James Franco's six best books

James Franco is an actor, director, screenwriter and artist. His film appearances include Milk, Pineapple Express, the Spider-Man trilogy, Howl, and 127 Hours. His writing has appeared in Esquire, the Wall Street Journal, and McSweeney’s. His new short story collection, Palo Alto, has just been released by Scribner.

Franco told The Daily Beast about his six favorite books. One title on his list:

As I Lay Dying – William Faulkner

I loved Faulkner’s use of voice in As I Lay Dying. Not just the way the chapters are told by different characters in first person, but the way that the characters’ interior and exterior voices clash. The interior monologues are so much richer and more complex for Faulkner. He gives voice to the characters’ emotions for them. This isn’t a short story collection, but each character has his or her own story and perspective even if they are all linked by the burial of Addie.

Read about the other books on Franco's list.

As I Lay Dying is one of Roy Blount Jr.'s five favorite books of Southern humor.

--Marshal Zeringue