Creating Faulkner'S Reputation: Politics Modern Literary Criticism

In the 1920s, William Faulkner was an unread and unappreciated author. All his books were out of print. Yet by 1950, he was revered by critics and winner of the Nobel Prize. Author Lawrence H. Schwartz traces how the development of New Criticism, a re-evaluation of his work (the difficulty of his style and depraved subject matter, once considered a negative, were now praised), and the publication of The Portable Faulkner combined to make him the most respected writer of the twentieth century. In the first half of the book, Schwartz explores Faulkner, his writing, and his reputation, while the second half discusses the politics of the new criticism and the intellectual stand of the critics in the 1940s. Readers interested in Faulkner's literary career will find this book invaluable.

About the Author :
Lawrence H. Schwartz was a professor of English at Montclair State University in Montclair, New Jersey, for forty-seven years, serving as chair, freshman writing coordinator, and chair of the Basic Skills Committee, among other activities.

Review :
"Schwartz's study is primarily directed toward elucidating the historical process by which Faulkner became great, and in this task it succeeds admirably. With the publication of Creating Faulkner's Reputation scholars uncritically assuming Faulkner's genius will have to query and historicize their criteria for evaluation. This book has changed the landscape of Faulkner scholarship and is indispen­sable to an understanding of Faulkner's place in literary history." --Barbara Foley, Novel "The social reality of literary canon-making, rather than the roman­tic mythology of misunderstood and unappreciated genius, is the subject of this important study of the shift in William Faulkner's reputation as a writer in the post World War II period." --Alvin Kernan, Princeton University "Fair and scrupulous . . . Schwartz's book is an intellectual thriller: mysterious, inquisitive, and in the end almost totally convincing." --Kirkus Reviews "An exceptionally important contribution to intellectual history. His thesis, that Faulkner's public stature is a cultural artifact created within a specific historical-political milieu, and that it was in part the product of conscious ideological intentions, is abundantly supported by analysis and research into both archival and printed sources. The book elucidates not only the particular phenomenon of Faulkner's cultural stature but also many aspects of American cultural history since World War II. It should force discussion of questions that too often get swept under the rug." --H. Bruce Franklin, Rutgers University "A rare, very good look into the politics of making a literary reputation. . . . Anyone interested in writing should be fascinated with this political-ideological-economic thriller." --The Book Reader "Lawrence H. Schwartz believes that canons are not made by greatness alone, for many are great but few are chosen: canons are made by shifts in historical conditions. . . . Schwartz tells his story with clarity. . . . This is, then, a refreshing book, free of mysticism. It may have influence if others follow Schwartz's lead in skepticism." --Michael O'Brien, American Historical Review "Schwartz has written an invaluable case study of Faulkner's dramatic rise to fame that should provide a model for future investigations into the material basis of literary reputations." --Joseph R. Urgo, South Atlantic Review