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Stoner

A special edition of the literary classic
4.35 goodreads logo

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( 228,166 ratings, 29,159 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Stoner by John Williams is a poignant exploration of the life of William Stoner, an unassuming English professor. The novel traces his journey from his humble beginnings on a farm to his academic career, portraying his personal struggles and quiet resilience. It immerses readers in the depths of an ordinary yet deeply affecting life, highlighting themes of love, ambition, and the passage of time.
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Format: Hardback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this novel if you're drawn to beautifully written narratives that delve into the quiet but profound life of an ordinary individual. It offers a poignant exploration of academic life, personal struggles, and the enduring pursuit of peace and purpose. This book may appeal to those who appreciate introspective character studies and evocative storytelling.

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Stoner

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Vintage Quarterbound Classics - Bound to be beautiful

A beautiful hardback edition of the iconic forgotten classic, the story of one man's ordinary, extraordinary life.

William Stoner enters the University of Missouri at nineteen to study agriculture. A seminar on English literature changes his life, and he never returns to work on his father's farm. Stoner becomes a teacher. He marries the wrong woman. His life is quiet, and after his death, his colleagues remember him rarely.

Yet with truthfulness, compassion and intense power, this novel uncovers a story of universal value - of the conflicts, defeats and victories of the human race that pass unrecorded by history - and in doing so reclaims the significance of an individual life.

A beautiful, sad, utterly convincing account of an entire life - Ian McEwan

A brilliant, beautiful, inexorably sad, wise and elegant novel - Nick Hornby

A terrific novel of echoing sadness - Julian Barnes

Vintage Quarterbound Classics - Bound to be beautiful

Series: Vintage Quarterbound Classics

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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Stoner by John Williams is widely praised for its understated and poignant portrayal of an ordinary man's life in academia. The novel's exploration of themes such as personal failure, resilience, and the quiet dignity of its protagonist resonates with readers, offering a profound reflection on the human condition. Critics often commend Williams's elegant prose, character depth, and the book's emotional impact, leading it to be considered a classic in modern literature.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781784879143

Publisher: Vintage Publishing

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 05 October 2023

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Vintage Classics

Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 31.0mm

Width: 138.0mm

Height: 204.0mm

Weight: 374g

Pages: 320

About the Author

John Williams was an author, editor and professor. Born in 1922 in Texas, he served in the United States Army Air Force from 1942 to 1945 in China, Burma and India. His first novel, Nothing But the Night, was published in 1948. After receiving his PhD in 1954, Williams returned to the University of Denver where he first studied to teach literature and creative writing for thirty years. It was during this time that he wrote the novels Butcher's Crossing (1960) and Stoner (1965). His last novel, Augustus, won the National Book Award in 1973. John Williams died in Arkansas in 1994.

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