William Faulkner Reads [Abridged, Audiobook] [Audio Cassette]

William Faulkner (Author, Reader)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 21, 1998

"Rendered by the author with a rich deep-south accent that gives uncanny realism to each of the selections undertaken.  His reading pace is neither slow nor fast and he conjures up many vivid, picturesque images for his listening audience . . . Strongly recommended." -- Roslyn News 

This historic recording contains the first readings by William Faulkner of his work.  One hearing is hardly enough.  As in his books, penetration deepens with each new experience of the work.  Yield to Faulkner's serenity, the deep-south way with words, the unaffected ease with which he drifts into Yoknapatawpha dialect.  A recording ore important than this is not likely to be made soon.

This audio reproduces the full sound spectrum of his historic recordings; it has been remastered using contemporary digital equipment.

Contents:  Side 1: The Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech, As I Lay Dying (excerpts), Side 2: A Fable (excerpt), The Old Man (excerpt).

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

"A writer should write what he has to say and not speak it," noted Ernest Hemingway, toward the end of his Nobel prize acceptance speech. Especially, he might have added, when it is recorded badly on obsolete equipment and the writer sounds like he may have had a few drinks. Nor are these selections taken from his best work. "Second Poem to Mary," "Harry's Bar in Venice," a short excerpt from The Fifth Column, something called "Work in Progress" (Islands in the Stream), and "Saturday Night at the Whorehouse in Billings, Montana" comprise the other selections. Balance these minuses against the historic value this tape holds (it may be the only existing tape of Hemingway reading) and the reasonable price, and you make the call. William Faulkner Reads, on the other hand, can be heartily recommended. The interest here, of course, is how he navigates his own two-page, stream-of-consciousness sentences, which would melt most modern grammarians. Calmly, it turns out, taking frequent breaths. His performance and the technical quality of the recording is much better than Hemingway's, though both would have benefited from titles appearing on the tape, rather than merely on the box. The Faulkner selections are superior, including his well-known Nobel acceptance speech and excerpts from As I Lay Dying, A Fable, and The Old Man.?John Hiett, Iowa City P.L.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

William Faulkner (1897-1962) is widely regarded as one of the greatest of all American novelists and short-story writers.  His other works include the novels The Sound and the Fury, The Reivers, and Sanctuary.  He twice won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and in 1949 was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.

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Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Caedmon (April 21, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0694520179
• ISBN-13: 978-0694520176
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 4.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #359,234 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #8 in Books > Books on Cassette > Literature & Fiction > Literary Classics

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Close enough to smell the alcohol, April 6, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: William Faulkner Reads (Audio Cassette)

An essential part of the Faulkner collection.

Anyone with a interest in Faulkner's works, should enjoy listening to this wonderful recording of the man himself. As close to Faulkner as you can get. A rare gem.