner novel, about 18 months apart. We still have the family tree of the Compsons I sketched for her to figure out some of the puzzles. The Portable Faulkner is probably the book of his I recommend the most because it has so many of those great stories. Hope you have a great week! Best, Jack

You're giving our secrets away that we coordinated the drop time! :D Dogs had some feedback for where not to start, eh?

I started earlier this year with As I lay dying and it was a great reading experience. My second was Sanctuary with your readalong. I am looking forward to next August! Light in August is already sitting on my shelf. Thank you for your recommendations!

I'm intrigued! It's on the list.

For beginners, it's nice that "As I Lay Dying" is also short. My first was "Light in August." Bleak, sure, but really very accessible, perhaps the most traditionally written novel from Faulkner's "great" period, 1929-36 (though "Sanctuary" is also pretty straightforward). LiA remains my favorite Faulkner novel after having read 11 (He considered both "Go Down, Moses" and "The Unvanquished" - one of his least exceptional, IMO - to be novels, despite their episodic, not-quiet cohesive nature). My ranking of those 11: 1) Light in August 2) Absalom! Absalom! 3) As I Lay Dying 4) Go Down, Moses 5) The Sound and the Fury 6) (tie) The Hamlet and Sanctuary 8) (tie) The Wild Palms and The Reivers 10) Intruder in the Dust and 11) The Unvanquished. It may seem an odd list, but I like my favorites for quite different reasons, ditto for my - I won't say "least" - less favorites. None of the 11 books are bad; all are well worth reading. It's just that Faulkner set himself a mighty high bar, so when his efforts flag even a bit, it's noticeable. P.S. Even though Faulkner himself dismissed Sanctuary as a potboiler written for cash, it's a pretty powerful, meaningful novel in many ways. For newbies, I would recommend starting with Light in August or As I Lay Dying.

I love FLAGS IN THE DUST. Very rewarding.

I started with Absalom, Absalom. Someone had it when I was camping, some twenty-something years ago. It made a lifelong fan out of me.

Came from Una’s channel! Subscribed!

I was going to ask if you and the Code X coordinated! ☺️ What a great video! Glad to have a better idea of where not to start and where to start for a Faulkner newbie! I do want to try Faulkner again. Thanks, Brian!

Oh thank you- i had forgotten about him. We did as I lay dying in school and I didn’t like it BUT that was forced and so young so I will be looking for a cheap copy to pick up again- or the Hamlet- I know it will be better me choosing him! Thank you!

The Sound and the Fury was my first Faulkner. Benji’s part was so difficult and my first introduction into stream of consciousness ever. I didn’t pick up any other Faulkner until 8 years later, so I wish I had started with something else.

I started with "Go Down, Moses" which, for me, was not a great place to start. I actually never even hear people talk about that one, either. . I just came from watching the Codex video, I hope you two have more of these "where to/where not to" kind of videos.

I agree: do _not_ begin w _A,A!_ which I've always considered it being the sequel to _TSATF._ Its a great masterpiece and I love it, but it's the epitome of "TELL Don't Show!" PS: I was the _First!_ to comment upon Una's video, too, and mentioned yours appearing at the same time 😁

Heh, if you hadn't mentioned that it was pre-planned I was going to comment on the coincidence of you and the Codex guys posting at the same time!😆

Meu primeiro contato foi com O som e a fúria. Gostei muito do capítulo do Benjy. No do Quentin quase desisti do livro, mas foi um bom primeiro contato. Mas merece reeleitura. Agora quero ler Absalão, Absalão. Obrigada pelo vídeo. Infelizmente no meu país muitas obras que você citou não estão sendo publicadas mais no momento. Só esses mais famosos. E meu inglês não é bom para leitura no original 😢

I started with a Rose for Emily and Barn Burning and glad that is where I started.

Oddly enough Absalom, Absalom! was my first Faulkner novel. It was for a college class in the 80s on the Modern Novel. I was captivated by the long sentences.

Appreciate this!

I just bought The Hamlet so I"m glad it comes first. I *listened* to Light in August - it's here on youtube. Does listening count?

One of my local indie bookstores always keeps a decent collection of Faulkner in stock, I think the owner must be a fan. I want to try out this writing eventually so I've bookmarked this video to refer to in that case ☺️ stream of consciousness sometimes works for me, sometimes it doesn't.

Great discussion. I know you're focusing on the novels here, but I will always offer that my opinion is the best place to start William Faulkner is with the short stories, though that's just based on my own experience and I don't know his works as well as you do. I definitely agree that Sanctuary isn't a good place to start.

I agree with you about Absalom Absalom and As I Lay Dying!

I may have to give The Hamlet a go! It’s one I’ve never read or even heard much about. Thanks, Brian! Kinda weird, but I want to read Requiem for a Nun now just to see how it could be more brutal than Sanctuary. 😳

The Absalom, Absalom! controversy!!!

I haven't read any Faulkner yet but I should (right?) so i'll keep this video in mind for reference.

what about "A Fable"? I read it both in English and Spanish (my motherly lenguage) and still don't get it.

As I lay Dying remains the only book I read by him until today - one of these days I'll read more. *lies I tell myself*

I've always known Faulkner as a name but nothing that detailed about what he wrote or his style. Stream of consciousness can work really well for me or annoy me to death. I will give As I Lay Dying a read sometime

I've read almost all of Faulkner stories included, lectures novels all and I think that Flags is one of his more enjoyable books and my friend Matt who is also a Faulkner lover agrees having also read pretty much everything by Faulkner.

What do you guys think of Pylon by Faulkner. I can’t find a single review of this novel on RU-vid

Would you say The Sound and The Fury is a typical Faulkner novel? And is it a good starting point? It's the only one I've read and I am forever judging him for it.

Sanctuary was my first Faulkner. I do not read enough... Requim will be next... then, probably, As I Lay Dying.

I agree with you about Absalom, Absalom! though I think it's by far his best book. I think Intruder in the Dust is his most accessible.

My first Faulkner was The Reivers. I mean, Steve McQueen movie? Yeah.

Soldiers’ Pay it is then, great sale!

Unfortunately, Absalom is where I started and then followed it with Sanctuary 🤣 I have as I lay dying… but stream of consciousness is also not my favorite 😳 we will see

OMG....:)! I guess we are on opposite sides of the fence.

The best time to start any Faulkner novel is tomorrow. Always tomorrow.

First was "Flags in the Dust", really liked it. Second, "Light in August", really didn't like it. Haven't been brave enough to read any more.

Sure Faulkner is cruel to Temple Drake, but Temple Drake and her father, Judge Drake, are two of the most despicable characters in all of Faulkner! This is rarely pointed out by Faulkner critics; the Drakes are, self-righteous, entitled, racist, 'cruel and inhumane' people.