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Collected Stories Audiobook
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(4.00) - 3,285 listener ratings
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“I’m a failed poet. Maybe every novelist wants to write poetry first, finds he can’t and then tries the short story which is the most demanding form after poetry. And failing that, only then does he take up novel writing.” —William Faulkner Winner of the National Book Award Forty-two stories make up this magisterial collection by the writer who stands at the pinnacle of modern American fiction. Compressing an epic expanse of vision into hard and wounding narratives, Faulkner’s stories evoke the intimate textures of place, the deep strata of history and legend, and all the fear, brutality, and tenderness of the human condition. These tales are set not only in Yoknapatawpha County, but in Beverly Hills and in France during World War I. They are populated by such characters as the Faulknerian archetypes Flem Snopes and Quentin Compson, as well as by ordinary men and women who emerge so sharply and indelibly in these pages that they dwarf the protagonists of most novels.
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"I would say that 85 percent of these stories were great. Some of them should have been made into movies, for instance, Uncle Willy. While many of the stories have racist language, I think this could adjusted for if a movie version was all black in some cases. Obviously, where the theme is racism, that wouldn't be possible. I have read that the Coen Brothers are inspired by Faulkner. They should make Centaur in Brass into a movie or a part of a movie. It could be right up there with O Brother! Where Art Thou?"
— John (5 out of 5 stars)
Awards
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Winner of National Book Awards, 1951
Collected Stories Listener Reviews
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" Not one of my favorite books "
— Angela, 2/15/2014 -
" Five stars...who would have thought? I would have, and that's why I borrowed the book from the library. It's William Faulkner. If you've not read him, get him. If you've got him, read him. If you've read him, good. Now read him again and go to bed. "
— Kevin, 2/13/2014 -
" Before this, I knew only Faulkner's novels. He will probably always be known for the novels but these stories are outstanding. "
— Chelsea, 2/9/2014 -
" Though not every story in the collection deserves 5 stars, (unlike, say, every single story of Flannery O'Connor's) a fair percentage of them deserve the rating. Taken as a body of work though--and combined with those novels taking place in Yoknapatawpha County. . . I suppose it's just that these stories capture an essential piece of America. The language is breathtaking as always. Man-o-man. Go read. "
— Stephen, 1/22/2014 -
" Very solid with only a few 'filler' I dind't enjoy. "
— Fedaykin, 1/18/2014 -
" As uneven as it is comprehensive and disarming. Here is Faulkner in a giant sandbox. Excellent for the enthusiast. "
— Alex, 1/6/2014 -
" Assigned in 11th grade. only some of the stories were required. Every story is great. "
— Dirk, 1/6/2014 -
" I love everything by Faulkner, but I've always had a special fondness for his short stories. In this massive volume, more than half the stories are worth the price of the book by themselves. Divided into general themes, if you're interested in Faulkner but don't know where to start, here is an excellent place to become familiar with perhaps the greatest of American authors. "
— Louis, 1/3/2014 -
" What an incredible writer! I'm ashamed to say I'm only now (after almost 60 years) reading most of these stories. Just finished Two Soldiers and Shall Not Perish.....OMG!!! "
— Kenny, 1/1/2014 -
" I haven't read all of these stories, but one in particular is worth a mention. A Rose for Emily is not only creepy it is well-written. Another gem from the South. "
— Becky, 12/11/2013 -
" I started it, but didn't finish. I like happy stories and the ones I read were pretty depressing. "
— Emily, 12/6/2013 -
" A collection of really good short stories about the rural south and race relations from diffrent times. "
— Jerry, 12/5/2013 -
" I need to be in the right frame of mind to read a Faulkner novel but can always find the right mood for one of the shorter stories. "
— Jeanne, 10/31/2013 -
" It took me a few months but I finally finished it. Too much Faulkner at once will drive a person to drink... probably bourbon "
— Tara, 9/13/2013 -
" I thoroughly enjoyed each of these stories. They transcend the period in which they were written and are well composed. "
— B, 8/9/2013 -
" Started in 2008, I've been dipping into it ever since. The widely anthologized stories ("Barn Burning", "A Rose for Emily") are here and they're read for a reason. My favorite story is the hilarious "Shingles for the Lord". "
— Karlton, 8/1/2013 -
" The Bear remains as one of the shining stars of American fiction. "
— Delway, 12/4/2012 -
" Faulkner. Damn. It's almost not fair. "
— Daniel, 12/1/2012 -
