Books

1932. First Edition. FAULKNER, William. Light in August. (New York): Harrison Smith & Robert Haas, (1932). Octavo, original beige cloth, original dust jacket. $8500.First edition, first issue of one of Faulkner's most powerful and ambitious novels, a splendid copy.Published a year after his controversial Sanctuary, Faulkner's tale of Joe Christmas and Lena Grove received almost universal acclaim. The New York Times called it ""an astonishing performance… Light in August is a powerful novel, a book which secures Mr. Faulkner's place at the very front of American writers of fiction"" (Books of the Century, 100-01). ""A searing novel… For the first time in his writing, Faulkner directly confronts racial prejudice in the South… Light in August is perhaps best read as Faulkner's ironic Gospel"" (Parini, 178-83). First issue, with first printing statement on copyright page, and ""Jefferson"" for ""Mottstown"" on page 340, line 1; first-issue binding, lettered in blue and…

Light in August is a novel by the American author William Faulkner. First published in 1932, the novel is set in Faulkner's fictional Yoknapatawpha County and weaves together several intricate plots. The narrative centers around Joe Christmas, a man of uncertain racial heritage, and explores themes of identity, myth, and racism.

Identifying a first edition of 'Light in August' can involve checking the publisher's page for statements such as 'First Edition' or the presence of a date on the copyright page that matches the book's initial release date in 1932. For Smith & Haas editions, the absence of subsequent printings or editions may also indicate a first edition.