A good value. Faulkner takes a while to adjust to, but a good opportunity to start in on classic American literature.

I had a hard time to finish reading this package but... finally finished reading them after reading other books in between. I am quite surprised Oprah chose these books. In my opinion, she could have chosen a better books. Unless you really like challenge, I doubt you will real find time to finish reading these.

The Oprah's Book Club is a great, inexpensive way to own these literary pearls. If you do not know what you are getting into I suggest you read first Light in August, then As I Lay Dying and finally, after bracing, The Sound and the Fury. I found the second a tad too dry and dark, but that's Faulkner. The last one is a book you will eventually reread. The first reading could be helped by the many high quality institutional web sites where this masterpiece is dissected and even rearranged for ease of approach. I am witholding a star simply because I have formed the opinion that Faulkner is, to put in mildly, racially biased or at least wrote for the racially biased. I would love to hear what Oprah thinks about this aspect of Faulkner's but I do not have the time. Enjoy.

Received merchandise quickly and in perfect condition. I highly recommend this seller. Thanks for a pleasant experience.

These novels are not to be read for sheer pleasure, but rather for the challenge and the depth. They are not easy to read, though *Light in August* is the easiest of the three. The prose is so difficult at times that I needed to reread again and again. I had to stop and take numerous breaks because my brain got twisted around.

I strongly suggest getting research materials from a university librray if at all possible to help navigate the stories. In the end, the depth of these novels is profound and extremely rewarding. It was only after I finished them (and read a lot of extra research articles) that I truly appreciated them. These novels are definitely amazing and a great account of southern life in the early part of the 20th century (and after the civil war), and I admire Faulkner more than I ever thought I could.

If you thought James Joyce was complex, try Faulkner!

These novels are not to be read for sheer pleasure, but rather for the challenge and the depth. They are not easy to read, though *Light in August* is the easiest of the three. The prose is so difficult at times that I needed to reread again and again. I had to stop and take numerous breaks because my brain got twisted around.

I strongly suggest getting research materials from a university librray if at all possible to help navigate the stories. In the end, the depth of these novels is profound and extremely rewarding. It was only after I finished them (and read a lot of extra research articles) that I truly appreciated them. These novels are definitely amazing and a great account of southern life in the early part of the 20th century (and after the civil war), and I admire Faulkner more than I ever thought I could.

If you thought James Joyce was complex, try Faulkner!

AS I LAY DYING by William Faulkner

I respect what he did, but I read about 15% of this one before I got bored. I don't agree with Oprah that he's difficult. I knew exactly where he was coming from and where he wanted to go. Many relevant themes and he was a damn fine wordsmith. But it's old news to this jaded old redneck. I don't know why. I realize I just dismissed an author who deserved his Pulitzers and his Nobel Prize, in a single short paragraph, but please hold back on the hate mail.

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THE SOUND AND THE FURY by William Faulkner

Ditto. You hate me, don't you?

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LIGHT IN AUTUMN by William Faulkner

Ditto. Hoo boy, now you want me dead.

Quite a challenge for the average reader.

I want to say something like, "you owe it to yourself to read these books."... and perhaps you do. I, however, don't get it. I read the insert by Opera, and all the scholars, I read As I Lay Dying, like I was supposed to, and I simply don't get the allure of Faulkner.

So reader beware. It is a challenge to read Faulkner, not because his ideas are so very profound, but because his writing style leaves me unable to care for any of his characters in any meaningful way. The dialogue is far too folksy, and though I fully realize what he is doing (presenting to us the depth of the human experience by showing us the trials and tribulations of poor folk who are just trying to make a living) I found I had no time to plod through anything more than the first 100 pages.

I realize mine is just one opinion, but think before you buy. In the reader's guide that accompanies the books, Opera suggests that you are not really a reader unless you have read Faulkner. Please take that with a grain of salt and give yourself a break... Faulkner just might not be for you.

I tried, really I did, to read these books. They were very difficult to understand. I even did an online discussion with "experts" to try to figure out what was going on, but it just didn't happen. I read "As I Lay Dying" entirely & the story behind the story told by the "experts" was okay, but did not make the read worth the time. The 2nd book, I couldn't get past the first few chapters & by the third book, I had given up. Definitely not my style.

William Faulkner is the epitome of good, southern writing. He's solid and almsot candid in his story telling, using very descripitve narrative to move the plot along. What is also good about his writing is that the characters have such palpable humanistic qualities that they not only seem real, but they seem like people you might just know.

Inside this volume, is Faulkner's best works. It's so good to see it republished and finding a new audience. It's not just for college students! If you have never read a Faulkner book, this is a great collection inside of one volume. I would also recommend other great books such as "In Cold Blood"; "The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter" and "Any Man".

