Jeffrey’s review of Stoner > Likes and Comments

What a beautiful novel.

Corey wrote: "What a beautiful novel."

I can't wait to read it. I plan to pick up a copy next month. My book budget for this month is shot.

You won't be disappointed.

This is one of the most beautiful books ever written. I think about Stoner and his sad, beautiful, honorable life often. I can't wait to read your review of this one.

How is it, Jeffrey?

StoryTellerShannon wrote: "How is it, Jeffrey?"

Deceptively simple book. I have a lot of affinity with Mr. Stoner. I have been thinking about it all day and been wanting to get home to read it. This work thing...gets in the way of reading.

Nice. I've added it.

Diane wrote: "This is one of the most beautiful books ever written. I think about Stoner and his sad, beautiful, honorable life often. I can't wait to read your review of this one."

Wow Diane! I'm just getting to the meat of the book and I feel a tingle.

What a lovely review, Jeffrey. Your last paragraph beautifully conveys the reality at the heart of finely drawn and developed literary characters. I am adding this book to my tbr list so I can meet William Stoner too.

Thanks for the review. I was completely unaware of this book and writer. I've added him to the list!

Kris wrote: "What a lovely review, Jeffrey. Your last paragraph beautifully conveys the reality at the heart of finely drawn and developed literary characters. I am adding this book to my tbr list so I can meet..."

Thank you Kris. I hope it resonates with you the same way it did for me. You'll like Stoner and you might even wish he had an office down the hall from yours.

Tom wrote: "Thanks for the review. I was completely unaware of this book and writer. I've added him to the list!"

Thanks Tom! He has another book called Butcher's Crossingset in 1870s Kansas that I really want to read as well. The publisher New York Review Books is bringing a lot of great books back into print.

Great review Jeffrey! Sounds like a great book.

Terry wrote: "Great review Jeffrey! Sounds like a great book."

Thanks Terry! One of those hidden gems I hadn't heard of until a year or so ago.

Beautiful job, Jeffrey. Some books are read and relegated to the back of one's brain, some books are too real and the characters become a part of your character as well. This is one of those books for me.

Vundebar! Swooning....

Diane wrote: "Beautiful job, Jeffrey. Some books are read and relegated to the back of one's brain, some books are too real and the characters become a part of your character as well. This is one of those book..."

Thank you Diane! There was so much packed into this slender volume for me to work with.

The title seems to give the wrong impression to people. I had someone ask me if this was about an addict. Yes, of course, stoned on literature.

Wordsmith wrote: "Vundebar! Swooning...."

You dug up a word from the urban dictionary, very cool. Thank you kindly Wordsmith! I have missed your discourse. I'm so glad you enjoyed the review.

Lovely review! Will add this one....to the tall, tall stack of to-reads.

Chance wrote: "Lovely review! Will add this one....to the tall, tall stack of to-reads."

Thank you Chance! Yes, I do know, my stacks have stacks. This is a little gem that few seem to know about. Thank goodness NYRB decided to publish it. I'm becoming a big fan of their choices.

Jeffrey wrote: "Chance wrote: "Lovely review! Will add this one....to the tall, tall stack of to-reads."

Thank you Chance! Yes, I do know, my stacks have stacks. This is a little gem that few seem to know about. ..."

Thanks! The NYRB website is interesting. I subscribed to their newsletter. Always on the prowl for good books...

Two things you wrote struck me:

1)Stoner becomes a teacher. He decides not to go to war with his friends and suffers from the stigma of swimming against the tide. This is a theme for Stoner, going his own way, ignoring the odd looks, and the snide remarks

Blessed, self-identifiction. One of the reasons I read. I find the strength I need to carry the weight of being a contrarian individualist.

2)I'm a reader that likes to be told a story. I don't want to break books down to their mathematical or scientific structures. I want the mysticism, the emotion of a journey that expands my understanding of humanity. William Stoner is as real to me as the mailman that delivers my mail or the publisher that signs my checks. If I ever run into him I will shake his large, farm hardened hand and ask him if he has a little bit of time to talk to me about a certain sonnet written by a man by the name of Shakespeare.

Lovely. I feel the same way. Beloved characters are my best friends. Consolotation friends for the ones who do not exist in real life. To me, reading is a sacrament.

Steve wrote: "Two things you wrote struck me:

1)Stoner becomes a teacher. He decides not to go to war with his friends and suffers from the stigma of swimming against the tide. This is a theme for Stoner, going..."

Thanks Steve for your encouraging comments. Books have always been by my best friends, but with that said my GR friends are quickly becoming those friends I've spent a lifetime looking for. I do believe that Mr. Stoner should meet Mr. Kendall.

Eloquent review.

