Light in August by William Faulkner

Finishing Oprah's series of three Faulkner's books that were packaged as a Summer of Faulkner I have just finished Light in August.

After reading As I Lay Dying and The Sound and the Fury this book was much easier. Still told with flashbacks and wraparounds it could never be called an easy read.

After reading three books and his short stories I have to advise that I have an affection for his writing. Because it is much centered on a Southern life and portrays race relations as they existed at that time Faulkner's work is disapparing as expected reading. This is a shame.

Light in August centers on Joe Christmas. A young man of mixed race adopted by a pious couple we learn in the course of the book Joe's story both back in time and to its conclusion. Reading an article about the book after the fact I was surprised to see all the Christian imagary in both this character and in the book itself. Especially comparing some details of the chapters of John and this book. Sometimes I wonder if the correlation is on purpose by Faulkner or if someone just had too much time on their hands to see it. Sort of like the whole Pink Floyd/ Wizard of Oz. Still it seem that Faulkner must have known what he was doing.

We also meet Lena a young unmarried pregnant woman from Alabama who is chasing down the man who impregnated her with both baby and promises. She is like a tortoise steadily moving, depending on the kindness of strangers to get where and what she wants.

66 characters in all float through the book, equal to the number of books in the Bible for those who believe Faulkner mapped the whole book out with that sort of imagary. The book is a marvel. Certainly more accessilbe than some others but nothing you can breeze through in an afternoon.

I am glad I read the others first. This book is like dessert after a tough but filling steak.