The Saddest Words: William Faulkner's Civil War

With this "rich, complex, and eloquent" (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 "Lost Cause" romanticism in William Faulkner's 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.

Author: Michael Gorra
Publisher: Liveright Publishing Corporation
Published: 10/05/2021
Pages: 448
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.80lbs
Size: 8.20h x 5.40w x 1.20d
ISBN13: 9781324091011
ISBN10: 1324091010
BISAC Categories:
- Literary Criticism | American | General
- Biography & Autobiography | Literary Figures
- History | United States | Civil War Period (1850-1877)