I only read this edition for Intruder in the Dust; reviews of the other three books can be found separately.

Intruder is written in a breathless, stream-of-conscious style, similar to Joyce but clearly Faulknerian in nature. This unique style has its moments of brilliance. For instance, the narration of Chick falling through the ice is vivid and engaging, drawing the reader in and making them feel as if they are right there with the character. However, at other points, it can be quite a challenge. The later explications of the state of the South after the Civil War are so detailed and complex that they can give you a headache.

Faulkner in his Selected Letters indicated he wrote this book as part of a message to fellow Southerners. He believed that they first owe a debt to black Americans without the help (or interference) of the North and the government. The lengthy narrations to this effect do at times distract from the plot of the book. Nevertheless, the point is well made and the story itself remains interesting. It offers a thought-provoking look at the complex relationships and historical context of the South during that time period.

What can I say?

I can lose myself in Faulkner. His works are like a magical labyrinth that draws me in and won't let me go.

The rich and complex characters he creates, the vivid descriptions of the Southern landscapes, and the profound exploration of human nature all combine to make his writing truly captivating.

When I read Faulkner, I feel as if I am transported to a different time and place, experiencing the joys and sorrows of his characters along with them.

His use of language is masterful, with long, flowing sentences that build up tension and create a sense of atmosphere.

I can get lost in the beauty and power of his words, and forget about the outside world for a while.

Faulkner's works are not easy reads, but they are well worth the effort. They make me think, feel, and understand the human condition in a deeper way.

I am truly grateful to have discovered his writing and to be able to lose myself in it whenever I need to.

The Sound and the Fury is a novel that is, at best, extremely challenging to read.

The first part of the book, narrated by an idiot named Benjy, is filled with a great deal of sound and fury yet seems to signify very little. There is no sequential narrative as Benjy is severely mentally impaired. Many characters are mentioned by name, but they are not properly introduced, making it extremely difficult to make any sense of it. A character named Quentin is referred to as both male and female, adding to the confusion. Episodes are glimpsed, but not clearly, and there is明显 a lot of jumping around in time.

The second part of the story is told by Quentin, one of Benjy's brothers, who is at Harvard with the tuition paid for by selling off part of the family property in Mississippi.

The third episode is narrated by the younger brother, Jason, who is now working as a clerk in a store in Mississippi. He believes he has been cheated out of a promised bank career by the fiancee of his sister Caddy. Meanwhile, Caddy has been thrown out by her husband and leaves her daughter, Quentin, to be raised by Jason and their mother, who is ill throughout the entire time period of the book.

Faulkner wrote this book in 1929 and it is not politically correct in the least. Its depictions of African-Americans are through the eyes of a white Mississippian from the early part of the century. There are also multiple references to Jews manipulating the markets in the third section. However, there is no indication of Faulkner's own beliefs. Overall, it is a difficult read. I will put aside this collection and read another of the four novels in a year or so.