Rating: 
Summary: Great read!
Review: Not having attempted Faulkner since high school, I decided to try this one, seeing the reviews that it was light-hearted and comedic. I have to say, I was not disappointed! It took a little while to get back into understanding the writing style, but once I did, I appreciated it that much more. His style does give you the feeling of being inside someone's head while they are telling a story. Parts of this book really did make me laugh out loud! Parts, especially when Lucius learns Miss Corrie's profession, and what it means, made me tear up a bit. To be that innocent again! All in all, this was a great story. I think it was a great reintroduction to Faulkner, and I will have to try some of his other works now!
Rating:
Summary: Great read!
Review: Not having attempted Faulkner since high school, I decided to try this one, seeing the reviews that it was light-hearted and comedic. I have to say, I was not disappointed! It took a little while to get back into understanding the writing style, but once I did, I appreciated it that much more. His style does give you the feeling of being inside someone's head while they are telling a story. Parts of this book really did make me laugh out loud! Parts, especially when Lucius learns Miss Corrie's profession, and what it means, made me tear up a bit. To be that innocent again! All in all, this was a great story. I think it was a great reintroduction to Faulkner, and I will have to try some of his other works now!
Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful
Review: Perhaps Faulkner's happiest and funniest piece of writing. The last published book in his lifetime, which deservedly won a Pulitzer as well, is a swell and lovely read.
Rating:
Summary: An entertaining conclusion to an incredible career
Review: Some fans of Faulkner have bemoaned the fact that his final novel is not a profound summation of his heftier, more philosophical works (as though Faulkner could have foreseen his own death and owed his readers that much). While it is true that The Reivers is a much lighter (and more comical) work than those commonly regarded as Faulkner's "masterpieces," it is still worthy of attention. For one thing, The Reivers is Faulkner at his most entertaining; unburdened by the need to address the darker symptoms of the human condition, he is free to let his imagination run wild: the trials and triumphs of young Lucius Priest and his travelling companions make for some hilarious scenes and leave the reader feeling far more bouyant at the novel's close that, say, at the end of The Sound and the Fury or Absalom, Absalom!. The Reivers also features two additional benefits: the divine Miss Reba (second only to Granny Millard as Faulkner's most entertaining and resourceful female character); and the much-appreciated absence of that nosy and annoying popinjay Gavin Stevens. While one might read The Reivers as a Bildungsroman (Lucius's growth and awakening to the realities of the world around him are clearly underscored throughout the novel), I prefer to see it as a simple, amusing and satisfying story from a man who, by the end of his life, had done more to explore the human condition than most writers ever attempt - and was content to leave it at that.
Rating:
Summary: Masterpiece
Review: The Reivers is one of the greatest novels written in the English language along with Catcher in the Rye, Lolita, and Remberance of Things Past (all of which I highly recomend). Every page is blessed with a fluent clarity defining life in the south, where I basically grew up. I believe that there isn't a person that shouldn't have the privilage and pleasure of reading one of Faulkner's finest tales.
Rating: 
Summary: The Worst Book I Ever Read: A Reminiscence
Review: This is the worst book I ever read. I had to read it for my english class and it was horrible. Every paragraph Faulkner says something stupid about non-virtue or uses parentheses. It had about one part I liked in the whole book. All Iknow is that I will never read a book by him again or have anything to do with them [....] You can read it if you want but I would't if you do decide to read trust me, you probably will not like it. Thanks fo listening to me tell you how bad the book is!!!!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: a wordy but pleasant tale
Review: this not the stereotypical might-as-well-been-written-in-greek faulkner. instead, it is a nice, if not sweet, story of three unlikely heroes out for a good time and getting more than they bargained for. the story begins simply enough in faulkner's jefferson and promises an adventure on a scale that rural 1905 mississippi and tennessee could deliver. there a several actually chuckle out loud parts of the story, as well as, significant points in a young boy's life masked in a frustratingly comical situation. i particularly loved how lucius is awakened to the seedy side of life after his first eleven sheltered years. all in all the novel was a nice read, but a little long, though. the quaint and reflective mood of a grandfather sitting down to tell his grandson (i assume) the story of the time he "borrowed" his grandfather's car and took off to memphis is a little heavy on rambling, and that hurts the overall feel of the story. but i recommend it if you ever have a hankerin' for a good 'ole spin.
