Book Salon
Winesburg, Ohio
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This month we're reading Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson. Our faculty host is Judy Richardson.
Listen to an interview with our Book Salon host.
"Before there was Hemingway, Fitzgerald, or Faulkner, there was Sherwood Anderson, whose quirky book, Winesburg, Ohio (1919), remains an endearing gem of modernist storytelling. This group of interlinked tales experiments with form and plays with the cadences of the American vernacular. I'm drawn to its underlying sense of aching affection for the "twisted apples" the lonely, misfit townsfolk groping for something beyond mere words."
About this quarter's book selection
Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson is a group of short stories that follows a small town community and its diverse group of citizens. The stories are united by young reporter George Willard, whose life is followed from his childhood days in Winesburg, to his eventual departure. The theme of each short story delves into each character’s past and present and their struggle to overcome the loneliness and isolation that permeate the town.
Anderson’s characters include the eccentric town doctor, a disgraced former teacher, and a wealthy farmer who searches for messages from God. Through each character’s struggles, Anderson highlights the how their dreams, hopes and fears have been deformed by their powerlessness, due to the restraints of social norms, misfortune, and tragedy.
Winesburg, Ohio, was well received when first released in 1919, and has remained popular among readers and critics for its modernist take on early 20th century American life. Find out why many call this novel a modern classic.
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