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)

This story was promising, but

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

I have no idea who would appreciate this book from beginning to end

What do you think your next listen will be?

Something much lighter to listen

What aspect of Will Patton’s performance would you have changed?

I think he put too much drawl into the words on some of his characters

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Light in August?

I don't know--connection was not good from first half to second half of the book.

Any additional comments?

This book went from interesting and engaging to infuriating.

A masterpiece written for Will Patton's voice

Ethereal -- words that drift and sometimes drive straight into that sense beyond hearing and beyond seeing. Only one two other books moved me as much: Hugh Dickson's reading of Bleak House and Anthony Heald's reading of Moby Dick. All these books I read and listened, alternatively, the pleasure deeper for the hearing of it.

Great story and great reader.

Listening to Faulkner is in someways fuck they’re at his best. The intricacies of character and the dialogue are just amazing.

Even with Will Patton the book was hard to follow.

Will Patton brought this story to life. Beautiful words in describing a feeling or scene BUT summarizing an event at some length and than going back immediately to the beginning of the scene and writing the scene in much more detail became quite boring to me. I would have rather had just the scene played out once to it's completion.

Will Patton is amazing

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

If you want to get the classics under your belt, this is a good way to do it. Patton masterfully portrayed Faulkner's characters, especially the voice of Faulkner himself. Rich.

What about Will Patton’s performance did you like?

Sometimes a book feels like it's being read. Patton told the story.

Gave it my best go...

Faulkner is not my cup of tea, the run-ons, the never ending plot lines and the ongoing connections helped me to end the novel prematurely, the first for me and audible.

A harsh reality

I almost backed out of this purchase when I read that it was an Oprah recommendation but,, having missed out on High School Faulkner due to an Australian education, decided it was worth the risk.

I was hooked from the start. The language is truly amazing and the narration superb. I felt like the book gave me a true sense of race and racism. What cold, tragic, loveless lives these people led.

A classic for a reason

I don't know why I am surprised when I listen to a classic and its good, A Light in August does not disappoint. While the story is really good its the writing that's amazing...The phrases were simply but beautifully written. I did have re-listen a few times to keep the premise but I was working while listening and tend to lose track.
Will Patton is amazing! I listened to him narrate Alas! Babylon and now this. I believe his is my new favorite narrator.
I will be reading to more of William Faulkner now.

Patton!

A remarkable reading of Faulkner by a master of dialect and pacing. Really enhanced the experience.

Some of the greatest prose you will ever hear

At its heart a mystery, this novel has engaging characters, a shifting timeline and point of view that keeps you engaged. But the words, the words, almost every few sentences you feel you should stop to copy them to keep. A profound statement against racism, that would get anyone trying to teach it pilloried and fired by the pseudo-intellectual woke mob. The book well earns its place in the top 100 modern novels.