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)

Monumental book and Sensitive Narration

This Pulitzer Prize winning book is poetic and touching. Don't let other reviews about Watterson's voice dissuade you - it may be unusually soft or breathy but is sensitive, and more than listenable. It suits the content of the work.

Complicated story worth the listen

Not a perfect recording. Possibly not the perfect narrator. But an interesting look at the impact of five lives. Worth the listen.

A well constructed and thoughtful story

Would you listen to The Bridge of San Luis Rey again? Why?

Excellent plot with well developed characters. Universal morality tale.

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

Graham Greene's "The Power and the Glory."

What does Sam Waterston bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Good grasp of characters and ability to express many emotions.

If you could rename The Bridge of San Luis Rey, what would you call it?

A Bridge to Eternity

Chapter is out of place

The book is out of order in one place and is very confusing. If you know that ahead of time then you just skip the chapter and then come back a chapter.

Powerful story but…

The narration could not hold my attention. Skilled actor. Yes. Definitely. Audiobook narrator? Not so much.

Perfect

Short and sweet and very poignant. A classic in every sense of the word. I recommend this very highly.

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....