Great review Jeremy and thanks for the embedded link on the Pulitzer history. One of the rare triple Pulitzer winners (2 for Drama), Wilder's also earned ~40 years later, at the twilight of his career, a National Book Award for Fiction (1968) for The Eighth Day, in which the themes you highlight also punctuate this latter novel. I'm more than halfway through and while enjoying the story, feel, so far, his earlier work bests it.
Had an audiobook credit I needed to use and I have a hard time listening to fiction. Your pitch for The Socrates Express was solid enough that I pulled the trigger. Thanks for the rec!
I just purchased a copy of The Bridge of San Luis Rey for my kindle. The opening paragraph has me thinking. I have The Socrates Express on my shelf so will start that also. I have read Weiner’s book Man Seeks God and highly recommend it.
Thornton Wilder is one of my favorite authors, mostly because of the play Our Town, but I love this book, too. I think he was one of America's great philosophers.
Great review Jeremy and thanks for the embedded link on the Pulitzer history. One of the rare triple Pulitzer winners (2 for Drama), Wilder's also earned ~40 years later, at the twilight of his career, a National Book Award for Fiction (1968) for The Eighth Day, in which the themes you highlight also punctuate this latter novel. I'm more than halfway through and while enjoying the story, feel, so far, his earlier work bests it.
I don't plan on reading the entire Drama list (not yet, at least), but I'm definitely interested in Wilder's.
Had an audiobook credit I needed to use and I have a hard time listening to fiction. Your pitch for The Socrates Express was solid enough that I pulled the trigger. Thanks for the rec!
Oh nice! Enjoy! I actually listened to it as well, and Weiner’s narration was great.
The Bridge of San Luis Rey is one of the books in the 2025 Close Reads podcast lineup, if you want to re-read with company.
I just purchased a copy of The Bridge of San Luis Rey for my kindle. The opening paragraph has me thinking. I have The Socrates Express on my shelf so will start that also. I have read Weiner’s book Man Seeks God and highly recommend it.
Thornton Wilder is one of my favorite authors, mostly because of the play Our Town, but I love this book, too. I think he was one of America's great philosophers.
I'm going to check out the other title.
Gonna check out the first. The cover of the second made me LOL.