“Nothing less than spellbinding . . . It’s an eye-opener. Anecdotal without being tawdry, analytical without being academic, it captures the essence of Faulkner’s life with the narrative drive of a novel.” — Houston Chronicle
“A splendid life of William Faulkner . . . Not only readable but downright enthralling.” — Seattle Times
William Faulkner was a literary genius, and one of America's most important and influential writers. Drawing on previously unavailable sources--including letters, memoirs, and interviews with Faulkner's daughter and lovers--Jay Parini has crafted a biography that delves into the mystery of this gifted and troubled writer. His Faulkner is an extremely talented, obsessive artist plagued by alcoholism and a bad marriage who somehow transcends his limitations. Parini weaves the tragedies and triumphs of Faulkner's life in with his novels, serving up a biography that's as engaging as it is insightful.
This definitive biography goes behind the legend to explore the complex man who created Yoknapatawpha County:
- The Price of Genius: A powerful look at the obsessive artist plagued by alcoholism and a difficult marriage, and how he transformed his personal tragedies into timeless American literature.
- New & Unseen Sources: Go beyond the myth with unprecedented access to private letters, memoirs, and revealing interviews with Faulkner’s daughter and lovers.
- A Narrative-Driven Biography: Jay Parini masterfully weaves the life and the work together, telling the story of one of America’s greatest authors with the page-turning momentum of a novel.
- The Heart of Yoknapatawpha: Discover how the history, people, and soil of Oxford, Mississippi, fueled the creation of Faulkner's legendary fictional county and its unforgettable characters.
Michael Hoffman is a filmmaker known for creating complex and layered stories with great attention to detail and character. A skilled writer and director, he has worked on both feature films and documentaries, including A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Emperor's Club, Game of Six, and the ESPN documentary Out of the Blue. The Last Station is his most recent film.
Jay Parini is a professor of English & Creative Writing at Middlebury College in Vermont. A writer and academic, he is best known for his novels and poetry. He is the author of the novel The Last Station, which is now a major motion picture from Sony Classics.
