About:
Stoner by John Williams was written in 1965 and sold around 2,000 copies. The book went out of print the following year.
- 288 pages
- Publisher: NYRB Classics
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1590171993
My rating for Stoner – 5
Buy Stoner from Amazon.com*
More books by John Williams*
Thoughts:
The bookish world has been abuzz for several months regarding Stoner by John Williams. I’ve read several good reviews from my fellow book bloggers and decided to buy myself a copy.
While I am sometimes shy away from industry buzz, I figured I’ll pick up this book and I wasn’t disappointed. This is one of those beautiful books that are literary but not boring, masterfully paced and talk about the human condition through the life of an everyday, boring man.
This is a quiet book; there are no explosions, big dramatic scenes or spectacular events which take one’s life off course. The author tells a somber story, masterfully written, very sad but moving as well.
The author tells the story from an omnipotent point of view, taking in Stoner’s life with its ups and downs. While the story is simple, the writing makes it a fascinating read.
Synopsis:
William Stoner was born to a family of poor farmers in Missouri. His parents sent him to study agronomy in the state university, but instead he fell in love with English literature and became a scholar.
However, life for William Stoner is not easy as he encounters personal and professional disappointment. His career is halted due to a silly argument with the department’s head, his marriage into a “proper” family leaves him with a depressed wife, a cold daughter and estranged from his parents.
Buy Stoner from Amazon.com*
More books by John Williams*
Zohar – Man of la Book
Disclaimer: I bought this book.
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