AUGUSTUS.

John Edward Williams (1922-1994) was an American author, editor, and professor whose literary career spanned several decades. Born in Texas, his early life included his father's mysterious disappearance and a period of military service in India, China, and Burma during World War II, where he began writing his first novel. After the war, he pursued higher education, earning degrees from the University of Denver and the University of Missouri, where he also taught. He returned to the University of Denver as a professor and directed its creative writing program. Williams authored four novels, including "Stoner" and "Augustus," the latter of which shared the National Book Award for Fiction. His works have been critically acclaimed and translated into numerous languages. He retired from academia in 1985 and passed away in 1994. Williams believed literature should be entertaining, stating that reading without joy is "stupid."

Born in Clarksville, Texas, John Edward Williams's family relocated to Wichita Falls during the oil boom. His father vanished under unclear circumstances when Williams was very young, and his mother remarried. After a brief period of college and work in media, Williams enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force in 1942. He served for two and a half years as a sergeant in the India, China, and Burma theater of operations. It was during his service in Calcutta that he started writing the manuscript that would eventually become his first novel, "Nothing But the Night."

Following his military discharge, Williams pursued higher education at the University of Denver, earning bachelor's and master's degrees. During this time, his initial novel, "Nothing But the Night," and his first poetry collection, "The Broken Landscape," were published. He continued his studies at the University of Missouri, completing a Ph.D. in English literature. Williams then returned to the University of Denver, taking on a faculty position and eventually leading the creative writing program. His literary output included novels like "Butcher's Crossing" and "Stoner," as well as the poetry collection "The Necessary Lie." He also founded and edited the "Denver Quarterly."

Williams is best known for his novels, particularly "Stoner," which details the life of an English professor and was reissued to significant critical acclaim, becoming a bestseller in several countries. His novel "Augustus," a historical account of Roman times, earned him a shared National Book Award for Fiction in 1972. Critics have noted a recurring narrative arc in his fiction, focusing on themes of initiation, rivalry, interpersonal tensions, and a pervasive sense of disappointment or futility. His work "Butcher's Crossing" explores frontier life in 19th-century Kansas.

“Absolutely. My God, to read without joy is stupid.”