As I Lay Dying

by Faulkner, William

William Faulkner claimed to have written As I Lay Dying, his fifth novel, in just six weeks — with very little revision — while working at power plant in 1929. While this sounds impressive in and of itself, also consider the fact that this novel has 15 different narrators throughout its 59 chapters and has consistently been recognized as one of the greatest works of the American literature.

As I Lay Dying is the first book in which Faulkner introduces Yoknapatawpha County, a fictional rendition of his native Lafayette County, Mississippi, which became the setting for some of his best-known works. The author’s self-described “tour de force” follows the death of Addie Bundren and her family’s various notions regarding her burial requests and their journey to Jefferson, in the heart of the county, to fulfill them. Poverty, bad weather, injury, and pregnancy are just some of the hindrances faced along the way. Fittingly, the title of the novel comes from a line in Homer’s The Odyssey: “As I lay dying, the woman with the dog's eyes would not close my eyes as I descended into Hades.”

Along with The Sound and the Fury, As I Lay Dying helped to secured Faulkner’s stance as a pioneer of the stream-of-consciousness technique, joining the ranks with James Joyce and Virginia Woolf. In vernacular that echoes Mark Twain, the characters of the novel are able to develop gradually through the perceptions of others. Though this requires readers to take an active part in constructing the story, it also allows for multiple, and sometimes, conflicting interpretations.

Faulkner was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1949 for his novels prior to that date, which includes As I Lay Dying. The novel has also directly influenced a number of other critically acclaimed books, including Graham Swift’s Booker prize-winning novel Last Orders and Suzan-Lori Parks’ Getting Mother’s Body, an African-American retelling of the story. As I Lay Dying is ranked 35th on Modern Library’s “100 Best” English-language novels of the 20th century and 55th on The Guardian’s list of the 100 best novels. The Grammy-nominated metalcore band As I Lay Dying derived its name from this book as well. In 2014, writer/director James Franco released a film adaptation of the novel.

First Edition Identification

Jonathan Cape & Harrison Smith first published As I Lay Dying in New York in 1930. The first edition states “First Published 1930” on the copyright page with no additional printings listed and includes an “I” aligned incorrectly on page 11. The dust jack of the first edition states the original price of $2.50 on its front flap. True first editions have sold for upwards of $6,000 — and can go for as much as $12,000 with Faulkner’s signature.

Other Collectible or Notable Editions

Chatto & Windus published the first UK edition of As I Lay Dying in London in 1935.

Reviews

Review this book!

Available Copies

As I Lay Dying
More Photos

As I Lay Dying

by Faulkner, William

Condition
Used - Very Good
Edition
First Edition
Published
1930
Binding
Hardcover
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Portland, Oregon, USA
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£762.85

Show Details

Description:
New York: Jonathan Cape and Harrison Smith, 1930. First Edition. Hardcover. Very Good. First edition, first printing, second issue with the "I" properly aligned on page 11. Very Good, with spine cloth a darkened, lightly creased. Light foxing to gutters. A lovely copy, lacking the dust jacket.
Item Price
£762.85
As I Lay Dying: The Corrected Text
More Photos

As I Lay Dying: The Corrected Text

by Faulkner, William

Condition
Used - Very Good
Jacket Condition
No Jacket
Published
1990
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10
067973225X
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Newport, Washington, USA
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£6.42

Show Details

Description:
USA: Vintage International/Random House, 1990. Paperback. Very Good/No Jacket. 8vo - over 7. Vintage International, 1990. Trade Paperback in Very Good Condition. This edition follows the text of "As I Lay Dying" as corrected in 1985. Good, clean, solid book with faint corner and edge wear, tight and solid, pages edges and pages clean, toned, no markings or… Read more about this item
Item Price
£6.42
As I Lay Dying
More Photos

As I Lay Dying

by Faulkner, William

Condition
Used - Fine
Jacket Condition
Near Fine
Edition
1st Edition
Published
1930
Binding
Hardcover
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Beverly Hills, California, USA
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£6,022.50

Show Details

Description:
Jonathan Cape and Harrison Smith, 1930. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Fine/Near Fine. A fine first edition, first issue in a near fine dust jacket. One of only 750 copies with the first issue dropped I on page 11. Jacket is unrestored. Housed in a custom-made collector's clamshell case.
Item Price
£6,022.50
As I Lay Dying

As I Lay Dying

by FAULKNER, William

Condition
Used - Fine
Jacket Condition
Near fine
Edition
First Thus
Published
1964
Binding
Hardcover
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Asheville, North Carolina, USA
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£60.22

