**This portrait of a Southern family’s downfall was the literary debut of the #1** New York Times **–bestselling author of** Sophie’s Choice **.** A finalist for the National Book Award, *Lie Down in Darkness* centers on the Loftis family—Milton and Helen and their daughters, Peyton and Maudie. The story, told through a series of flashbacks on the day of Peyton’s funeral, is a powerful depiction of a family doomed by its failure to forget and its inability to love. Written in masterful prose that “achieves real beauty” ( *The Washington Post* ), William Styron’s debut novel offers unflinching insight into the ineradicable bonds of place and family. The story of Milton, Helen, and their children reveals much about life’s losses and disappointments. *Lie Down in Darkness* , poignant and compelling, is a classic of modern American literature from the author who went on to earn high critical acclaim—with a Pulitzer Prize for *The Confessions of Nat Turner* and a National Book Award for *Sophie’s Choice* —and a place at the top of the *New York Times* bestseller list. *This ebook features a new illustrated biography of William Styron, including original letters, rare photos, and never-before-seen documents from the Styron family and the Duke University Archives.*