Carol wrote: "Eloquent review."

Thank you Carol!

Jeffery, I was just curious. Is The University of Missouri the one that's in Rolla, Missouri? I was wondering if Stoner was there in '63-'64 ish? We lived there at that time and my dad was a major College-Addict. No matter where he was stationed, he sought out a University, more classes, more credits, which to him were kinda like potato chips; one degree, two degrees, were just not enough for him.

Wordsmith wrote: "Jeffery, I was just curious. Is The University of Missouri the one that's in Rolla, Missouri? I was wondering if Stoner was there in '63-'64 ish? We lived there at that time and my dad was a major ..."


Nope, darlin' . Stoner is set in Columbia, MO, UMC, University of Missouri, Columbia....also called Mizzou.


Rolla was called School of Mines. UMR when you lived there... University of Rolla,and now it's newest name is Missouri Science & Technology. My son goes to school there,and I grew up in the area. Actually I went to high school in St. James, but worked in Rolla as a young adult.

HOpe that clears things up, clear as mud!


:-) gary

Thank you Mr. Gary. Am I given some leeway, as I was naught but a babe at the time? A terrible two year young toddler? (No excusing the future 50 year young(ster) who failed to look up said info her own no excuse self) Though YOUR info clears up whence the Geology Degree came ; ) Mud all clear.

Wordsmith wrote: "Thank you Mr. Gary. Am I given some leeway, as I was naught but a babe at the time? A terrible two year young toddler? (No excusing the future 50 year young(ster) who failed to look up said info he..."


Of course, my dear, on the leeway.....

Wordsmith wrote: "Thank you Mr. Gary. Am I given some leeway, as I was naught but a babe at the time? A terrible two year young toddler? (No excusing the future 50 year young(ster) who failed to look up said info he..."

Gary is my Missouri historian. I knew he would give you a great answer. Did you go to college Wordsmith? Or did you jump right into the working pool?

I've had the pleasure of going to college not only one time but like so much in life I said, "I wany more!" and went back for a second round. First time I knew what I wanted, Art major/ArtHistory minor. I was one of the few, the proud, the elite—I was a part of New College, excempt from all core, we had classes from all the Colleges within the University laid open at our feet, for our choosing, get the credt hours combined with intense but liberating seminars that focused on expanding our youthful, dull, closed minds which was ultra stimulating and way cool. Those New College Professors were simply the best. BTW, there were only 3 models for this program: Oxford, Harvard and The U of A. Second time was messy: Although I was grandfathered in my old catalogue, what a break! Still no math! I was so undecided. Flip flopping from Religious Studies to English Lit to finally Environmental Studies. Had to leave early though, my body said "No, not this time."

Wow, this sounds good. I keep meaning to buy this, I think I will now. I always feel like it would be a weird mix of young me (books title haha) and older me after I'm a teacher, and such a clash terrifies me ha. You're an lit major as well? Awesome, and it definitely shows in your reviews. I hope to someday do something with mine.

s.penkevich wrote: "Wow, this sounds good. I keep meaning to buy this, I think I will now. I always feel like it would be a weird mix of young me (books title haha) and older me after I'm a teacher, and such a clash t..."

You'll like this book Penkevich especially with the college politics which if you are planning on teaching at that level you will experience it first hand. I was vacillating between a business degree and English Lit. English was what I wanted to do, but I also wanted to be practical. A professor told me to go with an English degree because being able to write reports effectively and express my thoughts verbally would be more useful to my success than a business degree. He was so right.

Thank you! I'm so glad that you enjoy my reviews.

Every one of my reviews is a jigsaw puzzle that I hope I put together in such a way as to form a recognizable picture.

Good choice. I've always seen an English degree as a positive (despite all the jokes it gets), seeing as you basically learn a vast variety of subject matters through the books you read and come out well rounded. And then you can go for the more employable masters degree in a different subject with the know-how to write, as you mention.

College politics, that makes me excited to read this. I'm only sad the other John Williams doesn't include an epic soundtrack to go with the book.

Definitely get this one, Penkovich. I recommend this book to a lot of people, and they all claim to be deeply affected by it. I don't know why it's not more widely known. I also read "Augustus", which was beautifully written, but I would have enjoyed it more had I had more knowledge of early Roman history. I need to get "Butcher's Crossing".

