Name: Three Famous Short Novels
ISBN: 9780307946751

William Faulkner

Contains the American novelist's greatest short novels: "Spotted Horses," "Old Man," and "The Bear."

Spotted Horses ; Old Man ; The Bear

Three Famous Short Novels

Three Famous Short Novels: short novels, Spotted Horses, Old Man, The Bear

Sarah Sammis

"Old Man" I've now read twice and neither time have I read it in its full context. The first time I read it, it was part of The Famous Short Novels which I read and released through BookCrossing but didn't review on this blog. I've since done some research on "Old Man" and have learned that it is actually part of a longer and more typical Faulkner novel, If I Forget Thee, Jerusalem, consisting of two different but complimentary narratives: "The Wild Palms" and "Old Man". Some reviews say these two narratives are separate novellas and an equal number says that the two are one novel and can't be separated out as unique stories (even though a variety of book editors would disagree).

From my BookCrossing review I can see that last time I didn't like the book. I know that when I read it I was rushed and also suffering from the early stages of morning sickness (although I didn't know it at the time). With both readings I picked up on a O Brother Where Art Thou? vibe, the only difference being that this time I found the story humorous and entertaining.

I don't know if I've matured as a reader in 18 months or I was just in the right mind set but this second reading of "Old Man" was the first time that I really felt like I understood what all the fuss was about William Faulkner as a writer.

Three Famous Short Novels Spotted Horses ; Old Man ; The Bear

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