
The bridge of San Luis Rey
- 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.

