Most Popular Books by Thornton Wilder

Letters written between 1950 and 1975 by Thornton Wilder and Adaline Glasheen discussing their reading of Finnegan''s Wake.

First produced and published in 1938, this Pulitzer Prize-winning drama of life in the small village of Grover’s Corners, an allegorical representation of all life, has become an American classic. It is Thornton Wilder’s most renowned and most frequently performed play.

This volume brings together the definitive texts of three outstanding plays by one of America''s most distinguished writers. Includes a preface by the author.

"Each of the novels is a special achievement, different in its own fashion from any other novels written at the time, or since. The Woman of Andros is a Greek pastoral as beautifully handled as the figures on a Greek vase. It contrasts with The Bridge of San Luis Rey, which is a fable (perhaps more Buddhist than Christian in its feeling), as much as with The Cabala, which is an album of boldly depicted characters. All three novels, different as they are from one another, have something in common besides their economy of statement and their felicity of style. Perhaps it is the quality that was praised by Henry James in his little book on Hawthorne. There he said, speaking of The Scarlet Letter, ''It has about it that charm, very hard to express, which we find in an artist''s work the first time he has touched his highest mark--a sort of straightness and naturalness of execution, and unconsciousness of his public, and freshness of interest in his theme.'' These books have that quality too, and they ask to be reread."--From back cover.

"The Angel That Troubled the Waters, and Other Plays" is a significant collection of short dramatic works by the acclaimed American playwright Thornton Wilder. Written early in his career, these "three-minute plays" demonstrate Wilder''s mastery of the brief form and his enduring interest in the intersection of the human and the divine. The title play, drawing on the biblical story of the pool at Bethesda, explores themes of suffering, healing, and the necessity of pain in the human experience. This volume showcases Wilder''s innovative approach to staging and dialogue, stripping drama down to its most essential elements. Each piece serves as a profound meditation on faith, mortality, and the metaphysical mysteries of existence. Characterized by their allegorical depth and philosophical weight, these plays offer a glimpse into the creative development of a writer who would go on to reshape the landscape of American theater. Readers will find in these vignettes the same lyrical prose and empathetic insight found in his later masterpieces. Whether addressing the struggles of saints or the quiet dilemmas of ordinary souls, "The Angel That Troubled the Waters, and Other Plays" remains a testament to the power of concise, impactful storytelling and its ability to provoke deep reflection on the nature of grace. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Describes life in ancient Greece shortly before the beginning of the Christian era.

"The Ides of March, first published in 1948, is a brilliant epistolary novel set in Julius Caesar''s Rome. Thornton Wilder called it "a fantasia on certain events and persons of the last days of the Roman republic." Through vividly imagined letters and documents, Wilder brings to life a dramatic period of world history and one of history''s most magnetic, elusive personalities." "In this inventive narrative, the Caesar of history becomes Caesar the human being. Wilder also resurrects the controversial figures surrounding Caesar - Cleopatra, Catullus, Cicero, and others. All Rome comes crowding through these pages - the Rome of villas and slums, beautiful women and brawling youths, spies and assassins."--BOOK JACKET.