Rating: 
Summary: Beautiful, and occasionally readable
Review: "Go Down , Moses" was formed out of the melding of a series of short stories into a novel about the McCaslin family of Jefferson, Mississippi. Extending through the life of Ike McCaslin, his youthful experiences help him to later face a crucial test about his family's legacy. The complex racial relations of Faulkner's novels introduce the reader to a world which most of us could never understand or even imagine.Like other Faulkner novels, I find the dialogue and stream of consciousness to be the most alluring qualities of the book. The thoughts of the characters, the descriptions of the scenes and the dialogues paint mental pictures of the action in which the reader can feel himself to be a part. I had a bit of trouble following the story line, but the descriptions mentioned above carry the book. Faulkner is a magician with the pen. For that, this book is a good read.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Picture Words, Weak Story Line
Review: "Go Down , Moses" was formed out of the melding of a series of short stories into a novel about the McCaslin family of Jefferson, Mississippi. Extending through the life of Ike McCaslin, his youthful experiences help him to later face a crucial test about his family's legacy. The complex racial relations of Faulkner's novels introduce the reader to a world which most of us could never understand or even imagine. Like other Faulkner novels, I find the dialogue and stream of consciousness to be the most alluring qualities of the book. The thoughts of the characters, the descriptions of the scenes and the dialogues paint mental pictures of the action in which the reader can feel himself to be a part. I had a bit of trouble following the story line, but the descriptions mentioned above carry the book. Faulkner is a magician with the pen. For that, this book is a good read.
Rating: 
Summary: A prescient, piercing analysis of modern man
Review: As a huge fan of Faulkner, it took me *far* too long to get around to reading this book. Unlike an earlier reviewer, I think "Go Down Moses" is one of Faulkner's most challenging, difficult works; it is also, however, one of his most compelling. Through a painstaking account of the history of the McCaslin/Edwards/Beauchamp family, Faulkner explores the sometimes-latent, sometimes-obvious tension and hostility among black and white and Indian and somewhere-in-between in Mississippi from the 1860s to the 1930s. Isaac McCaslin ("Uncle Ike") is the focal point of most of these seven stories; he is ten when the novel opens, close to eighty when it closes--he is Faulkner's witness to generations of change, to the scourge of man on the wilderness and the indelible effect of race and ancestry on us all. "Go Down Moses" is frustrating, humorous, intelligent, profound, enlightening, and vastly ambitious--in short, it is Faulkner at his very best; "The Bear" alone is one of the best novellas in the English language. Were it not for the irritating, last-minute debut of that talkaholic Gavin Stevens, the book would be flawless. As it is, though, it's well worth the time and energy to read it, and I could not recommend it more highly.
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful, and occasionally readable
Review: Faulkner's writing is very often beautiful. Maybe even unceasingly beautiful. But for most readers, it will only occasionally be completely readable. Despite frequently inaccessible language and structure, the text will still likely be worthwhile to pretty much anyone fluent in the language simply because what can be read and can be understood is just that good. But ideally, a review shouldn't have to begin with the word 'despite.' A style of writing accessible only to the author is literary (...). Joyce does a far better job of earning that description, but Faulkner isn't far behind. Sometimes, a great writer will come along, who can relate deep meaning through simple, every day language. That's not Faulkner. You may have to read through some of the passages in Go Down Moses three or four times in order to figure out exactly what's going on. And an absolutely fundamental plot point might be contained within three words of an almost nonsensically drawn-out sentence of otherwise little relevance. Deriving the full meaning of a Hemingway story will probably take you a third the time deriving half the meaning of a Faulkner story will. Is it worth three times the effort to hear half the story in Faulkner's words? That's up to you.
Rating:
Summary: "You ain't looked right yet"
Review: Go Down Moses is by far Faulkner's greatest piece. It is the most accessible of his works and contains some of the most beautiful prose of American literature. The implications that Faulkner suggests throughout the book are that we must refocus our minds, hearts and eyes to see the brotherhood of "communal anonymity." Faulkner's piece is arguably the most beautiful works of American literatrue. Go Down Moses is a must for all people who believe in hope, justice, and love.
