The Bridge of San Luis Rey

By: Thornton Wilder

Narrated by: Sam Waterston

Length: 3 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

Pulitzer Prize Winner, The Novel, 1928

The Bridge of San Luis Rey, first published in 1927, was Thornton Wilder's first major work and won him instant international recognition. The story concerns the lives of five people who fall to their deaths on July 20, 1714, when a rope bridge breaks on a road near Lima, Peru. A humble Franciscan, Brother Juniper, witnesses the accident and determines to learn about the lives of the victims in order to find out whether this accident happened by chance or by plan.

Again and again, the novelist and playwright Thornton Wilder explores in his works the connections between the commonplace and cosmic dimensions of human experience, always returning to fundamental questions about the meaning of life.

The Bridge of San Luis Rey, one of the true great American classics, has been translated into more than 30 languages. The book won Wilder the first of his three Pulitzer Prizes.

©1927 Albert and Charles Boni Inc., 1955 renewed by Thornton Wilder (P)1997 HighBridge Company

Critic reviews

• Pulitzer Prize winner

"A masterpiece." (New York Herald Tribune)
"A melancholy narrative of great power, simplicity and beauty." (AudioFile)

Wonderful story, worst audio quality

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

No, I would have them read it

What other book might you compare The Bridge of San Luis Rey to and why?

This book was unique; it had features of Hemmingway's Old Man and the Sea

How could the performance have been better?

Sam Waterston did a good job, but the audio quality made listening a challenge

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

No; it is an introspective story

Beautiful Story

This American classic transcends the years and lifts up my heart. Unfortunately, the poor sound quality, and the dragging slowness of Sam Waterston's stiff, superficial reading were a bit distracting. Thank goodness Audible has a speed adjustment!

A beautiful, fearless examination of life.

This story is a pleasure to listen to because it is written so well. The author reveals the souls of the characters in a way that is uncontrived and effortless. Sam Waterston reads this beautiful work in an understated way so that he never gets in the way of it. Highly recommend!

Beautifully Written Book About Love & Loss

The narator has a good voice, but the recording quality itself is not the best. This is a beautify book about human nature, love, loss, and fate.

Classic literature

Any additional comments?

I have read this book several times, but listening to it was somehow different. I enjoy listening to Sam despite what others have said. I love this book and would have to say it is on my top ten list of books that have affected the way I think about the world. I highly recommend it.

Soothing narration

At first I was surprised by the lack of polish in Sam Waterston's narration, for example, you can hear him inhaling at the end of sentences and he provides no change of voice to emphasize characters or moods. However, I quickly concluded that the narration was perfect for this philosophical novella about fate, love, and life. It is like a wise and favorite uncle talking to you. I found it comforting and soothing, as befitting the message of the final section of the book.

Recording is awful!

Please reproduce! This recording is of poor quality—very muddy. Too good of a book to receive this sort of recording production. Thank you!

Two of The Chapters Are Out of Order, A Slow Moving Story

This is a very good audiobook narrated by Sam Waterston. Mister Waterston did a fine job but beyond his control, two of the parts of this audiobook are out of order. The two audiobook Chapters are about Part 3, Esteban.

As for the novel itself, this is a decent but somewhat complicated story. It is a slow read, not like the typical modern popular novel. It moves along somewhat slowly and is not a "page turner". However it is a much easier read than Mister Wilder's first novel, "The Cabala".

I am glad that I read this book but do not envision reading it again without good reason. Thank You....

Fate

True and sad in all things ga as.
of importance. Wise and wonderful and full of despair and love.

Strong Moral Questions Contained Within

As perfect as a novel can get. Very short...but fervid with the hard questions we sometimes don't think of asking ourselves. "Why am I on this earth?" "What led me to this point?" Very modern in construction but a period piece. The most memorable characters in literature. The reader...not great. I LOVE Sam Waterston but his reading is very quiet, very breathy and emphysemaed. Perhaps previous he was kicked in the chest by a mule?

Book: A Reader: C-