Show Details

Description:
Ney York: Random House, 1964. First Thus. Hardcover. Fine/Near fine. Octavo. 5.5 x 8.75 in. 250 pp. Fine in the original navy blue cloth boards with crisp titling and clean pages, and a near fine dust jacket that has minor age-related toning typical of white jackets. The $4.95 price is still intact. A stated "First Printing" of the… Read more about this item
Item Price
£60.22
As I Lay Dying
More Photos

As I Lay Dying

by William Faulkner

Condition
Used - Good
Jacket Condition
No jacket
Edition
Reprint
Published
1965
Binding
Paperback book
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Rochdale, Greater Manchester, GBR
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 2 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£8.00

Show Details

Description:
Penguin, 1965. Reprint. Paperback book. Good/No jacket. Cover and spine have mild tanning and small creases. Mild scuffing around the spine. There is a stamp mark on inside cover and a school label on second page. Pages are tanned. For more information on our condition gradings, see Terms of Sale below.
Item Price
£8.00
No image available

As I Lay Dying

by William Faulkner

Condition
Used; Good
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10
0099479311
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Milton Keynes , Buckinghamshire, GBR
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£3.48

Show Details

Description:
Vintage Classics. Paperback. Used; Good. Simply Brit – welcome to our online used book store, where affordability meets great quality. Dive into a world of captivating reads without breaking the bank. We take pride in offering a wide selection of used books, from classics to hidden gems, ensuring there’s something for every literary palate. All orders are shipped… Read more about this item
Item Price
£3.48
AS I LAY DYING
More Photos

AS I LAY DYING

by Faulkner, William

Condition
Used
Edition
First Edition, First Printing, Second Issue
Published
1930
Binding
Hardcover
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Rockville, Maryland, USA
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 4 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£562.10

Show Details

Description:
New York: Jonathan Cape & Harrison Smith, 1930. First Edition, First Printing, Second Issue. Hardcover. Octavo, 254 pages. In Good plus condition. Bound in tan cloth with brown text on spine and front cover. Lacking issued dust jacket. Boards have mild edge wear and shelf wear, sunning to spine, fraying to spine edges, and cocking to spine. Text block… Read more about this item
Item Price
£562.10
As I Lay Dying
More Photos

As I Lay Dying

by Faulkner, William

Condition
Used - Near Fine
Jacket Condition
Very Good
Edition
First Edition
Published
1930
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Portland, Oregon, USA
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£3,372.60

Show Details

Description:
New York: Jonathan Cape & Harrison Smith, 1930. First Edition. Near Fine/Very Good. First edition, first printing, second issue text with "I" properly aligned on page 11. Near Fine with light lean to binding. In a Very Good unclipped dust jacket with darkening to the spine panel, soiling, light edge wear, rubbing at the folds with several short… Read more about this item
Item Price
£3,372.60
As I Lay Dying; The Sound and the Fury; Light in August; Sanctuary

As I Lay Dying; The Sound and the Fury; Light in August; Sanctuary

by Faulkner, William

Condition
Used - Good
Edition
Reprints
Published
1956
Binding
Hardcover
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Stone Mountain, Georgia, USA
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£28.10

Show Details

Description:
New York: Random House, 1956. Reprints. Hardcover. Good. Lot 4 volumes of William Faulkner works. As I Lay Dying: [3], 182 pages. The Sound and the Fury: [3], 249 pages. Light in August: [3], 378 pages. Sanctuary: [3], 250 pages. Red cloth hardcovers with titles on the front covers and spines. Light shelf wear to the cloth bindings.… Read more about this item
Item Price
£28.10
As I Lay Dying
More Photos

As I Lay Dying

by Faulkner, William

Condition
Used - Near Fine Condition
Edition
Reprint
Published
2004
Binding
Softcover
ISBN 10
0099479311
Quantity Available
1
Seller
King River, Western Australia, AUS
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£6.54

Show Details

Description:
Vintage, London, 2004. Reprint. Softcover. Near Fine Condition. Size: 12mo Small. 240 pages. Text body is clean, and free from previous owner annotation, underlining and highlighting. Binding is tight, covers and spine fully intact. No foxing in this copy. All edges clean, neat and free of foxing. This book is available and ready to be… Read more about this item
Item Price
£6.54
AS I LAY DYING

AS I LAY DYING

by William Faulkner

Condition
Used
Edition
Corrected Edition; Sixth Printing
Published
1964
Binding
Hardcover
ISBN 10
0394415817
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Pomona, New York, USA
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£133.65