Rating:
Summary: An Excellent Introduction to the World of Faulkner
Review: I first bought "Go Down, Moses" for an undergraduate course in American Literature, read "The Bear" as required, and quickly forgot about the rest of the book. This Thanksgiving I picked it up again as a replacement for my usual airport-bookstore holiday reading. Thank goodness! Nothing like some heavy-duty race and environmental issues to spice up your turkey and stuffing. Faulkner has always been a pleasant read for me, because I find it quite challenging. "Go Down, Moses" is no exception. In particular, the genealogy of the McCaslin-Edmonds-Beauchamp family causes no end of confusion. You will encounter characters named McCaslin Edmonds, Carothers McCaslin, Carothers McCaslin Edmonds, etc... (I found drawing a family tree helped me immensely)! Furthermore, the narrative is hardly linear; characters jump around in space and time, tell stories of other peoples' experiences in the midst of their own reminiscences, and in general relate their tales in a manner that will keep you constantly flipping back and forth through the book. That being said, I happen to *enjoy* books like this, where the reader is not a passive recipient of information but actively engaged in the process of determining plot, characters, and truth. I like this style because it reminds me of how we construct narratives in our own minds. We go off on tangents, we ramble endlessly before returning suddenly to our original subject, we remember things as they occur to us more often than we do in chronological order. Faulkner is more psychologist than novelist: he puts us inside the minds of his characters and lets them tell the story for themselves. If you want a clear-cut, action-driven story instead of a thoughtful and intimate history, Faulkner is not for you. For those still with me, the particular thoughtful and intimate history portrayed in "Go Down, Moses" is that of a Mississippi plantation family and their relationships with their slaves, their land, and their own histories from the antebellum era to the Depression. As many prior reviewers have pointed out, this is indeed a book about race, and I have yet to see a more chilling, touching, and humanly accurate description of race relations in the South. But in my mind an equally crucial, yet often-overlooked, theme of "Go Down, Moses" is the issue of man's relation to land, ownership, and the natural world. Faulkner's descriptions of the virgin Mississippi forest and the vanishing Delta region are both beautiful and powerful, and I think contribute equally to the book in providing it with its distinctive flavor and voice. As one reviewer has previously mentioned, reading "The Bear" as a standalone story is simply not sufficient. For one, it is the longest section by far in the book, and new readers of Faulkner may easily lose track of the story, or just as easily lose interest altogether. Furthermore, the remainder of this excellent work provides a framework for an understanding and identification with the characters and the landscape of rural Mississippi that they inhabit. Many people - including myself - initially mistake "Go Down, Moses" for a collection of short stories, and this is certainly understandable. Each section of the book *can* be read as a single story, but I wouldn't recommend it. I would recommend (as I did this second time around), reading all the sections in order, starting with "Was". I think this narrative is as fine as any for demonstrating Faulkner's unusual narrative style and flowing, stream-of-consciousness language. If you like "Was," you will almost certainly like the rest of this book; if you like the whole book, you will almost certainly like the majority of Faulkner's works (particularly "The Sound and the Fury," which I cut my Faulkner-loving teeth on in high school). In the final analysis, however, I think this book serves as the best possible introduction to Faulkner. If you're not sure how you'll feel about his writing, you certainly can read a few sections and see what you think, without feeling completely lost. Faulkner's writing is in top form here, and his characters are compelling, touching, and as always somewhat flawed - they're so human, it's enough to make you... keep reading.
Rating:
Summary: An Excellent Introduction to the World of Faulkner
Review: I first bought "Go Down, Moses" for an undergraduate course in American Literature, read "The Bear" as required, and quickly forgot about the rest of the book. This Thanksgiving I picked it up again as a replacement for my usual airport-bookstore holiday reading. Thank goodness! Nothing like some heavy-duty race and environmental issues to spice up your turkey and stuffing. Faulkner has always been a pleasant read for me, because I find it quite challenging. "Go Down, Moses" is no exception. In particular, the genealogy of the McCaslin-Edmonds-Beauchamp family causes no end of confusion. You will encounter characters named McCaslin Edmonds, Carothers McCaslin, Carothers McCaslin Edmonds, etc... (I found drawing a family tree helped me immensely)! Furthermore, the narrative is hardly linear; characters jump around in space and time, tell stories of other peoples' experiences in the midst of their own reminiscences, and in general relate their tales in a manner that will keep you constantly flipping back and forth through the book. That being said, I happen to *enjoy* books like this, where the reader is not a passive recipient of information but actively engaged in the process of determining plot, characters, and truth. I like this style because it reminds me of how we construct narratives in our own minds. We go off on tangents, we ramble endlessly before returning suddenly to our original subject, we remember