ISBN: 9780099479314

Synopsis The death and burial of Addie Bundren is told by members of her family, as they cart the coffin to Jefferson, Mississippi, to bury her among her people. And as the intense desires, fears and rivalries of the family are revealed in the vernacular of the Deep South, Faulkner presents a portrait of extraordinary power – as epic as the Old Testament, as American as Huckleberry Finn. Brief Description: Successive episodes in the death and burial of Addie Bundren are recounted by various members of the family circle, principally as they are carting their mother’s coffin to Jefferson, Mississippi, in order to bury her among her people.

Bookclub Review This masterpiece of black humor is narrated by 15 different characters and spans 59 chapters. “As I Lay Dying” explores the death, and subsequent chaotic funeral arrangements, of Addie Bundren, Mississippi sharecropper wife and mother. It is Addie Bundren’s last wish to be buried among “her people” in Jefferson, Mississippi. This is no small request in 1920s Mississippi, and the Bundren family struggle to cart their mother’s coffin down from the hills, over broken bridges, and through flooded rivers. As he narrates their terrible and darkly hilarious journey, Falkner explores both the emotional and social contours of an almost foreign world of southern hillbilly culture. The story is rendered in the unique vernacular of the 1920s Deep South – making this book a challenging and provoking read.

Heres what the group thought:

This was a great book club choice, one that inspired discussion, debate and laughter. The group all found the book to be a challenging, worthwhile read. The plot-structure successfully connected all the different voices and the ending was strikingly apt and satisfying (a rare thing indeed). The reading experience was intense, given our limited understanding of southern 1920s vernacular, but nevertheless unique and rewarding. Although Faulker offers a less than sympathetic portrait of the American south, he does so with a sense of humor that will make you simultaneously laugh and cry. Apparently the book was inspired by Homers “Odessey.” Think Grecian tragic-comedy set in the 1920s Deep South. Yes… mind-boggling.

Buzz words (single word to describe the book).

Challenging, Universal / Bitter / Obnoxious / Jewel / Crafted

The book group was reminded of the following books: