Absalom, Absalom! by William Faulkner
This novel is a complex narrative about Thomas Sutpen, a poor white man who rises to power in the South, aiming to create a dynasty that would rival the old aristocratic families. However, his ambitions are thwarted by his own flawed decisions and the overarching racial and societal tensions of the era. The story is not told in a linear fashion but rather through a series of interconnected flashbacks and narratives, offering different perspectives on the same events. The book explores themes of family, class, race, and the destructive power of obsession.
The 51st greatest book of all time
- Published
- 1936
- Nationality
- American
- Type
- Fiction
- Pages
- 300-400
- Words
- 120,000
- Original Language
- English
If you're interested in seeing the ranking details on this book go here
This book is on the following lists:
- 1st on The Best Southern Novels of All Time (Oxford American)
- 2nd on 100 Best Novels in English Since 1900 (Counterpunch)
- 4th on The 25 Favorite Books of 100 Francophone Writers (Telerama)
- 4th on Quintessential American Fiction, According to the Rest of the World (Literary Hub)
- 6th on For The Love of Books (For The Love of Books)
- 6th on The Ideal Library (Book)
- 7th on The 100 Greatest Novels (greatbooksguide.com)
- 11th on El Pais Favorite Books of 100 Spanish Authors (El Pais)
- 17th on The Novel 100: A Ranking of the Greatest Novels of All Time (The Novel 100)
- 17th on In Which These Are the 100 Greatest Novels (ThisRecording.com)
- 25th on The Top 10: The Greatest Books of All Time (The Top 10 (Book))
- 30th on 100 Best Books (Montana State University)
- 32nd on 20th Century's Greatest Hits: 100 English-Language Books of Fiction (Larry McCaffery)
- 58th on Our Users' Favorite Books of All Time (The Greatest Books Users)
- 58th on Radcliffe's 100 Best Novels (Radcliffe Publishing Course)
- 81st on The 100 Best Books of World Literature (ABC.es)
- 93rd on The 100 Best Novels of the 20th Century (Folha de São Paulo)
- 217th on The Complete 500: OCLC (OCLC)
- 370th on The 500 best books of all time from Culture Café users (Culture Café)
- How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Reading List (Thomas C. Foster)
- Masterpieces of World Literature (Frank N. Magill)
- Finest Works of Fiction (Martin Seymour-Smith and Editors)
- 100 Life-Changing Books (National Book Award)
- Top 100 Works in World Literature (Norwegian Book Clubs, with the Norwegian Nobel Institute)
- The Dream of the Great American Novel (Book)
- 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die (The Book)
- Six Professors from "Esteemed" Universities Favorite Books (Democrat and Chronicle (Newspaper))
- Harold Bloom's The Western Canon (The Western Canon (Book) by Harold Bloom)
- The Great American Novels (The Atlantic)
- Best Books Listed for High School Students (William J. Bennett)