Stoner - John Edward Williams

Stoner by John Edward Williams is a novel that received little attention when originally published in 1965 but has now developed into a modern classic appreciated widely by fans of classic literature. Stoner is a novel that follows the protagonist, William Stoner who is the son of a poor Missouri family that farms for a living. Stoner over time develops a love for school and pursues university, once he finishes schooling he refuses to go back to the farm life and dedicates his life to being a university professor of literature. We watch Stoner grow up as he starts a family and struggles with his marriage which has little love. Stoner is a powerful novel but because of its plot, but instead because of how real it feels to the reader. William Stoner’s life unfolds like the typical human being and features grief and loss in a genuine way. The fear of mediocrity is real and is what causes Stoner to struggle throughout his life which serves as a universal feeling. Stoner is a novel which is easy to relate to which sparked its popularity later on into its years of publication. Stoner isn't a hero story, its the story of a regular working adult man in America. Stoner is a hauntingly human reflection of humanity and what it means to be a human being in today’s world. Some may say the pace is slow and boring but beneath the surface, we are faced with what reality truly is— and that is Stoner.