Explaining the world of William Faulkner's "Light in August" is the primary goal of this glossary. Like other books in this series, it explains, identifies, and comments on many elements that a reader may find unfamiliar or difficult. These include the basic features of Faulkner's fictional town of Jefferson and Yoknapatawpha County, colloquialisms, dialects, folk customs and sayings, farm implements, biblical verses, and geographic and demographic details.

Written especially for puzzled readers, teachers of Faulkner, graduate students, and interpretive scholars, the Reading Faulkner books offer terms and explications that reveal the richly cultural world in Faulkner's major works.

Page references throughout are keyed to the definitive editions of Faulkner published by Library of America and to the Vintage editions prepared from the Library of America tapes.

Hugh M. Ruppersburg, head of the English department at the University of Georgia, is the author of "Voice and Eye in Faulkner Fiction."