Mary Ann Marko

One of those books long remembered after finishing. Stoner led a simple life; a professor of literature at Columbia University. He came from a poverty (economically, emotionally and intellectually) stricken background. Almost by accident, he is steered toward an agricultural education, but with the luck of needing to take some general courses, falls in love with literature and pursues what becomes the center of his life. He has no great expectations for himself but seems thwarted at every avenue he pursues: he marries an emotionally handicapped woman he is unable to communicate with; his relationship with his daughter is destroyed by his wife. His career is stymied by his peers and a vengeful student. His chance at a loving relationship is brought to an abrupt end. And yet, he does not fall into bitterness or vengeance. He holds steadfast to his devotion to literature and it suffices. The novel is a mesmerizing answer to the question: what’s it all about? ::