Rating:
Summary: Temptation!
Review: When I first tried to read The Reivers about 35 years ago, I found the book hard to get into. I found that happening again this time, but my advice to you is to stick with it. Past the opening scenes, you'll find the story wrapping its gentle tendrils around your mind and enjoyably taking you back to a simpler time when automobiles were new, and people acted in less restrained ways when they had the chance. The experience of reading this book is like sitting on your grandfather's knee listening to him describe his youth. Sit back, take a deep breath, relax, and settle in for a most entertaining story that should not be hurried. The book's title is filled with irony. Although ostensibly looking at the temptations that cause people to steal, underlying that surface message is a more subtle one of how people in power use that power to steal dignity and opportunity from others. Before the story ends, everyone in the book is a reiver (an older term for thief) of something or of human dignity. The book opens with Boon Hogganback losing his temper and trying to shoot a man who insulted him. Fortunately, Boon is a bad shot. That's also the bad news because he wounds a young black girl and shoots out a store window. It will take him a long time to pay the damages. The story then shifts to Boon's equally impulsive infatuation with the automobile that the narrator's grandfather has purchased, but doesn't intend to drive. Boon craftily overcomes grandfather's reluctance, and the family is soon riding with Boon as the driver. When the narrator's other grandfather dies, the family leaves town by train for the funeral leaving Boon with an automobile. Boon and Lucius Priest (our 11 year-old narrator) find themselves unable to resist the temptation to "borrow" the car for four days and head to Memphis for 80 miles over unpaved roads. After many adventures (like getting across streams without bridges), they arrive in Memphis. Lucius notices that there is something strange about the boarding house that they are visiting. It turns out to be a house of ill fame, and just as soon as they settle in the car disappears! The story will remind you of Huckleberry Finn. Boon is a Tom Sawyer-like character, and Ned McCaslin (his grandfather's black handyman) is like Jim. The trip to and from Memphis is like Huck's trip down the Mississippi. The plot is filled with humor, and soon revolves around the most complicated scheme imaginable for getting the car back. The book also has many elements of Don Quixote with Lucius, Ned, and Boon taking turns playing that role. Despite their lies, misappropriations, and misbehavior, they are constantly trying to do the right thing. One of the most beautiful moments is Lucius speaking up for the honor of Boon's lady friend who works in the "boarding house." This spontaneous and generous act sets off a series of responses by the other characters that redeem and uplift them. If you have tried to read other Faulkner stories, you will find this one much more accessible. On the other hand, it moves in deliberate, convoluted ways that require your attention and patience. You will be rewarded, however, because each tiny element is important to the overall picture being portrayed and story being developed. For those who like excitement, you should know that a major part of the story revolves around a series of horse races with serious bets involved. As soon as you get closer to the horse races, you will find yourself totally engrossed in the story and wondering how it will all turn out. The suspense is excellent, and you will probably be surprised in many pleasant ways by the story's resolution. After you read this book, you should think about how one should handle the clash between society's expectations and rules, and the needs of those in trouble. How should the gap be covered? Let temptation make you stronger and more virtuous in the ways that count!
Rating:
Summary: Temptation!
Review: When I first tried to read The Reivers about 35 years ago, I found the book hard to get into. I found that happening again this time, but my advice to you is to stick with it. Past the opening scenes, you'll find the story wrapping its gentle tendrils around your mind and enjoyably taking you back to a simpler time when automobiles were new, and people acted in less restrained ways when they had the chance.
