The Eighth Day

This first edition of Thornton Wilder's The Eighth Day, published by Harper & Row in 1967, represents the culmination of one of America's greatest dramatist's literary career and won the National Book Award in 1968. Written during a twenty-month period of creative isolation in Douglas, Arizona, this ambitious novel showcases Wilder's masterful ability to weave universal themes through intimate family drama. The work stands as a testament to Wilder's unique position as the only writer to win Pulitzer Prizes for both drama and fiction.

Set in a mining town in southern Illinois, the novel explores two families devastated by a shocking murder and its aftermath. The story begins when Breckenridge Lansing is shot during a weekend gathering where the men are practicing shooting, an event that irrevocably alters the lives of both the Ashley and Lansing families. Wilder's narrative spans decades, examining how this single catastrophic event reverberates through generations and ultimately reveals deeper truths about human nature, faith, and the mysterious workings of providence.

Wilder spent 1962 and 1963 in hibernation, away from family and friends, specifically to write this novel, demonstrating his complete dedication to the work. The author's meticulous attention to craft and his philosophical depth create a story that operates simultaneously as gripping family saga and profound meditation on destiny and human purpose. The novel's title refers to the biblical concept of divine creation, suggesting that human creativity and moral development constitute an ongoing eighth day of creation.