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Cover of Stoner by John Williams

Stoner

by John Williams

A university professor’s apparently ordinary life gains its weight through exact, restrained prose.

Published
1965
Shelf rating
4.8

The story, briefly

Spoiler-free

John Williams’s 1965 novel follows William Stoner from a Missouri farm to a quiet academic career shaped by work, marriage, love, loss, and solitude.

Why we recommend it

  1. An ordinary life without inflation

    Williams uses lucid, restrained prose to give work, disappointment, love, and aging their full emotional weight.

What this book explores

Book editions

Paperback
Paperback

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References

References

The sources below include the primary text, editions, scholarship, archival materials, and other records that informed this page. They document Stoner, its publication, and its place in literary history.

  1. 1Stoner — Open Library ISBN catalogue

    Official record
    Open Library, Internet Archive
    Used for

    Open Library ISBN catalogue used to verify the title, ISBN, and publication metadata.

    View source

  2. 2Stoner — Google Books catalogue

    Official record
    Google
    Used for

    Google Books catalogue record used to cross-check the title and edition metadata.

    View source

  1. 3Stoner — Internet Archive ISBN catalogue

    Official record
    Internet Archive
    Used for

    Internet Archive ISBN catalogue used to cross-check the edition and its availability in library holdings.

    View source

  2. 4Stoner — Library of Congress books catalogue

    Official record
    Library of Congress
    Used for

    Library of Congress books catalogue used to cross-check the bibliographic record by ISBN.

    View source
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Why these sources are here

The primary text is the baseline reference for every book page. Additional references document publication history, interpretation, and historical context where that evidence is available.

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