As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner
The narrative unfolds through the eyes of 15 different characters over 59 chapters. It is the story of the death of Addie Bundren and her poor, rural family's quest and motivations—noble or selfish—to honor her wish to be buried in her hometown of Jefferson, Mississippi. As the Bundren family undertakes a journey to fulfill Addie's last wish, they face many hardships and personal revelations. The novel explores themes of existentialism, death, and the nature of family relationships.
The 63rd greatest book of all time
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Total Points: 3378
This book was first published in 1930
32 Lists
- score: 202 -- The Top 10: The Greatest Books of All Time - 2007 (Weight: 200)
- score: 186 -- El Pais Favorite Books of 100 Spanish Authors - 2008 (Weight: 184)
- score: 186 -- 'The perfect library': the 196 books selected by 133 personalities - 2020 (Weight: 184)
- score: 178 -- The Ideal Library - 2024 (Weight: 172)
- score: 153 -- The 100 Best Novels of the 20th Century - 1999 (Weight: 152)
- score: 152 -- 100 Life-Changing Books - 2006 (Weight: 152)
- score: 152 -- 200 Books That Shaped 200 Years of Literature - 2021 (Weight: 152)
- score: 142 -- The Best Southern Novels of All Time - 2009 (Weight: 128)
- score: 139 -- The 16 Greatest Books of All Time - 2008 (Weight: 128)
- score: 128 -- Best Books Listed for High School Students - 1984 (Weight: 128)
- score: 128 -- The New Lifetime Reading Plan - 1999 (Weight: 128)
- score: 116 -- Radcliffe's 100 Best Novels - 1998 (Weight: 112)
- score: 114 -- The Modern Library | 100 Best Novels - 1999 (Weight: 112)
- score: 112 -- 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read - 2009 (Weight: 112)
- score: 109 -- Quintessential American Fiction, According to the Rest of the World - 2015 (Weight: 104)
- score: 96 -- Select 100 - 2015 (Weight: 96)
- score: 92 -- Masterpieces of World Literature - 1991 (Weight: 92)
- score: 88 -- The 500 best books of all time from Culture Café users - 2008 (Weight: 88)
- score: 84 -- 50 Books to (Re-)Read at 50 - 2012 (Weight: 84)
- score: 76 -- 100 Best Novels Written in English - 2015 (Weight: 76)
- score: 72 -- The Complete 500: OCLC - 2024 (Weight: 72)
- score: 68 -- The Novel 100: A Ranking of the Greatest Novels of All Time - 2004 (Weight: 68)
- score: 68 -- The 100 Greatest Novels - 2007 (Weight: 68)
- score: 68 -- The 100 Greatest Novels of All Time: The List - 2003 (Weight: 68)
- score: 68 -- How to Read and Why - 2000 (Weight: 68)
- score: 68 -- How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Reading List - 2003 (Weight: 68)
- score: 68 -- The Book of Great Books: A Guide to 100 World Classics - 2001 (Weight: 68)
- score: 68 -- The College Board: 101 Great Books Recommended for College-Bound Readers - 2002 (Weight: 68)
- score: 60 -- Harold Bloom's The Western Canon - 1994 (Weight: 60)
- score: 60 -- The 80 Books Every Man Should Read - 2015 (Weight: 60)
- score: 44 -- One Hundred Best American Novels, 1770 to 1985 - 2014 (Weight: 44)
- score: 28 -- 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life-Changing List - 2018 (Weight: 28)