" Faulkner is worth the extra effort. Give me Faulkner over Hemingway and Fitzgerald any day. "
— Monica, 11/6/2012 -
" The most powerful collection of short stories I've ever read. "
— Betty, 4/6/2012 -
" Read parts of it. I particularly enjoyed "Two Soldiers" and "Shall Not Perish". "
— Willyf22, 10/7/2011 -
" I love Faulkner's stories. It is rough feeling at times, but I think he did an excellent job with human nature and characterization. "
— Meagan, 7/18/2011 -
" I still haven't decided what makes Faulkner's short stories so inferior to his novels. And I usually prefer short stories. How odd. "
— Holly, 4/6/2011 -
" I started it, but didn't finish. I like happy stories and the ones I read were pretty depressing. "
— Emily, 4/6/2011 -
" So depressing-so bleak-so glad I don't live in a time when everything was so hard. "
— Carolyn, 6/16/2010 -
" Very solid with only a few 'filler' I dind't enjoy. "
— Fedaykin, 2/6/2010 -
" It took me a few months but I finally finished it. Too much Faulkner at once will drive a person to drink... probably bourbon "
— Tara, 8/24/2009 -
" Assigned in 11th grade. only some of the stories were required. Every story is great. "
— Dirk, 6/21/2009 -
" Read parts of it. I particularly enjoyed "Two Soldiers" and "Shall Not Perish". "
— Willyf22, 5/9/2009
About William Faulkner
William Faulkner (1897–1962) was a Nobel Prize–winning American novelist and short-story writer. One of the most influential writers of the twentieth century, his reputation is based mostly on his novels, novellas, and short stories, but he was also a published poet and an occasional screenwriter. The majority of his works are based in his native state of Mississippi. Though his work was published as early as 1919, and largely during the 1920s and 1930s, Faulkner was relatively unknown until receiving the 1949 Nobel Prize in Literature, “for his powerful and artistically unique contribution to the modern American novel.” He has often been cited as one of the most important writers in the history of American literature. In 1962, he was awarded the American Academy of Arts and Letters Gold Medal for Fiction.
About the Narrators
Paul Boehmer is an American actor best known for his numerous appearances in the Star Trek universe, in addition to Frasier, Judging Amy, Guiding Light, and All My Children. He is a 1992 Masters of Fine Arts graduate of the Professional Theater Training Program at the University of Delaware. As a narrator, Paul has won several AudioFile Earphones Awards as well as an Audie Award.
Paul Boehmer is an American actor best known for his numerous appearances in the Star Trek universe, in addition to Frasier, Judging Amy, Guiding Light, and All My Children. He is a 1992 Masters of Fine Arts graduate of the Professional Theater Training Program at the University of Delaware. As a narrator, Paul has won several AudioFile Earphones Awards as well as an Audie Award.
Scott Brick, an acclaimed voice artist, screenwriter, and actor, has performed on film, television, and radio. He attended UCLA and spent ten years in a traveling Shakespeare company. Passionate about the spoken word, he has narrated a wide variety of audiobooks. winning won more than fifty AudioFile Earphones Awards and several of the prestigious Audie Awards. He was named a Golden Voice by AudioFile magazine and the Voice of Choice for 2016 by Booklist magazine.
Marc Cashman, Earphones Award–winning narrator, was named one of the “Best Voices of the Year” by AudioFile magazine. His voice can be heard on radio, television, film, and video games. He also instructs voice actors through his classes, The Cashman Cache of Voice-Acting Techniques, in Los Angeles.
Susan Denaker is an actress and Earphones Award–winning narrator. Her extensive theater credits include numerous plays in the West End of London, national tours, many English rep companies, including a season with Alan Ayckbourn’s company in Scarborough. In the US, she has appeared in Our Town and Sweet Bird of Youth at the La Jolla Playhouse and Breaking Legs at the Westport Playhouse.
Paul Michael, winner of several Earphones Awards, has also won the prestigious Audie Award for best narration. He has acted on stage, radio, television, and in feature films in Canada, Great Britain, and the United States. He has had leading roles in series and made-for-television movies and has guest starred in such series as VIP and Alias. He has been nominated for a Canadian Emmy and has recorded over 150 audiobooks, including the international bestseller The Da Vinci Code.
Arthur Morey has won three AudioFile Magazine “Best Of” Awards, and his work has garnered numerous AudioFile Earphones Awards and placed him as a finalist for two Audie Awards. He has acted in a number of productions, both off Broadway in New York and off Loop in Chicago. He graduated from Harvard and did graduate work at the University of Chicago. He has won awards for his fiction and drama, worked as an editor with several book publishers, and taught literature and writing at Northwestern University. His plays and songs have been produced in New York, Chicago, and Milan, where he has also performed.