The experience of reading this book is like sitting on your grandfather's knee listening to him describe his youth. Sit back, take a deep breath, relax, and settle in for a most entertaining story that should not be hurried. The book's title is filled with irony. Although ostensibly looking at the temptations that cause people to steal, underlying that surface message is a more subtle one of how people in power use that power to steal dignity and opportunity from others. Before the story ends, everyone in the book is a reiver (an older term for thief) of something or of human dignity. The book opens with Boon Hogganback losing his temper and trying to shoot a man who insulted him. Fortunately, Boon is a bad shot. That's also the bad news because he wounds a young black girl and shoots out a store window. It will take him a long time to pay the damages. The story then shifts to Boon's equally impulsive infatuation with the automobile that the narrator's grandfather has purchased, but doesn't intend to drive. Boon craftily overcomes grandfather's reluctance, and the family is soon riding with Boon as the driver. When the narrator's other grandfather dies, the family leaves town by train for the funeral leaving Boon with an automobile. Boon and Lucius Priest (our 11 year-old narrator) find themselves unable to resist the temptation to "borrow" the car for four days and head to Memphis for 80 miles over unpaved roads. After many adventures (like getting across streams without bridges), they arrive in Memphis. Lucius notices that there is something strange about the boarding house that they are visiting. It turns out to be a house of ill fame, and just as soon as they settle in the car disappears! The story will remind you of Huckleberry Finn. Boon is a Tom Sawyer-like character, and Ned McCaslin (his grandfather's black handyman) is like Jim. The trip to and from Memphis is like Huck's trip down the Mississippi. The plot is filled with humor, and soon revolves around the most complicated scheme imaginable for getting the car back. The book also has many elements of Don Quixote with Lucius, Ned, and Boon taking turns playing that role. Despite their lies, misappropriations, and misbehavior, they are constantly trying to do the right thing. One of the most beautiful moments is Lucius speaking up for the honor of Boon's lady friend who works in the "boarding house." This spontaneous and generous act sets off a series of responses by the other characters that redeem and uplift them. If you have tried to read other Faulkner stories, you will find this one much more accessible. On the other hand, it moves in deliberate, convoluted ways that require your attention and patience. You will be rewarded, however, because each tiny element is important to the overall picture being portrayed and story being developed. For those who like excitement, you should know that a major part of the story revolves around a series of horse races with serious bets involved. As soon as you get closer to the horse races, you will find yourself totally engrossed in the story and wondering how it will all turn out. The suspense is excellent, and you will probably be surprised in many pleasant ways by the story's resolution. After you read this book, you should think about how one should handle the clash between society's expectations and rules, and the needs of those in trouble. How should the gap be covered? Let temptation make you stronger and more virtuous in the ways that count!
Rating:
Summary: A childhood adventure
Review: William Faulkner had previously won the Nobel Prize in literature in 1949, and the Pulitzer Prize for fiction (in 1955 for "A Fable"). This novel won him a second Pulitzer Prize. It was published in 1962, the year of his death.
The novel is written in the style of an older man reminiscencing about his youth. Some of the individual sentences ramble and digress, as do some parts of the story, put gradually the plot moves forward. Not everyone will like the writing style. I found the beginning of the novel hard to get into; but as the plot progressed it was hard to put down.
It is written as a first person narrative with some dialogue. The setting is in May 1905. Lucius Priest is an 11-year old boy living in a Mississippi town about 80 miles from Memphis, normally a two day drive over dirt roads if it's not raining and the roads are dry. Boon Hogganbeck, of somewhat unknown ancestry, was more or less inherited by the Priest family and works in the family's livery stable as the night man when he is not acting as the driver of an automobile purchased by Lucius's grandfather, a banker in the town. Ned McCaslin is the black coachman for the family. When the adults in the family are called away to the Gulf coast for a funeral, Boon, Lucius, and Ned "borrow" the grandfather's automobile to make a trip to Memphis where they stay overnight in a bordello that Boon has visited in the past. Things become complicated when Ned trades the automobile for a stolen racehorse. Ned has a way with animals, and sees potential in the horse (which has previously lost all of its races). The plot has an interesting ending, and Ned is smarter than people may have thought. Along the way, Lucius learns to drive the automobile, defends a woman's honor, and learns a lot about life that he would never have learned in school.
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