Customer Reviews

Thornton Wilder:The Bridge of San Luis Rey and Other Novels 1926-1948 (Library of America No. 194)

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He was such a fine writer. Our Town, which is not in this book, was one of those plays we had to read in high school and resonates to this day. But I had never read The Bridge of San Luis Rey, so I bought this book to read that and to sample some of his other novels.
I took my time reading every word (sometimes reading sections more than once) and tried to absorb all of his detailed descriptions, which really add to the richness of the experience. I thought the Bridge of San Luis Rey was wonderful. I liked all of the other stories, although some more than others. I learned something from each novel - either about his time and place or the times and places he created. It was all worth the effort.
One observation: The font is very small and the line spacing practically non-existent, so you might need an index card or something like that to make the reading easier.

The Library of America is a "can't lose" situation for purchasers and this volume is no exception. The book includes an excellent selection, is intelligently edited, includes a good summary of Wilder's life, is bound and printed well, and is a financial bargain.

I don't know why, but I have often found myself drawn to the works of Wilder, and I was sol glad to see this collection of Wilder's early writings. There is no denying the power of :The Bridge of San Luis Rey." I have no qualms with the texts themselves, but the editorial aspect bothers me. Wilder's sexuality is completely left out, and this is important when you consider that the third act of "Our Town" (not in this text) was drafted at the home of his lover, Samuel Steward. Steward's pen name, Phil Andros, is also shared by Wilder's novel "The Woman of Andros." Coincidence? I think not. Again, I love the Library of America (I have just about every volume), and I love the novels in this collection, but the editor, J.D. McClatchy could have been a little more honest in his notes.