You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion

One of the group reads for June is Stoner by John Williams. Please discuss the book in this thread.

Saar will be leading the discussion.

In order to receive a badge you must:
1. have read the book before or during June 2022.
2. discussed it in this thread. Discussion must be more than "I read the book and I liked it". Discussion requires something more substantial and analytical of what you read, for example, thoughts, opinions, impact it had on you, what was your favourite part, was it what you expected it to be like etc. You may also like to review the book and post a link to the review in this thread. Please refer to our group spoiler policy for further information.
3. Report that you have read AND discussed the book in the reporting thread (include a brief summary of what you thought of the book).

A note on discussion: Discussion must be more than "I read the book and I liked it". Discussion requires something more substantial and analytical of what you read, for example, thoughts, opinions, impact it had on you, what was your favourite part, was it what you expected it to be like etc.

In addition to this, the group reads are meant to be a "read along" so it is preferable that you discuss the book as you read rather than wait until you've finished the book.

And finally, discussion is not about just listing your thoughts. Please interact with the other group members, comment on their thoughts, and if they comment on yours, respond to them. This is what makes a good book discussion!

You may also like to review the book and post a link to the review in this thread.

Please refer to our group spoiler policy for further information.

General Rules:
1. Please mark your spoilers with the spoiler tags along with mentioning what stage of the book you are at so other's don't get a nasty shock. Chapter numbers/titles are generally best as they are the same across all formats and editions. See our spoiler policy
2. The book may be combined with the Year Long Challenge, Topplers, and Monthly Challenges.

Happy reading!

Hi everyone, I'm looking forward on reading the book with you. I've got my copy and planning on starting this evening.

I've almost finished the first chapter. I'm reading the Dutch version, but I think it won't be a problem.
So far about William:
(view spoiler)[He follows what his parents are telling him to do. He must go to the agricultural university, with the idea that he'll take over the land from his father. I think that that was the whole idea of the old man, but he didn't tell his son in so many words. William seems to me alonely young man with no friends or even a goal in his life. It makes me curious why he abandones the agricultueal direction and goes for literature, something he struggles with. Did Sloane in a way inspire him to do that? (hide spoiler)]

I've finished chapter 1 and 2:
(view spoiler)[It's a very compelling story, in a way that nothing happens on the surface, but different things happens underneath. From chapter 1 you get a sight at Stoner that he has lived an unremarkable life, an unnoticed passage almost in the world almost, but reading further he's a man that goes with his senses. Sometimes not even knowing why he follows his senses. Like changing studies. Sloane made such an impact on Stoner that he changed his course in his education. It is not literally explained what the reason was, but something struck him. It seems that Stoner and Sloane have a friendship build. I find the story for a big part written from an outsider. Someone who is observant and writes about Stoner, with a change to Stoner himself. It's also interesting to have WWI as a background. So far it looks that Stoner had made it his unaware mission to live as much as invisible as possible. (hide spoiler)]

I got a copy from the library and am starting it today.

Super! I'm curious on what you will find of the book, Dawn.

Chapter 3:
(view spoiler)[Stoner had almost the same focus when meeting Edith as he had with Sloane. It was like something overcame him, because he's quite stoic of nature. I wonder if Edith is sincerely interested in Stoner after they first met at the party. It's remarcable that there is so much talk about emotions, but that it is in Stoner's inner that it happens. It's almost not readable from his face. Stoner saw the talk he had with Edith at her home as an ask for help. Why would he think it's that? Maybe because she wants to escape her sheltered life or the future plans? There is no family feeling at her home, more distance between Edith and her parents. And maybe it's also a form of escape that she wants to wed Stoner as soon as possible? (hide spoiler)]

Up to chapter 7:
(view spoiler)[I can't imagine how Stoner must feel! I wonder if Edith has some sort of mental problems. She was a little bit unstable at the beginning, but now, with Grace entering their life, it looks like a postpartum depression or something alike. It seems that she has no interest or a little bit in Grace. It was her idea to have a child together in their loveless marriage. On the surface they both act like everything is fine, but underneath it's a whole different story. Grace has brought some light in William's life and he now understands why he is so passionated about things. Before he couldn't transport his passion of literature onto his students, but with the arrival of his little girl, things have shifted. (hide spoiler)]

How is everyone doing with the book and what are your thought so far?
Thoughts so far:
(view spoiler)[I wonder why Edith has such a weird attitude towards Stoner. There's a lot of failure in William Stoner's life and it feels like he's undergoing all the things that are happening with/to him. (hide spoiler)]

Sorry, Saaar. I have not been able to participate as finding it difficult to obtain a copy of the book. I had placed a reserve on a copy from library, but do not think I will get it on time. Also the kindle version here is quite expensive. If I get a copy, will join in later.