things as they occur to us more often than we do in chronological order. Faulkner is more psychologist than novelist: he puts us inside the minds of his characters and lets them tell the story for themselves. If you want a clear-cut, action-driven story instead of a thoughtful and intimate history, Faulkner is not for you. For those still with me, the particular thoughtful and intimate history portrayed in "Go Down, Moses" is that of a Mississippi plantation family and their relationships with their slaves, their land, and their own histories from the antebellum era to the Depression. As many prior reviewers have pointed out, this is indeed a book about race, and I have yet to see a more chilling, touching, and humanly accurate description of race relations in the South. But in my mind an equally crucial, yet often-overlooked, theme of "Go Down, Moses" is the issue of man's relation to land, ownership, and the natural world. Faulkner's descriptions of the virgin Mississippi forest and the vanishing Delta region are both beautiful and powerful, and I think contribute equally to the book in providing it with its distinctive flavor and voice. As one reviewer has previously mentioned, reading "The Bear" as a standalone story is simply not sufficient. For one, it is the longest section by far in the book, and new readers of Faulkner may easily lose track of the story, or just as easily lose interest altogether. Furthermore, the remainder of this excellent work provides a framework for an understanding and identification with the characters and the landscape of rural Mississippi that they inhabit. Many people - including myself - initially mistake "Go Down, Moses" for a collection of short stories, and this is certainly understandable. Each section of the book *can* be read as a single story, but I wouldn't recommend it. I would recommend (as I did this second time around), reading all the sections in order, starting with "Was". I think this narrative is as fine as any for demonstrating Faulkner's unusual narrative style and flowing, stream-of-consciousness language. If you like "Was," you will almost certainly like the rest of this book; if you like the whole book, you will almost certainly like the majority of Faulkner's works (particularly "The Sound and the Fury," which I cut my Faulkner-loving teeth on in high school). In the final analysis, however, I think this book serves as the best possible introduction to Faulkner. If you're not sure how you'll feel about his writing, you certainly can read a few sections and see what you think, without feeling completely lost. Faulkner's writing is in top form here, and his characters are compelling, touching, and as always somewhat flawed - they're so human, it's enough to make you... keep reading.
Rating:
Summary: Faulkner's most mature, accessible book dealing with race
Review: It becomes quite clear after reading Go Down Moses why many critics call this William Falkner's most mature book dealing with race. In Go Down Moses, the black characters are not only as well represented as may be possible from a white author, they are believable and easy to relate to. The main character "Uncle Ike", the grandson of an influential plantation owner, comes to represent everyone who struggles with identity in the miserable face of racism. The style of the book itself was confusing for readers and critics when first published, as it makes use of a series of chapters, each with its own title and numbered sections. Faulkner resisted having the book called a collection of short stories and most modern readers should have little problem with its nonsequential chapters and its sometimes, seemingly, unrelated characters. If you have read some Faulkner, especially A Light in August or Absalom, Absalom or if you enjoy authors such as Toni Morrison and Richard Wright you must read this book to get an idea of just how far Faulkner came toward wrestling with race in his time.
Rating:
Summary: Don't just read "The Bear"!!!!
Review: Please, please do not pass over the other fine stories in GO DOWN, MOSES and go straight to "The Bear." This gem means much more when illuminated by the other parts of the text, and only by reading the entire book can you fully understand the meaning of Ike's repudiation of the McCaslin land. I recently completed a Faulkner course, and of all of his "genius" novels--"As I Lay Dying," "Light in August," "Go Down, Moses," "The Sound and the Fury," and "Absalom! Absalom!"--I believe that this one has the strongest emotional core. Read the whole thing; your experience will be much richer.
Rating:
Summary: Get a Family Tree
Review: This book is undeniably one of the greatest novels I have ever read. Never would I have made it past the fifth page if it hadn't been 1) required reading for an undergrad course in college; 2) for the help of the almighty Cliff Notes. Actually, this is one book where my professor recommended everybody have the Cliff Notes. I didn't understand why until we started reading it. Then he told us to take out the Cliff Notes and turn to the family tree. Ah, yes, this helps make sense of all of those people, as well as help explain the complicated relationships between them. I definitely think this book would be great for group discussion. A dedicated individual could no doubt garner symbolism, themes, and the basic plot on his or her own. But the story is so complex, I think you get a lot more out of it in a group, where the ideas can be shared and brainstormed. Whatever the case, I recommend reading this book. Faulkner's look at the people and their environment of the South is amazing, and it is one of those books that you will find is often alluded to in other works. Spectacular book.
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