Cover of The bridge of San Luis Rey

The bridge of San Luis Rey

by Thornton Wilder

First published
1927
Reading level
Plain English
Price
Free

About the book

"The Bridge of San Luis Rey" by Thornton Wilder is a novel published in 1927. When an ancient rope bridge in Peru collapses in 1714, five travelers plunge to their deaths. A Franciscan friar who witnesses the tragedy becomes obsessed with understanding why these particular people died at that moment. He spends six years investigating their lives, searching for evidence of divine purpose in what appears to be random catastrophe. The novel weaves together the stories of the victims, revealing the hidden connections and intimate struggles that led them to the bridge.

  • Historical fiction
  • Peru
  • Accident victims
  • Bridges

Updated September 2026. Public domain in the USA. Text and summary from Project Gutenberg eBook #69768. The bridge of San Luis Rey on Wikipedia.

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