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Summary
William Stoner is born at the end of the nineteenth century into a dirt-poor Missouri farming family. Sent to a university to study agronomy, he instead falls in love with English literature and embraces a scholar's life. As the years pass, Stoner encounters a series of disappointments: marriage into a "proper" family estranges him from his parents; his career is stymied; his wife and daughter turn coldly away from him; a transforming experience of new love ends under threat of scandal. Driven ever deeper within himself, Stoner rediscovers the stoic silence of his forebears and confronts an essential solitude. John Williams' deeply moving novel is a work of quiet perfection. William Stoner emerges not only as an archetypal American but as an unlikely existential hero, standing in stark relief against an unforgiving world.
This book, 'Stoner', does a great job in capturing the essence of fiction and its ability to provide insight into our place in the universe. It achieves this by focusing on the life of one character, William Stoner. Although his story may not seem extraordinary, it resonates with those of us who have experienced a somewhat average existence and have come to embrace it. Stoner's narrative allows us to gain a deeper understanding of ourselves. It is fascinating to observe how university politics, regardless of the time period, remain unchanged. The competition among professors is intense, despite the seemingly insignificant stakes involved.
The narrator deserves praise for bringing the events of the story to life. There were moments when I was completely immersed in the narrative, feeling as though I had been transported to the early part of the last century. The combination of the gripping story and the captivating storyteller truly held my attention.
I thought this book had some level of intrigue, and I was invested enough in William Stoner's character to see it through until the end. Picture a mundane and melancholic existence, then imagine a friend aiding you in intensifying its dullness and gloominess. That's the essence of Stoner's life.
The description of this book seemed intriguing, and I guess it is if you're into listening to the gradual decline of someone's life. I don't mind somber stories, but the characters need to have some sort of liveliness or relatability, or the narrative should at least have some redemptive theme for me to consider the journey worthwhile. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any of that in this story. The main character failed to capture my interest, yet I persevered through the entire book hoping for something that would make the listening experience worthwhile. At best, I felt incredibly saddened by the emptiness of this man's life, and I suppose that can serve as inspiration to live. But please remember, this is just my personal opinion and I'm not a literary expert.
A slow, slow read about a protagonist's life. I had a hard time feeling sympathy for Stoner because he was so passive. He allowed a lot of the early things to happen in his life with his wife and daughter. A lot of his problems stem from the early ones, mainly his family. He lives a miserable life and the book is a little depressing.
A funny yet moving book that spans a lifetime. You feel for the protagonist and every side character is memorable. Robin Field makes the characters feel alive and diverse. Excellent! One of my favorite books of all time!
It has been my experience to let my mind wander when i am listening to an audio book. Rewinds inevitably follow. But not with 'Stoner'. The superb narration clutches you and you are hooked....what a treat!
I am torn about this book. The writing style is very good and reminds a lot of Wallace Stegner. It is hard to go through the first quarter of the book that is very slow, but it improves later on. But the story itself left me quite unsatisfied. Stoner lives a life of misery, of acceptance, most of the time even of a victim. He lets his wife ruin his life, his relationship with his daughter and his daughter's life. He's just there, passive, as if he can't move his little finger. In the rare cases that he does rebel, it is rather a passive-aggresive sad protest. Maybe I have more of an issue with passive people that let their life crumble in front of their eyes, maybe it is because I wanted something to happen and not enough did. So 3.5 stars.
So no question that Stegner is a few levels above this, especially with Stegner's engaging plots.
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