I'm going to have to come up with some kind of algorithm or something in order to keep up or sway me one way or the other when making that final decision of which next purchase I go with. When reading as many books per month as any vein stripping addict (thank God my vice is mind-blowing, just in a good way, although, it too leaves marks, tracks in my mind, at least I've learned SOMETHING) I have to be picky, can't just run out every month buying every single book just because I wants it. *30 x $9.99.* Even if that's the maximum, it's apparent that's a little too much. So an algorithm including my desire to read said book, my basic love for that genre—not that I have a love more of one, than for any of the other "ones," the availability of the book, the cost: is it a lot? not so much? might I already have the book? I've bought e-books only to find later there it sits, hard backed and tangible on my bookshelf, now THAT'S a bummer. Yes, I NEED a way to sort out all these great books. My shelf, my desire, my greed, my read needs, they all runneth over. It's my wallet that doesn't.

Wordsmith wrote: "I'm going to have to come up with some kind of algorithm or something in order to keep up or sway me one way or the other when making that final decision of which next purchase I go with. When read..."

I've been buying books this morning like a bibliophile drunk on tankards of beer, meandering from bookstore to bookstore, throwing banknotes at booksellers in the town of Hay-on-Wye. I have blown my book budget for the month of August and yes this is the 1st. I had to put myself on a budget this year because GR was proving too tempting. Are you familiar with the website abebooks.com? They have cheap books, signed books, expensive books about any book you could possibly be looking for. They get a good portion of my monthly budget since I live in a book wasteland, alas no bookstores. I understand thy dilemma Miss Wordsmith with budgeting for books.

beautiful review for a beautiful book. great review. this book is in my top ten and deserves to be read!

Emily wrote: "beautiful review for a beautiful book. great review. this book is in my top ten and deserves to be read!"

Thanks Emily! For a short book I felt like I had a lot to work with for the review. After reading the book I am mystified why it isn't better known.

Jeffrey, you're in Hay-on-Wye? I am so jealous! That place is on my bucket list.

Diane wrote: "Jeffrey, you're in Hay-on-Wye? I am so jealous! That place is on my bucket list."

No, I wish, I've been buying books on line as if I were on a drunken book spree in Hay-on-Wye. It is on my bucket list as well. I wonder how does one even begin to budget (for books) for a visit to Hay-On-Wye?

I got to visit Hay-on-Wye when I was doing dissertation research in Hereford. It was blissful, but so overwhelming it was hard to decide what to look for first. I remember wandering around in a happy daze for a while.

Kris wrote: "I got to visit Hay-on-Wye when I was doing dissertation research in Hereford. It was blissful, but so overwhelming it was hard to decide what to look for first. I remember wandering around in a hap..."

My impression is the best thing for me to do is dust off my old book shelving skills and take a job working in one of the shops for about six months.

FYI if I ever get time to have a midlife crisis I will more likely be found at Hay-on-Wye than say tooling around the countryside on a Harley with a blonde two decades too young.

I think you have excellent midlife crisis plans, Jeffrey (not that I hope that you have one). And the countryside is beautiful around Hay-on-Wye, so you would have lovely places to sit and read when you weren't selling.

Alas, I left out a bit of my dilemma. Not only do I have all those matter of things, flowing and running out, leaking all over the place, plethora's of sprees sprayed for me to face everyday. See, when I moved from my house to this cramped hovel what did I bring? Not ALL 3 antique Victrola's! Not things such as mere "stuff" as this! No—I brought books.

Now, I'm tripping over books, reaching over books, sleeping with six or more stacks of unread books. I've got boxed-up books, bagged ones too; those being the forgettable ones I unfortunately kept. There are the books in the closet, the "best ones" kept under glass, and even the pretty book-ended ones not to mention those shelved and waiting to be shelved books. I am in book paradise. If one doesn't mind tripping or shoving stacks of stuff around. Daily.

Still, what do addicts do? They get their fix. Even when their mind runneth over.
I am very fearful of abebooks.com Jeffery.

(I did keep the "best" victrola. Not THAT crazy...)

Maybe I could find some part-time enjoyment, errr, employment. Whatever. Same thing. Right?

Bookspeak. Just the books. : ) If I fell in a hole, I'm diggin' topside right away.

Wordsmith wrote: "Alas, I left out a bit of my dilemma. Not only do I have all those matter things, flowing and running out, leaking all over the place, plethora's of sprees sprayed for me to face everyday. See, whe..."

I am fortunate to have a room in the basement not required for anything else. Over the years I have built shelving along the walls leaving spaces for a few prints so that I don't look totally insane when people visit. Although as time goes on I may start chucking prints and build more shelves. Last year I inventoried all of my books into google documents to keep track of what I have and also have access to my book collection list on my phone if say I can't remember if I have a book or not. My books have no organization beyond that books by the same author are nestled together. Annoying system for everyone in the family but me. haha

Lovely review, Jeffrey. Must check this one out.

Nancy wrote: "Lovely review, Jeffrey. Must check this one out."

Thank you Nancy! It was a nice surprise. One of those hidden gems.