Reading Faulkner: Collected Stories attempts to make the process of reading America's major modern writer less daunting. It is a useful guide to Faulkner's allusions, distinctly southern phrases, difficult words, and historical contexts, as well as to the intricacies of the prose. Arranged according to the Vintage edition's table of contents, the annotations provide information about the material, political, and literary cultures that found their way into Faulkner's greatest short fiction, including commentary on such classics as "A Rose for Emily" and "Barn Burning." Information ranges from descriptions of 1930s farm implements and Great War airplanes to analyses of real estate deals and racial protocols. The authors offer explications of Faulkner's allusions to other artists and thinkers from Christopher Marlowe to Voltaire to T. S. Eliot. An excellent companion volume to Collected Stories for beginning and experienced readers of Faulkner, Reading Faulkner: Collected Stories allows a fascinating glimpse of Faulkner's mind at work on the materials of the world around him.

Barn burning -- Shingles for the Lord -- The tall men -- A bear hunt -- Two soldiers -- Shall not perish -- A rose for Emily -- Hair -- Centaur in brass -- Dry September -- Death drag -- Elly -- Uncle Willy -- Mule in the yard -- That will be fine -- That evening sun -- Red leaves -- A justice -- A courtship -- Lo! -- Ad astra -- Victory -- Crevasse -- Turnabout -- All the dead pilots -- Wash -- Honor -- Dr. Martino -- Fox hunt -- Pennsylvania Station -- Artist at home -- The brooch -- My grandmother Millard -- Golden land -- There was a queen -- Mountain victory -- Beyond -- Black music -- The leg -- Mistral -- Divorce in Naples -- Carcassonne.