From School Library Journal
Gr 9 Up--This series title formalizes what could be a daunting experience for young adults unfamiliar with the author and makes it less so. It includes a short biography of Faulkner, an annotated table of contents, critical essays, suggestions for further reading, and a detailed index. The historical basis and structural slants of the essays make the more conceptual topics accessible and readable. Discussions of imagery, humor, symbolism, and metaphor complement less tangible elements such as myth, maturation, loneliness, and morality. Editor-inserted passages from the primary texts help illustrate the essays' main points, and clarifying footnotes illuminate potentially confusing spots. By discussing a variety of major works, this treatment is significant, but could be problematic if students are not familiar with most of the author's work. Both school and general library collections would benefit from its inclusion.
Kate Foldy, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
Copyright 1998 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
