Faulkner - Where to begin

Those books are within reason all you need to get a grasp of Faulkner at his best.

I read in the order of

AILD
TSATF
LIA
AA

Which went fine. Someone may recommend you read LIA first because its more conventional but I never like that type of thinking. It won't prepare you any better for the incoherence in the other books, but it may actually diminish the visceral impact of those books if you've already pregamed. Just jump in with As I Lay Dying and if you struggle with deciphering what's going on (nothing wrong with that) then check some online resources.

>>9918234
Start with As I Lay Dying, then go on to Light in August, then The Sound and the Fury. Leave Absalom Absalom till last.

>no one reads the Snopes trilogy or Mosquitoes, his best works
Flags in the Dust is also fucking top tier
>Young Bayard roaring down the streets in his car trying to relive his fighter pilot days

>>9918234
No reasom to follow any particular order. Read the one that seems more interesting to you. I started with tsatf but that was 13 years ago. The order-for-every-author wasn't born yet.

>>9918234
Faulkner is a pseud. Isn't that right, /lit/?

I am reading The Sound and the Fury, and phew! it is a strange read. I made it through the first part with Benjy/Maury, and now I am reading Quentin's part and it is even stranger and more confounding than Benjy's bit.

I think feeling a little unsure about the drama is intentional, I don't think I am missing much and as lost as Faulkner wants me to be. A large part of this book is sort of piecing together the history and events of this family, right?

>>9918335
it's not, m'lord

>>9918462
Benjy's just an idiot, but Quentin is losing his mind bit by bit. Once you get through most of it, piecing together the family history isn't too hard.

I read Light in August and enjoyed it. What works of his are "harder" and "easier"?

>>9918708
The Sound and the Fury?

>>9918703
How is Quentin losing his mind? Just because he blacked out when he fought what's his name (the guy who has been practicing boxing) after the car ride? Dude is suicidal and neurotic, but he's not mad.

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>>9918253
Not OP nice too see a good post with a good thread. If anyone has some recommendations other than Flags in the Dust and these I'd really appreciate it.

>>9918335
spud

Just jump right in man. I started with TSATF.

>>9921306
Much of his section consists of very disjointed text, gradually using fewer conventional sentence structures to show him sinking.

I started with The Sound and the Fury, and I think it's probably the best place to start with Faulkner. Obviously, it's one of his best works, but it is also, arguably, his most challenging.

I've always felt that you can become a more apt reader of literature if you devote yourself to a more challenging text, and in doing so with Sound and Fury, you'll hone your critical/analytical skills.

Perhaps equally important, Sound and Fury acquaints yourself with many of the themes that persist throughout Faulker's work. It will also introduce you to the Compson family who (Quentin, in particular) figure heavily in Absalom, Absalom! as well.

Hope this helps