Sign up for a free recipe e-book →

The Side Effects of Endorphins

, , ,

Stoner

Published by

K Mark Schofer

on

Stoner

Describe a Great book you recently read

This book was written in 1965 and I can’t believe I never heard of it. I did reserve it on Libby and then my brother sent it to me in the mail.

Stoner is a 1965 novel by John Williams that chronicles the life of William Stoner, a man born to poor farmers who becomes an English professor, exploring themes of love, disappointment, and the search for meaning in an ordinary life.

It is a very ordinary life, and I’m not even sure Stoner ever is really happy. That’s for the reader to decide and how they define happiness.

Myself I’ve always wanted to be in academia. I did teach college for about eight years but only at the adjunct level. What amazes me about the main character is he never loses his cool. He is level headed through everything. For those reading this, it’s not a spoiler because that’s how I interpret it.

We all rebel in our own private ways. What makes this book so extraordinary is how ordinary it is. It takes place in Missouri. How exciting could that be? It does cover some historical periods such as World War I in World War II.

It is a slow read until it is not. It is unconventional in a sense as most novels have conflict, and that conflict to resolve.

And I’ll just leave it as that. There are no car chases or sex scenes or spies lurking behind a tree. This book is dry in it’s brilliance and brilliant in it’s simplicity.

And the strange part about it is he teaches literature and poetry but he never actually writes any literature or poetry. There’s something to be said there or maybe there isn’t.

It’s widely considered one of the greatest “forgotten” novels of the 20th century.

The book I was sent the cover it simply the main character standing against a wall however, if this was the cover on my book, maybe I would have had a different preconceived notion of the book.

That’s the beauty of literature.

One response to “Stoner”

  1. vermavkv Avatar
    vermavkv

    This is such a thoughtful, quietly compelling reflection.
    I love how you leaned into the “ordinariness” of Stoner and showed why that’s exactly where its power lives. You didn’t try to dress it up—you let it breathe, the same way the novel does. That line, “dry in its brilliance and brilliant in its simplicity,” really lingers. It captures something many readers feel but struggle to put into words.

I would love to hear you opinion as well

Hello,

I’m Mark

His friends observe Mark seems wired a little differently. Perhaps it’s more likely that noticing little things often missed by others is a relic of a quieter, simpler time. He has a way with words, which he refuses to let be hindered by sub-par typing skills. People have great stories to tell if you sit and listen.

A belief dear to Mark is that there is certain beauty in the world. You simply have to look for it.

Let’s connect

Join the fun!

Stay updated with our latest tutorials and ideas by joining our newsletter.

Recent posts