The prose is so clear and intense. It’s very well written. Stoner is very frustrating though. He’s so lackadaisical, things just happen to him. He doesn’t even make the decision to go to university, it’s made for him. Then he switches to English because of a kind of epiphany. But he could just as easily continued with agriculture you feel.

Sad. That’s the word that is always used to describe this novel. It’s sad because Stoner constantly gives into other people. When happiness is in his grasp he allows it to get away.

His relationship with his mentally ill wife is excruciating at times. Stoner always loses to her in the war that constitutes their marriage. Unfortunately it’s not just him that suffers but also his emotionally damaged daughter.

But if it was a poorer novel I probably wouldn’t be bothered so much by these things!