Carl Rollyson: The Life of William Faulkner

In this episode of Biographers in Conversation, Gabriella chats with veteran biographer Carl Rollyson about his two-volume biography of William Faulkner, a giant of 20th century literature who won the Pulitzer and Nobel prizes: The Life of William Faulkner: The Past Is Never Dead and The Life of William Faulkner: This Alarming Paradox. Carl also published William Faulkner Day by Day, which provides a unique insight into the minute of Faulkner’s daily life and relationships.  

Here’s what you’ll discover in this episode:

•  The meaning of The Past Is Never Dead and This Alarming Paradox.


•  Why Carl chose to end The Past Is Never Dead in 1934. 


•  How Carl oriented Faulkner within the historical, social and cultural context of his time.  


• How Carl crafted a portrait of the whole human being by balancing Faulkner’s public, professional and personal lives with literary criticism. 


• How Carl reconciled the contradictory aspects of Faulkner’s behaviour.


•  Why Carl crafted William Faulkner Day by Day and why he wrote the narrative in present tense. 


• Why Carl argues that Faulkner deserves to be reread as a literary figure and a still-relevant force, especially in relation to issues of race, sexuality and equality.


• Carl’s views on the role of a biographer.

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