Stoner

A beautifully written story of a kind and gentle man from a poor farming family whose father offers him the opportunity to attend college and who, while there, discovers a life-long love of literature that leads him to the teaching profession. What could be viewed as a sad and lonely life could, upon further reflection, be seen as a life spent in a job he loved. I was frustrated at the main character, Stoner, for being passive in too many parts of his life, for not making the effort to get to know his grandson, for letting others take advantage of him, and I cheered the few times he was proactive. The author is from Northeast Texas so I was of course inclined to like the book!