Book Review: Stoner by John Williams

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 this book in paper or electronic format*

Thoughts:
The bookish world has been abuzz for several month 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 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 tell 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 as 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 as a whole 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 this book in paper or electronic format*

Zohar – Man of la Book
Disclaimer: I bought this book.
*Ama­zon links point to affil­i­ate account