My good friend, book-store owner Lois, recommended Stoner to me some time ago, but I had trouble finding it, and then I forgot about it. Amazon calls it a "classic," first published in 1965, and celebrates that the book is now out for Kindle and in paper, and will be re-released in hardcover this fall.
In the early 20th century, William Stoner grew up in a poor, stern, rural household in Missouri. He attended the University of Missiouri to learn agronomy, but there, fell in love with English literature and spent his life as an academic without ever leaving the university.
Stoner never fought in either world war, although he lost one of the best friends of his life. He married and had a child, but neither relationship was satisfying. He was an excellent, if eccentric, teacher, but never really shone in any part of his life. A campus feud limits his opportunities. A chance at real happiness is never realized because of how it would affect others.
For Stoner, in fact, nothing dramatic happens, and really, not much at all. He lives a quiet life, but not what Thoreau called "a life of quiet desperation." So, why have I not quit thinking about this character, in the days since I finished the book? There's something about his strength in adversity, unselfishness in relationships, and acceptance of whatever comes his way that made him very memorable.
Stoner is not very long and is beautifully written. I will bet that, like me, you will remember Will Stoner long after you've finished reading.
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