Thornton Wilder

School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up-These essays on the novelist and playwright will satisfy students who crave something more than basic plot summaries. Though part of a series designed for young adults, the anthology aims high; essays include "Wilder's Tragic Themes" and "Comparing Finnegans Wake with The Skin of Our Teeth." Abundant personal information--from a lively biographical essay to an interview with Wilder from the Paris Review--round out the literary criticism. Chapters cover the writer's work in general, e.g., major themes, and then narrow to consider individual titles, including his three Pulitzer Prize-winning efforts. Short summaries at the beginning of each piece will assist readers in determining which selections will be most useful. Although several essays briefly summarize plots and characters, readers hoping for a thorough outline will be better served by Cliff's or Barron's Notes. Students in advanced literature courses, however, will find that this book meets their needs for in-depth literary analysis.-Miranda Doyle, Notre Dame High School, Belmont, CA