No problem, Odette, I hope you'll get your copy early and still can join then.

I don't think anyone else is reading the book?
I'm up to chapter 13:
(view spoiler)[Edith's father passed away and it seems that she wants to sabotage Stoner's relationship with their daughter for some reason. Grace had a good understanding with her father, but now that gets ruined. Maybe Edith is projecting the education that she had on Grace. Not that it was a good one. I find Edith more and more unstable mentaly. She doesn't seem to care about the affair between Stoner and Kristine, she moves his books and work to an almost unfitting room in the house. Why foes she wants to sabotage him and he lets himself getting humiliated by her. I find Stoner a brilliant professor, but it's strange that no one knows who he was. He didn't left a mark in the university. Could his carreer been so damaged by Lomax? (hide spoiler)]

I've finished the book and will post my review here. I don't know if anyone has read the book and wants to discuss it?

This was such a beautiful and tragic book to read. The author tells the reader about the life of William Stoner and at the beginning it seems to be that William Stoner was just nobody: no student or teacher could recall his name or what he did or left behind. That struck me, because he accomplished a lot: he wrote a book, he discovered his passion for literature and teaching.
The writing style is melodramatic, patient, straight forward, but not shallow, not at all.
William Stoner undergoes everything in life with stoicism. Sometimes you must admire him for it with all that is thrown at his feet. He does in life what seems to be expected of him. Sometimes there's a highlight in his teaching carreer.
The story has a lot universal themes which you can relate to: life, death, career, betrayal, sickness...On the one side the book can seem to be shallow, but it connects with the reader on many ways. It doesn't need to have a plot, deeply worked out characters, this an that happening, no, it's in this straight forward story, in it's connection with the reader, in it's stoicism...that the author makes of this book a passionated and sublime story.
How the author described the characters: they could be any one in any year.
Edith struggled with postpartum depression, leaving William to be mother and father to Grace, which he does great, until, Edith makes of Grace a 'weapon' to use against him in their tragic marriage. Like a lot of persons in this current time in their job, William becomes a dedicated teacher, after a lot of years.
William, at a certain point, thinks about his life: “He was forty-two years old, and he could see nothing before him that he wished to enjoy and little behind him that he cared to remember.” Edith is for a big part absent in his life, still he finds his life nearly what he wanted to be.

'Stoner' is not 'just' a book, it's a reflection on life, lived by a stoic man character that sets you thinking about life.

This became one of my favourite books when I read it a couple of years ago. I could easily imagine a farm boy being 'released' from work to study agriculture but falling in love with literature instead. It's a classic dilemma - what do we owe to our parents and what do we owe do ourselves and our future?

I said a lot more here, of course. (I know I get wordy. 😊 ) My review of Stoner

It's a classic dilemma that is very actual these times. Parents expect or more dream, about their children filling in their shoes and the children feel like they owe it to them, sometimes setting aside their own plans/dreams.

You've wrote a very interesting review! Stoner was a farm boy with no indication that he had a soft spot for literature, but there was one point at the university that changed that. Maybe he wouldn't tell his parents in fear for letting them down. After all, his legacy was the farm and his studies were intent to improve the farm. When beginning his study, a whole new world opened up for Stoner and he really got absorbed in it. He wanted to teach literature to it's value, as literature needed to be teached. It's not studying and dissecting that literature needs, but it is the need to be felt, to be experienced, to be undergoing. That was Stoner's drive in his lessons.

And I completely agree on your thoughts about Edith.

I only now see you basically discussed this book all by yourself Saar. I'm sorry there was nobody else who was able to read it, but it sounds like you enjoyed it anyway!

I'm sorry you didn't get more people reading and discussing the book too Saar.

No problem, I was a bit dissapointed, because it's an interesting book. But I've enjoyed it, nevertheless.

I appreciate that you made such extensive comments anyway. If I ever read it, I'll revisit this thread :)

Oh, that's nice to hear. Thanks :)