A Rose for Emily

By William Faulkner,

Book cover of A Rose for Emily

Book description

The short tale A Rose for Emily was first published on April 30, 1930, by American author William Faulkner. This narrative is set in Faulkner's fictional city of Jefferson, Mississippi, in his fictional county of Yoknapatawpha County. It was the first time Faulkner's short tale had been published in a…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

2 authors picked A Rose for Emily as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

I cheated a little here; this one isn’t a novel, it is instead, a short story (or perhaps a novella). I couldn’t put it down and stayed up into the wee hours reading it in a single sitting. Granted, it is a short story, but this is still an unusual feat for me. 

What an unforgettable ending.

If you haven’t experienced classic Southern Gothic, this is a wonderful introduction to the genre...follow it with Flannery O’Connor’s “Wise Blood” and you will be hooked. If your high school English teacher did not introduce you to William Faulkner, A Rose For Emily…

I like to start with an easy read to slide into the Southern Gothic genre. While a macabre or grotesque element is required, mysticism—or even magical realism—is not required to label a work as a Southern Gothic, though many Southern Gothic pieces hold hauntings front and center. 

A Rose for Emily is a short story, an allegory for the stuck ways of the old South, wherein at the funeral of an elderly, reclusive woman the town recalls her lifetime of idiosyncrasies. And shortly thereafter, they find harrowing evidence of her true nature. The tale is a quick read from the…

Want books like A Rose for Emily?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like A Rose for Emily.

Browse books like A Rose for Emily

Book cover of Beloved
Book cover of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
Book cover of East of Eden

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,579

readers submitted
so far, will you?

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in Homer, allegory, and mysticism?

Homer 29 books
Allegory 41 books
Mysticism 92 books