Winesburg, Ohio

by Sherwood Anderson
Winesburg, Ohio cover
Good Books rating 4.5
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Waterstones
Paperback • £7.99–£13.99
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  • ID: 5685
  • Added: 2025-10-24
  • Updated: 2025-12-30
  • Formats: 4
  • Reviews: 4
Reviews
goodreads.com · Unknown · 2025-11-16
brilliant 5.00

The reviewer found 'Winesburg, Ohio' to be a deeply moving and realistic portrayal of human struggles, despite some thin stories. The collection's emotional truth and the author's delicate rendering of characters made it a powerful experience.

The reviewer had a complex reaction to 'Winesburg, Ohio', initially not finding it depressing but rather a tender and melancholy reflection of life. The book's emotional truth and the author's ability to capture human shortcomings made it resonate deeply. The reviewer appreciated the delicate rendering of characters and the exploration of the struggle to be understood. Despite some stories being only okay, the overall collection felt cohesive and powerful, with the last sentence making the entire book perfect. The reviewer compared the experience to reading 'Dubliners' or 'Nine Stories', where a sense of connection encapsulates the entire exploration of the struggle to communicate.

Quick quotes

    this book is life - it is tender and gentle and melancholy and real.

    i apologize in advance - this might become my most oddly formatted "book review" ever, just because i can't stop free-associating with the way i am feeling from this damn book that i didn't even like from the outset, but as the stories progressed, something in me kept brewing and growing and mutating, and now it is an unstoppable force in my heart-region.

    it's a

clereviewofbooks.com · Unknown · 2021-08-17
intriguing 4.00

The review explores Sherwood Anderson's 'Winesburg, Ohio,' highlighting its portrayal of small-town life and its grotesque characters. The book is praised for its depth and the way it balances the twisted and the sweet, with a particular focus on the protagonist George Willard's journey.

Sherwood Anderson's 'Winesburg, Ohio' is a collection of interconnected short stories that delve into the lives of the outcasts and eccentricities of a small Ohio town. The review emphasizes the book's ability to capture the duality of small-town life, where both the grotesque and the sweet coexist. The characters, though unlikable at times, are portrayed with a sense of affection and understanding. The protagonist, George Willard, serves as the central figure around whom the stories revolve, and his journey towards becoming a writer is a significant theme. The review also notes the book's straightforward prose, which occasionally lacks style but is redeemed by moments of profound insight and descriptive beauty. The stories end abruptly, contributing to a wider arc of George's maturation, and the book's true beauty lies in its focus on instances rather than grand themes.

Quick quotes

    The beginning of the most materialistic age in the history of the world, when wars would be fought without patriotism, when men would forget God… and beauty would be well-nigh forgotten in the terrible headlong rush of mankind toward the acquiring of possessions.

    If you knew Winesburg country in the fall and how the low hills are all splashed with yellows and reds you would understand his feeling.

    The young man, going out of his town to meet the adventure of life, began to think but he did not think of anything big or dramatic… the serious and larger aspects of his life did not come into his mind.

indiependent.co.uk · Unknown · 2020-09-01
impressive 4.50

Winesburg, Ohio is a collection of short stories that beautifully captures the loneliness and longing of its characters. The book's simple writing style and touching moments make it a powerful and impressive achievement.

Winesburg, Ohio is a collection of short stories that beautifully captures the loneliness and longing of its characters. The book's simple writing style and touching moments make it a powerful and impressive achievement. The stories are set in a small town in Ohio and revolve around the lives of its inhabitants, who struggle with feelings of isolation and a desire for meaningful human connection. The book's protagonist, George Willard, is a reporter who observes and records the affairs of the townspeople, giving him an air of eminence that leads many of them to confide in him. The book's themes of loneliness and the absence of God are explored through the characters' struggles and their search for something to lift them above the monotony of everyday life.

Quick quotes

    On the trees are only a few gnarled apples that the pickers have rejected. They look like the knuckles of Doctor Reefy’s hands. One nibbles at them and they are delicious. Into a little round place at the side of the apple has been gathered all of its sweetness. One runs from tree to tree over the frosted ground picking the gnarled, twisted apples and filling his pockets with them. Only the few know the sweetness of the twisted apples.

    Anderson’s depiction of loneliness may often be sad, but it also has its touching moments. In this small town he beautifully shows that pain, longing, and uncertainty are unavoidable aspects of what it means to be human, and that we must love and cherish life because it is the only one we have.

    The position of George Willard is a fascinating one. As Winesburg’s only reporter, he is a close observer who tries to record the affairs of the townspeople, and his occupation gives him an air of eminence that leads many of them to confide in him.

reviews.rebeccareid.com · Unknown · 2011-09-28
profound 4.50

Winesburg, Ohio is a collection of interconnected short stories that explore the lives of small-town residents. The book is praised for its deep psychological insights and its portrayal of human isolation and longing.

Winesburg, Ohio is a unique and compelling collection of short stories that delve into the inner lives of the inhabitants of a small Ohio town. Each story offers a glimpse into the characters' struggles, desires, and frustrations, creating a rich tapestry of human experience. The book is particularly noted for its deep psychological insights and its exploration of themes such as isolation, longing, and the search for meaning. The interconnected nature of the stories allows readers to see how the characters' lives overlap and influence one another, adding depth and complexity to the narrative. The writing is often praised for its raw and unflinching portrayal of human nature, making it a thought-provoking and memorable read.

Quick quotes

    The stories in Winesburg, Ohio are deeply psychological and offer a profound look into the human condition.

    The book's exploration of isolation and longing is both poignant and relatable.

    The interconnected nature of the stories adds a layer of depth and complexity to the narrative.

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