Book excerpt: The international reputation and pervasive influence of William Faulkner upon world literature is the subject of the papers In this book. At the Ninth Annual Faulkner and Yoknapatawpha Conference, held in August 1982 at the University of Mississippi, scholars from throughout the world convened to express their admiration for the writings of the Nobel Laureate. For this collection the papers of scholars from Chile, Italy, France, Great Britain, the Soviet Union, Japan, Germany and the United States are assembled from this international forum to assess Faulkner and his works and to answer questions about the extent of his influence. Is Faulkner read overseas? Is he popular? Is Faulkner's "postage stamp of native soil" nevertheless universally accessible? As the editors of this collection conclude, "the name of William Faulkner has become in a household word in far-distant countries." They find in the responses from scholars representing the nine countries included at the conference that 'everywhere Faulkner was a known quantity; everywhere he was read and admired. Ultimately...Faulkner speaks to the hearts of the people of the world." Included is a bibliographical appendix listing translations and recent foreign criticism of Faulkner's works.