Stoner

Stoner (1965) by John Williams is a literary fiction novel that tells the story of an average man and highlights how beautiful an average life can be. It concerns a working-class man who becomes a professor in Missouri in post–WWI America. The novel was reissued in 1972, 2003, and 2006. Stoner is an American literary classic detailing the quiet life of an academic and his love of literature. Stoner is an example of the campus novel, literary realism, and stylistic prose. It has been praised by such celebrated writers as Ian McEwan and John McGahern. Williams (1922-1994) was an American author and literature professor. Stoner is often considered autobiographical or at least partially inspired by Williams’s own experiences. Williams is the author of three novels and won the National Book Award in 1972.

This guide is based on the 2003 The New York Review of Books edition, originally published in 1965.

Content Warning: This guide contains references to death by suicide and people with alcohol addictions. The referenced book engages in ableism and stereotypes about physical disabilities. It depicts people with physical disabilities in a problematic manner.

Plot Summary