This paper provides an overview of Faulkner's life and career as a writer. First there is a brief biography of the writer's life, followed by a critical analysis of Faulkner's writing and issues of racism that are addressed in the fictions, followed by a general account of the significance of Faulkner's fictional place, Yoknapatawpha County. The conclusion considers lines from a speech Faulkner gave when accepting the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1950. 11 pgs. Bibliography lists 3 sources.