Faulkner the Southerner is the first biography to place the author in the context of his Southern culture and the continuity of Southern letters. Doing so helps prevent glaring misreadings of his fiction. It explores Faulkner's humor, sense of honor, rootedness in place, criticism of the machine culture and racial attitudes. It treats Faulkner the raconteur, successful farmer, sensitive preservationist, conservative, and Southern traditionalist.