From the Bookshelf of Never too Late to Read Classics…
Find A Copy At
Group Discussions About This Book
No group discussions for this book yet.
What Members Thought
4.5 stars rounded up.
John Williams wrote a beautiful, quiet and spare novel about a quiet and spare man. This slim volume delves into the life, learnings and thoughts of one man. It is unexceptional. It is almost boring. And yet, it is completely enchanting. I loved every word.
According to Wikipedia, John Williams wrote Stoner in 1965, and it was out of print within a year. Only 2000 books were sold. But, it has been reprinted three times since, and I am so glad that it has.
This story is about W ...more
John Williams wrote a beautiful, quiet and spare novel about a quiet and spare man. This slim volume delves into the life, learnings and thoughts of one man. It is unexceptional. It is almost boring. And yet, it is completely enchanting. I loved every word.
According to Wikipedia, John Williams wrote Stoner in 1965, and it was out of print within a year. Only 2000 books were sold. But, it has been reprinted three times since, and I am so glad that it has.
This story is about W ...more
A brilliant book, which should not to be missed.
"In his forty-third year William Stoner learned what others, much younger, had learned before him: that the person one loves at first is not the person one loves at last, and that love is not an end but a process through which one person attempts to know another."
From Literary Hub:
The story of William Stoner, a professor of English at the University of Missouri who fails in his marriage and career ambitions, but accepts obscurity and loneliness out ...more
"In his forty-third year William Stoner learned what others, much younger, had learned before him: that the person one loves at first is not the person one loves at last, and that love is not an end but a process through which one person attempts to know another."
From Literary Hub:
The story of William Stoner, a professor of English at the University of Missouri who fails in his marriage and career ambitions, but accepts obscurity and loneliness out ...more
The narration by Robin Field was very good. He made Stoner's wife sound really bitchy and Stoner so full-of-despair. He never stood up for himself. ONLY once did he stand up for what he believed in. Only at that point was I rooting for him. I guess what the author wanted to say was that if you do not stand up for yourself you will be trampled. The author fills the book with two truly, truly evil people (view spoiler)
...more
Back in 2016 I read The Professor's House by Willa Cather, and Stoner strongly reminds me of that book. Stoner is a quiet exquisite read, although it packs a lot of history from the turn of the century, two world wars, and a hint of the unrest that comes in the 60s.
I won't say more because I think one needs to come to this novel without knowing a lot about it, other than it is perfect.
...more
I won't say more because I think one needs to come to this novel without knowing a lot about it, other than it is perfect.
...more
Nov 19, 2013
Susannah
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
listened-to-audiobook,
dws-literary-birthdays
Nov 26, 2014
Susan
added it
May 16, 2015
Sharon Wasserman
marked it as to-read
Jan 14, 2017
Jasmin
marked it as to-read
Feb 05, 2018
Idit
marked it as to-read
Aug 22, 2022
Dan | The Ancient Reader
marked it as to-read
Feb 14, 2023
Melissa
added it
May 14, 2025
Ingrid
marked it as to-read