I love reading novels, and I hate reading bad novels. Why not read the best? Sure, throw-away thrillers and mysteries are fun but my time is valuable and I prefer reading the best of the best, and Faulkner is at the top of the short list.

This story of love and tragedy, courage and tradition in the Deep South (in 1928) is one of the most moving stories I've ever read. This is great literature!

Faulkner's accounts of children playing in a creek, of lovers torn by tradition and family, of racism and routine cruelty is brilliant. His cadence is perfect, his images hauntingly clear. This is not easy reading, and many students learn to hate Faulkner with a passion! His long sentences, his disjointed dialogue and juxtaposition of time and place require the reader's attention, but it is worth the effort.

Do yourself a huge favor. Buy and read this great American story. It's not "easy" but the best things in life rarely are. And one more suggestion: do not get it at the public library! Buy it. You'll want to savor it, and my guess is you'll want to re-read again and again. This is a book you should definitely own and cherish.

Listen people, those of you who have discovered that William Fakener was a total literary fraud who substituted narcissism for talent, rejoice! The fact is that most so-called great writers are utter frauds. Here is a list so that you don't waste more time:
James Joyce - utter fraud
Cormac McCarthy - disgustingly narcissistic hack
William Shakespeare - very irritating and almost never interesting writer. Substituted annoyance for quality. This was largely overlooked by drunken Elizabethan audiences. Look if you object so strenuously why aren't you watching one of his plays right now? And why don't they serve ale at Shakespeare plays? Now that I could go for.
Hemingway - redefines narcissism.
Listen, to cut to the chase, writing, like any art, is at bottom a matter of manners. It is a matter of self restraint; whereas most of the people that the world calls writers are incontinent boors who think that writing is a matter of cultivating diarrhea of the pen. It should not be surprising that Oprah has recommended this tripe. She is an obvious cultural faker who should really stick with what she really knows about: fire bad, food good.

My favorite of these three is Light in August, which is a meandering story about the "toil and sweat" of the human spirit more so than most of Faulkner's novels. It is a painful story that at times is difficult to read. You just want to make the characters wake up and take it easy about their weird realities. Definitely worthwhile. Reminds a whole lot a slightly obscure book (that would be well worth locating) called The Greatest White Trash Love Story Ever Told.

A little slow response,quality product.

A briliant, insightful view of humanity under the stress of continuous change.

please order this book...you will not regret it...I also want to mention that if you enjoy reading true stories and memoirs, a couple of gals that I work with recommended a new book called "Dance to Despair" (memoirs of an exotic dancer) by Rebeckka Sathen Black..based on the true story of a womens 23 year career as an exotic dancer in some of the chicagoland areas most corrupt and infamous strip clubs,,,although this is not a subject matter that Iwould normally gravitate to..I was glad that I read this....I have to say, that I could not put this book down, and although it is not on Oprah's book list I think that it should be..don't miss either one of these...Memoirs of an Geisha girl was also great.......

I purchased this box set intending to follow the Oprah Book Club. I started at the last book Light in August. I just love it. Faulkner is a wizard with words and images. The commonality of peoples behaviour is revealed as are their insecurities, flaws and insights. I have become a Faulkner fan and am looking forward to more. He weaves such intricate charectors who impart their perspective to weave the story. it is like being a detective.

What can you say, it's Faulkner and it's a great set for the price... BUY IT!!!

I read the Sound and Fury 40 years ago, and I appreciate the book more this time around. Oprah's professors help in following the story. Faulkners characters have similar thoughts to people conversing today.

I always start out the summer thinking I will have all this time to laze around in the shade and read a good book and sip iced tea. So, I ordered these books and thought they would be the perfect read for the summer, just like Oprah said...and, guess what? I haven't even gotten through the first book because all that time I thought I would have has totally melted away just like the ice cubes in my iced tea!

Oh, well...I won't give up - this fall, I'll have cool afternoons to sit next to the fire, watch the falling leaves and cozy up with a good book and.....I'm sure they're at least 4 stars, aren't you?

well, you know the rest of the story!

Oprah, dear one, WHY? Give me Chekhov, Wharton, Plath, Dickens, Poe, but Faulkner? I appreciate the online assistance at Oprah.com and the Monday night lecture series to aid in understanding the atrocious grammer and quasi-English, but...the revelations to which it all leads isn't worth the pain and suffering of reading Faulkner.

Did this author have an LSD addicition, because let's face it...he "ain't right!"

I thought it was boring and even though I am an avid reader, I didn't get far at all in any of the books. My tastes are just different.