In the judgment of the foremost literary men of the world, William Faulkner stands pre-eminent among living American novelists. These critics may differ in their preference of any one of his novels over any other, but all are in agreement that Light in August is one of the most distinguished among his major works. For its vitality, its scope, its imagination and, above all, its compassion, it is more than a novelist's achievement; it is an experience in which the reader becomes a deeply involved participant. Light in August, with a perceptive critical introduction by Richard H. Rovere, takes an honored place in the Modern Library series beside these other novels by William Faulkner: Sanctuary, No. 61; The Sound and the Fury and As I Lay Dying, No. 187; Absalom, Absalom! No. 271 ; Go Down, Moses, No. 175.