Try free for 30 days

  • The Bridge of San Luis Rey

  • By: Thornton Wilder
  • Narrated by: John Chancer
  • Length: 3 hrs and 56 mins
  • 4.0 out of 5 stars (6 ratings)

1 credit a month to use on any title, yours to keep (you’ll use your first credit on this title).
Stream or download thousands of included titles.
Access to exclusive deals and discounts.
$16.45 a month after 30 day trial. Cancel anytime.
The Bridge of San Luis Rey cover art

The Bridge of San Luis Rey

By: Thornton Wilder
Narrated by: John Chancer
Try for $0.00

$16.45 per month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $16.70

Buy Now for $16.70

Pay using voucher balance (if applicable) then card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions Of Use and Privacy Notice and authorise Audible to charge your designated credit card or another available credit card on file.

Publisher's Summary

The publication of the Pulitzer Prize-winning The Bridge of San Luis Rey established Thornton Wilder as one of the leading novelists of the 20th century.

An ancient bridge collapses over a gorge in Peru, hurling five people into the abyss. It seems a meaningless human tragedy; but one witness, a Franciscan monk, believes the deaths might not be as random as they appear. Convinced that the disaster is a punishment sent from Heaven, the monk sets out to discover all he can about the travellers. The five strangers were connected in some way, he thinks, so there must be a purpose behind their deaths. But are their lost lives the result of sin... or of love?

An acclaimed novelist and playwright, Thornton Wilder (1897-1975) won three Pulitzer Prizes: for the novel The Bridge of San Luis Rey, and for the two plays, Our Town and The Skin of Our Teeth. Wilder’s other honours include the Gold Medal for Fiction from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the National Book Committee’s Medal for Literature.

©1955, 2002 Thornton Wilder (P)2013 Audible Ltd

Critic Reviews

"There are books that haunt you down the years…. The Bridge of San Luis Rey is of this kind.” (The Independent)
“Few writers have better captured the vanities and complexities of the ruling classes in Spanish South America.” (The Times)

What listeners say about The Bridge of San Luis Rey

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    3
  • 4 Stars
    1
  • 3 Stars
    1
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    3
  • 4 Stars
    1
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A great tale

A great tale. Wilder brings you to love his flawed characters, and mourn their untimely ends. Some issues with pronunciation were distracting in the performance, but still a good way to enjoy the drive to work.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.