The Collected Short Plays of Thornton Wilder, Volume I

October 1, 1997
After a period of decline, Wilder's reputation is on an upswing that this collection of plays will fuel. This is the first volume of short plays in a uniform edition, complete and well edited by Wilder's literary executors. A third of the plays here have either been out of print for years or have never been available before, Wilder having removed several plays from publication and left others in a slightly unfinished state. The volume contains some acknowledged masterpieces, such as The Long Christmas Dinner and Pullman Car Hiawatha, but others read like studies for unwritten plays. Included are two essays on Wilder, a new one by John Guare and a reprint by John Gassner. Both focus on the duality in Wilder's work, which continues to make him something of an enigma. Wilder remains a milestone in American drama who will continue to keep us on course. Recommended for public and academic libraries and all theater collections.--Thomas E. Luddy, Salem State Coll., Mass.