Theophilus North

A Novel

By: Thornton Wilder

Narrated by: Richard Poe

The last of Thornton Wilder’s works published during his lifetime, Theophilus North is part autobiographical and part the imagined adventures of Wilder’s twin brother who died at birth. This edition features an updated afterword from Wilder’s nephew, Tappan Wilder, with illuminating material about the novelist, story and setting.

Setting out to see the world in the summer of 1926, Theophilus North gets as far as Newport, Rhode Island, before his car breaks down. To support himself, Theophilus takes jobs in the elegant mansions along Ocean Drive, just as Wilder himself did in the same decade. Soon the young man finds himself playing the roles of tutor, tennis coach, spy, confidant, lover, friend, and enemy as he becomes entangled in adventure and intrigue in Newport’s fabulous addresses, as well as in its local boarding houses, restaurants, dives and military barracks.

Narrated by the elderly North from a distance of 50 years, Theophilus North is a fascinating commentary on youth and education from the vantage point of age, and deftly displays Wilder’s trademark wit juxtaposed with his lively and timeless ruminations on what really matters, at the end of the day, about life, love, and work.

©1973 Thornton Wilder; renewed 2000 by the Wilder Family L.L.C. Foreword copyright 2003 by Christopher Buckley. Afterword copyright 2003, 2019 by Tappan Wilder (P)2020 HarperCollins Publishers

I Absolutely Loved It!

I have very much enjoyed listening recently to several Wilder books on Audible, but none so much as this one.

Each chapter is pretty much a challenge the main character has in helping with the spiritual (and other) development of another character in the book.

Theopholus has his own growing and doing to do and giving to give. But he sees life as time he has to help others become their better selves and grow into self-actualized people.

I don’t know whether the author would agree with me. But I think the book is fundamentally about love at its deepest level - how can people use their skill and creativity to help others address their problems and get to where their lives are full and free of the pain and problems others are often out to bring to them.

Mino, as an example, is one of the sweetest and most glorious stories I’ve ever encountered.

The reading of the work, also, is outstanding.

By all means, experience this treasure!

I loved this novel

Such an interesting story that weaves thru the fascinating life of the author. I had no preconceived notions when I selected this book, based on a friend’s recommendation, but it fully met my criteria for a book that was well worth reading. In fact, I really missed Theophilus North in my life when the book was finished !!