Bytheendofvolume1ofTheLifeofWilliamFaulkner(“Afilling,satisfyingfeastforFaulkneraficianados“--Kirkus),theyoungFaulknerhadgonefromanunpromising,self-mythologizingbohemiantotheauthorofsomeofthemostinnovativeandenduringliteratureofthecentury,includingTheSoundandtheFuryandLightinAugust.ThesecondandconcludingvolumeofCarlRollyson’sambitiousbiographyfindsFaulknerlamentingthemanythreatstohiscreativeexistence.Feeling,asanartist,heshouldbeaboveworldlyconcernsandevenmorality,hehasinsteadinheritedonlydebts--asymptomoftheSouth’sfadedfortunes--andnumerousmouthstofeedandfuneralstofund.Andsoheturnstotheclassictemptationforfinanciallystrugglingwriters--Hollywood.ThusbeginsroughlyadecadeofshuttlingbetweenhishomeandfamilyinMississippi--lifebloodofhisart--andthebacklotsoftheGoldenAgefilmindustry.ThroughFaulkner’sHollywoodyears,RollysonintroducessuchpersonalitiesasHumphreyBogartandFaulkner’slong-timecollaboratorHowardHawks,whiletellingthestoriesbehindfilmssuchasTheBigSleepandToHaveandHaveNot.Atthesametime,hechronicleswithgreatinsightFaulkner’srapidlycrumblingthoughsomehowresilientmarriageandhisnumerousextramaritalaffairs--includinghisdeeplyfelt,ifultimatelydoomed,relationshipwithMetaCarpenter.(Inhisgriefovertheirbreakup,Faulkner--adipsomaniaccapableofferociousalcoholicbinges--receivedthird-degreeburnswhenhepassedoutonahotel-roomradiator.)WheremostbiographersandcriticsdismissFaulkner’sfilmworkasatbestanecessaryevil,atworstatragicwasteofhispeakcreativeyears,Rollysonapproachesthisperiodasavaluablewindowonhisartistry.Herevealsafascinating,previouslyunappreciatedcross-pollinationbetweenFaulkner’sfilmandliterarywork,elementsfromhisfictionappearinginhisscreenplaysandhisfilmcollaborationsinfluencinghislaternovels--fundamentallychangingthecharacteroflate-careerworkssuchastheSnopestrilogy.RollysontakesthereaderonafascinatingjourneythroughthecompositionofAbsalom,Absalom!,widelyconsideredFaulkner’smasterpiece,aswellasthefilmadaptationheauthored--unproducedandneverpublished--RevoltintheEarth.HerevealshowFaulknerwrestledwiththelegacyoftheSouth--bothitshistoryanditsdizzyingracialcontradictions--andturneditintopowerfulartinworkssuchasGoDown,MosesandIntruderintheDust.Volume2ofthismonumentalworkrestsonanunprecedentedtroveofresearch,givingusthemostpenetratingandcomprehensivelifeofFaulknerandprovidingafascinatinglookattheauthor’strajectoryfromunder-appreciated“writer’swriter“toworld-renownedNobellaureateandliteraryicon.InhisfamousNobelspeech,Faulknersaidwhatinspiredhimwasthehumanabilitytoprevail.Intheend,thisbeautifullywroughtlifeshowshowFaulkner,themanandtheartist,embodiesthisremarkablecapacitytoendureandprevail.
WRITER HOLLYWOOD LIFE APPRECIATED
