Editors Reads Verdict
Wilder's funniest novel — a portrait of sincere religious conviction in a secular world, handled with affection rather than mockery. George Brush is one of the great comic characters of American fiction.
What We Loved
- Genuinely funny — one of the great comic American novels
- George Brush is an unforgettable creation
- The Depression-era America setting is vivid
Minor Drawbacks
- Less philosophically ambitious than other Wilder
- Some readers find Brush's sincere religiosity frustrating even as comedy
Key Takeaways
- → Religious sincerity in a secular world as comic premise and moral argument
- → Depression-era America and its roads and boarding houses
- → The gap between intention and effect in the life of a principled man
| Author | Thornton Wilder |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Harper Perennial |
| Pages | 304 |
| Published | January 1, 1934 |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Literary Fiction, Comedy |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Best For | Readers who enjoy literary comedy, American fiction of the 1930s, or Wilder's complete works |
George Brush sells educational textbooks across Depression-era America and is, by his own sincere conviction, a fundamentalist Christian. He does not drink, smoke, lie, or take unfair advantage. He believes that God is watching him and that it matters how he acts. He is genuinely, absolutely good — and everywhere he goes, he is a disaster.
Heaven’s My Destination is Thornton Wilder’s funniest novel, and one of the great comic works of 20th-century American fiction. George Brush is not a hypocrite — that would be easy. He is entirely sincere, and the comedy comes from the collision between his sincere goodness and a world that has no idea what to do with it. He tries to reform a bank robber. He attempts to pay back wages to a man who doesn’t want them. He leaves chaos and bewilderment behind him in every town.
Wilder’s treatment of Brush is carefully balanced: the novel is clearly affectionate about its protagonist’s sincerity while also finding it comic in its impossibility. There is no mockery here of religious conviction itself — Wilder is too serious and too intelligent for that — but there is a sustained comic argument about what it would actually look like to try to live according to one’s stated beliefs in the world as it actually is.
Reading Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
What is "Heaven's My Destination" about?
George Brush is a travelling textbook salesman in Depression-era America who is also a fundamentalist Christian — sincere, principled, and a constant source of comic chaos wherever he goes.
Who should read "Heaven's My Destination"?
Readers who enjoy literary comedy, American fiction of the 1930s, or Wilder's complete works
What are the key takeaways from "Heaven's My Destination"?
Religious sincerity in a secular world as comic premise and moral argument Depression-era America and its roads and boarding houses The gap between intention and effect in the life of a principled man
Is "Heaven's My Destination" worth reading?
Wilder's funniest novel — a portrait of sincere religious conviction in a secular world, handled with affection rather than mockery. George Brush is one of the great comic characters of American fiction.
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