Faulkner William - Simply Faulkner

For Penny

As Philip Weinstein suggests, there is no better way to begin than by plunging into the work of William Faulkner. But its immensely useful to have at ones elbow a knowledgeable guide, and there is none better than Weinstein. He himself is a brilliant writerclear, concrete, smart, suggestiveand this short book represents an ideal introduction to the major work of Americas most important modern author. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in Faulkner.

Jay Parini, author of One Matchless Time: A Life of William Faulkner and Empire of Self: A Life of Gore Vidal

Philip Weinsteins newest book on William Faulkner offers a rich, compact discussion of Faulkners life and work that will engage both new readers and those who are familiar with the writing of the most important novelist of 20th century America. Clarity and penetrating insight are combined in Simply Faulkner to move through Faulkners complexity in order to discern the specificities and magnitude of his achievement. This is a book for every reader of Faulkners fiction.

Patrick ODonnell, Professor of Twentieth and Twenty-First Century British and American Literature, Michigan State University

Philip Weinsteins concise Faulkner biography is a wonder of compression and interpretation of the Mississippi writers creative life. It demonstrates the fruits of the authors career-long devotion to insightful readings of Faulkners works. Weinsteins well-deserved reputation as a scholar, critic, and excellent writer is manifest on every page.

Thomas McHaney, Kenneth M. England Professor of Southern Literature Emeritus, Georgia State University

A brilliant selection of revealing vignettes from Faulkners life and work, opening long views into both his achievements and his limitations, the writing of both his own and his cultures hemorrhaging.'

Richard Moreland, Louisiana State University, author of Faulkner and Modernism

One of the most insightful William Faulkner scholars, Philip Weinstein shares with readers, in plain language, his deep expertise in the modernist writers life and work. Weinsteins insights into Faulkners background, his attitude toward the cauldron of race and class tension in the South, his love and social life, as well as his personal struggles, helps ease the way, for readers new and old, toward a clearer understanding of Faulkner.

Jacques Pothier, Professor of North American Literature, Universit de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines

Boiling down the tumultuous life, prolific career, intense vision, and dazzling aesthetic of one of the twentieth centurys most audacious literary figures to a hundred pages is a seemingly impossible task. But Philip Weinstein has done it. Here is one of William Faulkners finest critics at his luminous, provocative best. With its deep insights and crisp prose, Simply Faulkner is anything but.

Jay Watson, Howry Professor of Faulkner Studies and Professor of English at the University of Mississippi

Simply Austen by Joan Klingel Ray
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Simply Chaplin by David Sterritt
Simply Chopin by William Smialek
Simply Darwin by Michael Ruse
Simply Descartes by Kurt Smith
Simply Dickens by Paul Schlicke
Simply Dirac by Helge Kragh
Simply Dostoevsky by Gary Saul Morson
Simply Edison by Paul Israel
Simply Eliot by Joseph Maddrey
Simply Euler by Robert E. Bradley
Simply Freud by Stephen Frosh
Simply Gdel by Richard Tieszen
Simply Hegel by Robert Wicks
Simply Heidegger by Mahon OBrien
Simply Hemingway by Mark P. Ott
Simply Hitchcock by David Sterritt
Simply Joyce by Margot Norris
Simply Machiavelli by Robert Fredona
Simply Napoleon by J. David Markham & Matthew Zarzeczny
Simply Newton by Michael Nauenberg
Simply Riemann by Jeremy Gray
Simply Tolstoy by Donna Tussing Orwin
Simply Twain by R. Kent Rasmussen
Simply Wagner by Thomas S. Grey
Simply Wittgenstein by James C. Klagge
Simply Woolf by Mary Ann Caws

Simply Charlys Great Lives series offers brief but authoritative introductions to the worlds most influential peoplescientists, artists, writers, economists, and other historical figures whose contributions have had a meaningful and enduring impact on our society. Each book, presented in an engaging and accessible fashion, provides an illuminating look at their works, ideas, personal lives, and the legacies they left behind. Our authors are prominent scholars and other top experts who have dedicated their careers to exploring each facet of their subjects work and personal lives.

Unlike many other works that are merely descriptions of the major milestones in a persons life, the Great Lives series goes above and beyond the standard format and content. Every book includes not just the biographical information, such as the little-known character traits, quirks, strengths and frailties, but, above all, focuses on each individuals extraordinary professional achievements.

In its exploration of famous lives that have sometimes been shrouded in secrecy, surrounded by myths and misconceptions, or caught up in controversies, the Great Lives series brings substance, depth, and clarity to the sometimes-complex lives and work of historys most powerful and influential people.

What can a reader learn from the Great Lives series? These volumes shed light on the thought processes, as well as specific events and experiences, that led these remarkable people to their groundbreaking discoveries or other achievements; the books also present various challenges they had to face and overcome to make history in their respective fields.

We hope that by exploring this series, readers will not only gain new knowledge and understanding of what drove these geniuses, but also find inspiration for their own lives. Isnt this what a great book is supposed to do?

Charles Carlini, Simply Charly
New York City

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