Show Details

Description:
New York: Random House. 1964. Corrected Edition; Sixth Printing. Hardcover. 0394415817 . Very Good+ in a Very Good+ dust jacket. Light foxing on front panel. 1/4 inch open tear at top of rear panel. ; 7.9 X 5.5 X 1.0 inches; 250 pages .
Item Price
£133.65
No image available

As I Lay Dying: The Corrected Text

by Faulkner, William

Condition
Used - Acceptable
Edition
Reissue
ISBN 10
067973225x
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 4 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£3.75

Show Details

Description:
Vintage. Reissue. Acceptable. Acceptable. Ship within 24hrs. Satisfaction 100% guaranteed. APO/FPO addresses supported
Item Price
£3.75
As I Lay Dying
More Photos

As I Lay Dying

by Faulkner, William

Condition
Used - Near Fine
Jacket Condition
Very Good
Edition
1st Edition
Published
1930
Binding
Hardcover
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Beverly Hills, California, USA
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£4,015.00

Show Details

Description:
Jonathan Cape and Harrison Smith, 1930. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Near Fine/Very Good. A near fine first edition (First Published 1930 stated on copyright page) in a very good, restored dust jacket. Second issue book with "I" correctly aligned on page 11. Housed in both a slipcase with the dust jacket design and another custom-made collector's slipcase.
Item Price
£4,015.00
As I Lay Dying: William Faulkner (Vintage classics)

As I Lay Dying: William Faulkner (Vintage classics)

by Faulkner, William

Condition
Used - Very Good
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10
0099479311
Quantity Available
1
Seller
GORING BY SEA, West Sussex, GBR
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 2 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£1.00

Show Details

Description:
Paperback. Very Good.
Item Price
£1.00
As I Lay Dying

As I Lay Dying

by Faulkner, William

Condition
Used
Edition
Facsimile First Edition Library Reprint
Published
1930
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Deep River, Connecticut, USA
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£60.22

Show Details

Description:
New York: Jonathan Cape: Harrison Smith and by The First Edition Library, 1930. Facsimile First Edition Library Reprint. Fine in tan cloth covered boards with brown text on the spine and front board and with the top edge of the text block stained brown. A small octavo measuring 7 1/2" by 5". In a fine, facsimile, unclipped dust… Read more about this item
Item Price
£60.22
AS I LAY DYING
More Photos

AS I LAY DYING

by Faulkner, William

Condition
Used
Edition
First Edition, First Printing, Second Issue
Published
1930
Binding
Hardcover
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Rockville, Maryland, USA
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 4 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£803.00

Show Details

Description:
New York: Jonathan Cape & Harrison Smith, 1930. First Edition, First Printing, Second Issue. Hardcover. Octavo, 254 pages. In Good plus condition with poor dust jacket. Partial brown dust jacket spine. Bound in tan cloth with brown text on spine and front cover. Dust jacket is protected by mylar covering and has most of spine missing, remaining spine is… Read more about this item
Item Price
£803.00
As I Lay Dying: The Corrected Text

As I Lay Dying: The Corrected Text

by Faulkner, William

Condition
Used - Good
Published
1991
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10
067973225X
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Seattle, Washington, USA
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£4.81

Show Details

Description:
Vintage, 1991. Paperback. Good. Missing dust jacket; Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
Item Price
£4.81
No image available

As I Lay Dying

by Faulkner, William

Condition
Used - Very Good
ISBN 10
0394702549
Quantity Available
1
Seller
ISLIP TERRACE, New York, USA
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 1 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£11.24

Show Details

Description:
This is the softcover only stated Vintage Edition from February 1964. Other than a name on the flyleaf and some marginalia throughout (helpful?), both the cover and the book are in very good condition. There are no rips, tears, etc.---and the pages and binding are tight (see photo). **Note: All books listed as FIRST EDITIONS are stated by… Read more about this item
Item Price
£11.24
AS I LAY DYING

AS I LAY DYING

by William Faulkner

Condition
Used
Edition
Corrected Edition; Eighth Printing
Published
1964
Binding
Hardcover
ISBN 10
0394415817
Quantity Available
1
Seller
Pomona, New York, USA
Seller rating:
This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.
Item Price
£133.65

Show Details

Description:
New York: Random House. 1964. Corrected Edition; Eighth Printing. Hardcover. 0394415817 . Very Good+ in a Very Good+ price clipped dust jacket. Remainder mark on bottom text block edge. 2 inch open tear at top of rear flap fold. ; 7.9 X 5.5 X 1.0 inches; 250 pages .
Item Price
£133.65