Light in August

By: William Faulkner

Narrated by: Will Patton

Length: 15 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's summary

Earphones Award Winner (AudioFile Magazine)

Audible is pleased to present Light in August, by Nobel Prize-winning author William Faulkner.

An Oprah's Book Club Selection regarded as one of Faulkner's greatest and most accessible novels, Light in August is a timeless and riveting story of determination, tragedy, and hope. In Faulkner's iconic Yoknapatawpha County, race, sex, and religion collide around three memorable characters searching desperately for human connection and their own identities.

Audie Award-winning narrator Will Patton lends his voice to Light in August. Patton has narrated works by Ernest Hemingway, Don DeLillo, Pat Conroy, Denis Johson, Larry McMurtry, and James Lee Burke, and brings to this performance a keen understanding of Faulkner, an authentic feel for the South, and a virtuoso narrator's touch.

As an added bonus, when you purchase our Audible Modern Vanguard production of William Faulkner's book, you'll also receive an exclusive Jim Atlas interview. This interview – where James Atlas interviews James Lee Burke about the life and work of William Faulkner – begins as soon as the audiobook ends.

Be sure to check out Faulkner's The Wild Palms as well.

This production is part of our Audible Modern Vanguard line, a collection of important works from groundbreaking authors.

©1954, 1976 William Faulkner (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

• Audie Award Nominee - Best Classic Audiobook, 2011

"For all his concern with the South, Faulkner was actually seeking out the nature of man. Thus we must turn to him for that continuity of moral purpose which made for the greatness of our classics." (Ralph Ellison)

"It's impossible to overstate the difficulties facing Will Patton as he undertakes a reading of this Faulkner classic. It's not simply the matter of conveying early-twentieth-century Southern backwoods dialects. That, a skilled mimic with an exceptional ear like Patton masters easily. But this novel's demands are so much more arduous, requiring a narrator to plumb the depths of despair, hopelessness, faith, rage, and yearning that go on for page after page without letup." ( AudioFile)

Will Patton’s performance is not to be missed.

Patton’s performance is nearly as masterful as Faulkner’s prose. His grasp of the different southern dialects makes this performance almost as if the reader has been transported back in time. To this time and place. To these seemingly simple folks who are so haunted by the War of Northern Aggression. By endemic racism but not by all who lived then. One can see egalitarian behavior from some. I don’t think any of us today truly have an accurate picture of Faulkners times. This story seems to be a grim yet accurate narrative.

another MUST

he is just plain amazing. I have most all his books on Audible and on epub

Excellent book and performance!

Fantastic performance by the reader, book also very good much more accessible than most of Faulkner's others but still with very interesting themes and characters.

Perseverance in Face of Cruelty

Faulkner is a bit intimidating and difficult to process. I read several of his books in school, but somehow missed this novel. "Light in August" is undoubtedly the easiest to enjoy.

In the fictional town of Yoknapatawpha County, Mississippi, the time period is just after the Civil War during a time of extreme racism while rebuilding. This theme is carried out by the main character, Joe Christmas, an angry man of mixed ethnic origin who doesn't know who his parents are and who rebels against prejudice, embarking on a murderous rampage as a cry for help. He's trying to find his way in the face of cruelty; committing unthinkable atrocities. The themes of violence, perseverance, and hope walk you through the story without judgment by Faulkner. You draw your own conclusions and are free to interpret as you wish. He is truly the voice of Southern literature.

Cross this off the bucket list.

I've made it a LONG time without reading any William Faulkner. I decided it was time to cross it off my bucket list when I saw this had been narrated by Will Patton. The narration was first-rate, as expected. As to Faulkner ... it's not a fit for me. This was heavy, dark and dreary. A tough go. I appreciate Faulkner's gift for writing. It's singular. It's just not the kind of thing I want to read when I'm taking a break from the world.

Thumbs down for me!

I listened until 3 hours from the end and just could not stand a moment more. I found Faulkner's story depressing, unpleasant and mostly unbelievable. The timeline jumping happened without warning, and at one point, I thought I had started another book. The biblical, racial, and sexual bigotry, along with "preacherliness" of both the story and the narration, totally turned me off--so did Faulkner's creative word-play.

Apparently, I am not sophisticated enough to enjoy or appreciate this classical writer. Luckily, I have found others whom I really do enjoy.

Needs Cliff Notes!

I chose Faulkner's book because I wanted to incorporate some "great American literature" into my audiobook habit. Unfortunately, it became obvious that great literature doesn't always make a great audiobook. No doubt the greatness is there, but by the end of the book it grew ponderous, not satisfying like for instance Bryce Courtenay or even Jeff Lindsay.

outstanding!!!

holy cow! my first Faulkner book. I loved every minute of this book. needless to say the writing was superb. Faulkner has a miraculous gift for dialogue and prose. and Will Patton blew me away. so amazing. I can't wait to read more Faulkner and hopefully Mr Patton will be the reader.

A revelation

I had never read Faulkner and I am just blown away by this book and by Will Patton’s narration. Proust comes to mind and Henry James. But Faulkner’s unique style and poetic voice really can’t be compared to any other author. If you love great literature this is not to be missed.

Not my cup of tea!

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

No. Although it started out well, the last half didn't make a lot of sense.

Would you recommend Light in August to your friends? Why or why not?

The plot and characters were confusing.

Which scene was your favorite?

I like the scene where the young lady met the man at the mill. I also liked the scene where the adopted father of the protagonist accosted him at a dance in town. I also liked the scene where the teenagers picked him up hitchhiking on the side of the road. Many specific scenes were quite vividly portrayed.

Could you see Light in August being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

No. Not enough plot. Too disjointed.