William Faulkner’s biography

William Faulkner

Born: Sept. 25, 1897, New Albany, Miss.

Died: July 6, 1962, Byhalia, Miss.

Awards and honors: Nobel Prize for literature, 1949

Life: The family name was Falkner, but he modified it. He joined the British Royal Air Force in July 1918, but the armistice ended his dreams of fighter pilot glory. His first novel, “Soldier’s Pay,” was published in 1926. “Sartoris,” published in 1929, introduced readers to Yoknapatawpha County. The fictional place also appeared in subsequent novels, especially “The Sound and the Fury,” which also was published in 1929. “As I Lay Dying” followed the next year. He is said to have written “Sanctuary,” published in 1931, for the money. “Light in August” appeared in 1932 and “Absalom, Absalom!” in 1936. He also did screenwriting, including “The Big Sleep,” “To Have and Have Not” and “The Long, Hot Summer.”