The publication of The Bridge of San Luis Rey in 1927 catapulted Thornton Wilder to commercial success and secured his first Pulitzer Prize in 1928. A writer who balanced literary pursuits with academic appointments, he remains one of the few figures in American letters to achieve widespread recognition for both prose fiction and dramatic works throughout the twentieth century.
Formative Years and Education
Born in Madison in 1897, Wilder spent a portion of his childhood in China while his father served as U.S. Consul General. He attended schools in Yantai before returning to California in 1912. His academic path included The Thacher School, Oberlin College, and eventually Yale University, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in 1920. He later secured a Master of Arts in French literature from Princeton University in 1926. During World War I, he served as a corporal in the U.S. Army's Coast Artillery Corps at Fort Adams.
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Wilder pursued a dual career as an educator and author. He taught at the Lawrenceville School before joining the faculty at the University of Chicago, where he served from 1930 to 1937. He further expanded his professional reach by serving as president from 1941 to 1946 and later as a visiting professor at Harvard University.
Contribution to Drama and Fiction
His theatrical work is defined by an exploration of the human condition and cyclical history. Our Town earned him the 1938 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, while The Skin of Our Teeth received the same honor in 1943. Beyond these, his 1968 novel The Eighth Day garnered a National Book Award. His later life was marked by significant accolades, including the 1963 Presidential Medal of Freedom and the 1974 James Madison Medal, before his death in New Haven in 1975.
Fast facts
- Born: 1897, Madison
- Died: 1975, New Haven
- Education: Yale University, Princeton University
- Pulitzer Prize for Drama: 1938, 1943
- National Book Award: 1968
- Presidential Medal of Freedom: 1963
- Burial site: Mount Carmel Burying Ground
- Citizenship: United States
Questions readers ask
What is the premise of The Bridge of San Luis Rey?
The novel examines the lives of several unrelated individuals who perish in a bridge collapse in Peru, exploring why misfortune strikes the seemingly innocent.
Did Wilder serve in the military?
Yes, he was a corporal in the U.S. Army during World War I and served as a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Air Force Intelligence during World War II.
Achievements
- Pulitzer Prize for Drama — 1938
- National Book Award — 1968
- Peace Prize of the German Publishers' and Booksellers' Association — 1957
- Presidential Medal of Freedom — 1963
