A. Nicholas Fargnoli and Michael Golay. 340 p. New York: Facts on File, 2002. 0-8160-3860-0; 2001-023821. $65.
Few men have lived and written such complex lives as William Faulkner (1897-1962). A constant blend of the past, the present and the psychological, his novels and stories, though critically acclaimed, initially had little public appeal. Of his 17 books, only Sanctuary remained in print in 1945. Ever in debt, Hollywood and foreign recognition in the form of the Nobel Prize first gave him financial security. With a love life as tumultuous as that of the characters in his books, Faulkner drank heavily and, like his father before him, was a frequent visitor to sanatoriums to recover his health and to take the cure.
In 1,500 alphabetically arranged entries, this new guide details the works and life of the Oxford, Mississippi, writer. Summaries of writings include plot synopses and publication histories of both short stories and novels. Major and minor characters are described. The careers of such recurring figures as Temple Drake Stevens, Flem Snopes and Uncle Billy Varner are traced through multiple novels and stories. Also examined are Faulkner's family and associates, from mentors and lovers to agents and flight instructors. The author's imaginary realms of Yoknapatawpha County and Jefferson, Mississippi, are explored, as are his Hollywood haunts and southern homes. Other entries address Faulkner's alcoholism, his critical reception, his use of race, history and time. Appendices include a chronology of Faulkner's writings divided by genre, a select bibliography of secondary sources, genealogies of the author's real and fictional families, selected writings and a timeline of his life. While A William Faulkner Encyclopedia (Greenwood, 1999) is similar in coverage and gives specific suggestions for further research, this volume contains far more entries and will serve the student and Faulkner enthusiast in both public and academic libraries. --JL