/lit/ - Literature

[Anonymous No.11283813]

brainlet here, could someone explain why this book is talked about so often?

[Anonymous No.11283817]

>>11283813
>could someone explain why this book is talked about so often?
Because this board is filled with 19 year old boomers

[Anonymous No.11283848]

>>11283817
Hahaahahahahahah, I'm cringing bros. 19 year olds are freaking millennials, faggot bitch. Boomers were born in the 40s. Look it up you asswagon.

[Anonymous No.11283849]

>>11283848

[Anonymous No.11283918]

Books where nothing happens are actually the best kind of books

[Anonymous No.11283962]

I don't know what other people enjoy about it but I love the super clean prose and ordinary, real, and poignant feel of it.

[Anonymous No.11283974]

Stoner was a protocuck
People on lit are aspiring cucks

[Anonymous No.11283978]

>>11283813
posters identify with the main character, who is awkward, passionate about literature, alienated from his family, and although many of his wishes are fulfilled the fulfillment is corrupted

[Anonymous No.11283987]

But why is an obscure 1965 novel a hit now? Did some famous person name drop it?

[Anonymous No.11283989]

>>11283813
It's a fast read that's emotional and entertaining, so almost everyone who just starts reading is reccomended it. And where do you go when you want to talk about a new passion that you've found? To the /lit/ board. It's a good read regardless, but it garners a lot of hate from more experience readers because it's heralded by many as one of the best of all time, and they think it's not, and that the people who like it are pseuds.

[Anonymous No.11283998]

>>11283817
You clearly have no idea what a boomer is.

[Anonymous No.11284003]

>>11283987
https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/the-greatest-american-novel-youve-never-heard-of

[Anonymous No.11284005]

>>11283813
It's a book that prepares you for life in a lot of ways. It's disappointing for the most part, a tedium of mediocrity, but with the most profound and beautiful flashes spread throughout it to keep you going, it's also quick and before you know it's gone.

[Anonymous No.11284010]

>>11284003
ty

[Anonymous No.11284035]

It has some of the best prose in all of midcentury literature.

[Anonymous No.11284054]

>>11283987
>an obscure 1965 novel
Its not obscure in the slightest

[Anonymous No.11284067]

>>11283918
Have you heard about 'The Man without Qualities'? I think you would like that one, fren.

[Anonymous No.11284089]

>>11283813

It is well written and deals with a kind of autism people are much more familiar now than in the time it was written. It is not a masterpiece, but overall a good novel, very well executed, a solid 7/10. It will cease to be popular in the next 15/20 years, once our collective mental illnesses further degenerate from crippling loneliness and autism into something new.

[Anonymous No.11284098]

>>11283848
>>11283998
This boomer cope is getting out of control.

[Anonymous No.11284168]

>>11283918
tHIS UNIRONICALLY YOU STUPID FAGGOTS
Just go read Miller and Pavese

[Anonymous No.11284181]

>>11283813
Whether or not you’re memeing, I’ll lay out a genuine answer for whoever doesn’t know and genuinely wants to understand.

First, this book was published many decades ago and languished in almost total obscurity, before the author’s works were recently rediscovered. People always love to be hipsters and champion unknown or “forgotten” works that are secretly good, so they latch onto Stoner. It has recently been recognized by the literary establishment, so people don’t have to take a risk on calling it good since it’s already widely recognized as a newly discovered classic. At one point it was out of print but a couple of years ago, New York Review Books, a publisher that tries to build a reputation of bringing back unknown or forgotten works, republished it with a new snappy cover and it became their most successful title.

Secondly, getting down to his work alone, Stoner, Butcher’s Crossing, and Augustus are three very different books in terms of topic and setting, but each are well executed with a restrained, slightly minimalistic, natural style of writing that is consistent and intentional. Basically it’s well written but in an accessible way.

Stoner specifically is a book that takes a very normal and unremarkable protagonist and humanizes him beautifully, makes the reader look on him as someone they could admire or be friends with, and gives them opportunities to empathize with the pain that he goes through. Also people who are regular and unremarkable relate to a regular and unremarkable character.

Lastly, with John Williams’ work rediscovered, he has gained respect as one of the premiere American writers of the second half of the 20th century. For better or worse people have a romantic notion about the unsung and unheralded artist whose genius is only recognized after death. it’s sad but the fact that he’s dead most definitely plays a part. Stoner mirrors the life of John Williams in many ways and that makes the whole experience more compelling. Most see Stoner as a roman à clef (a novel were real people and events are described but with names and perhaps some small details changed to maintain a semblance of fiction) of John Williams life.

And that’s the rundown on Stoner and John Williams.

[Anonymous No.11284192]

>>11284168
Yes, plot is for writers who dont have the confidence that their writing can keep anybodys attention

[Anonymous No.11284614]

>>11284089
>deals with a kind of autism people are much more familiar now than in the time it was written.
What sort of autism does it deal with?

[Anonymous No.11284624]

>>11284181
>Butcher’s Crossing,
Now this was kino

[Anonymous No.11284677]

>>11284181
quality post

[Anonymous No.11284694]

>>11283813
because it's a wonderful novel that moves non -sociopaths to tears. The prose is magnificent and it encapsulates an entire life in the saddest way.

[Anonymous No.11284802]

>>11284054
>being this autistic

[Anonymous No.11285023]

>>11283813
why do sad lonely white boys like stories about sad lonely white boys? i dont get it

[Anonymous No.11285179]

>>11284181
Good on you mate. Good post.

[Anonymous No.11285184]

>>11283813
Because its about understanding others

[Anonymous No.11285382]

>>11283813
are you by any chance a woman? because females literally cannot understand stoner

[Anonymous No.11286112]

>>11285382
>He's horrible and apathetic towards his wife and (spoilers and trigger warnings) rapes her several times during the book.

am i missing something?

[Anonymous No.11286127]

>>11286112
all sex they have is unwanted by her.

[Anonymous No.11286131]

>>11285382
>1 female can't understand stoner=all females can't understand stoner
Damn who knew

[Anonymous No.11286136]

>>11286131
women just don't understand stoner you fucking brainlet

[Anonymous No.11286154]

It's beautifully sad
>>11286136
on grill not liking it is not substantial proof

[Anonymous No.11286508]

>>11283848
>>11283848
19 year olds are gen z you absolute fucking melon

[Anonymous No.11286561]

>>11283848
*snap*

[Anonymous No.11287476]

>>11284005
>implying
Unlike this loser I’m not going to marry some dumb bitch who doesn’t even know how to fuck good. I’d also have punched that dumb cripple cunt in the face

[Anonymous No.11287498]

>>11284181
thanks!!

good post

[Anonymous No.11288227]

>>11283813
- William Stoner is a character that many readers can empathise and sympathise with. There will be at least two aspects to his story that you will be able to relate to.
- The prose is modest and direct which reflects Stoner's sensibilities.
- The ending followed by re-reading the intro will likely hit you like a fucking freight train. One of the few books to really make me cry.
- Tonally it's a fairly quaint and modest book, there's nothing immensely shocking that happens in the book that isn't likely to happen to any of us. It's very authentic.
- Stoner's buddy Finch.
- The tensions between Stoner and his sexually-repressed wife Edith.
- The rivalry between Stoner and Lomax and that specific moment where Stoner goes full alpha male and autistically teaches medieval literature to first year students when Lomax fucks with his schedule.
- It's a short read that packs one hell of a punch. Please read it, OP.

[Anonymous No.11288258]

>>11283849
>>11283848
>>11283817
This is why I hate meme culture. 4chan is worse than reddit at this point.