Editors Reads Verdict
Wilder's most ambitious novel — a sweeping American saga that asks the largest questions about goodness, purpose, and the meaning of a human life. The National Book Award winner for 1967.
What We Loved
- Wilder's most ambitious and philosophically rich work
- The multigenerational sweep is handled with mastery
- Won the National Book Award
Minor Drawbacks
- Long and demanding — requires commitment
- The philosophical interludes slow the narrative for some readers
Key Takeaways
- → What it means to be a good person in a world that doesn't reward goodness
- → The multigenerational transmission of character and values
- → America in the early 20th century and its promise and betrayal
| Author | Thornton Wilder |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Harper Perennial |
| Pages | 435 |
| Published | January 1, 1967 |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Literary Fiction, Historical Fiction |
| Difficulty | Advanced |
| Best For | Readers of serious American literary fiction who want Wilder's most ambitious work |
In a small mining town in Illinois, a man named John Ashley is convicted of murdering his neighbour and sentenced to death. He escapes — helped by mysterious strangers — and disappears into South America, leaving behind a wife and four children. The novel follows both Ashley’s wandering and the fate of his family over the following decade, as they try to understand what happened and to build lives in the shadow of his conviction.
The Eighth Day is Thornton Wilder’s most ambitious novel — a multigenerational American saga that asks questions about goodness, purpose, and meaning that have occupied philosophers and theologians for centuries, and tries to answer them through narrative rather than argument. The title refers to the eighth day of creation: the day after God rested, when human beings became responsible for continuing the work.
The novel is structured as an inquiry: what makes a good person? What is the relationship between individual goodness and social justice? What do we owe each other across generations? These are not questions that Wilder resolves easily, and the novel is the richer for its refusal of easy answers. It won the National Book Award in 1967 and remains his most sustained achievement in long fiction.
Reading Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
What is "The Eighth Day" about?
In early 20th-century Illinois, a man named John Ashley is convicted of murder and escapes, leaving his family behind. A multigenerational saga about two American families and the question of what it means to be a good person.
Who should read "The Eighth Day"?
Readers of serious American literary fiction who want Wilder's most ambitious work
What are the key takeaways from "The Eighth Day"?
What it means to be a good person in a world that doesn't reward goodness The multigenerational transmission of character and values America in the early 20th century and its promise and betrayal
Is "The Eighth Day" worth reading?
Wilder's most ambitious novel — a sweeping American saga that asks the largest questions about goodness, purpose, and the meaning of a human life. The National Book Award winner for 1967.
Ready to Read The Eighth Day?
Check the current price on Amazon.
Check Price on Amazon (paid link)Prices and availability are subject to change. See Amazon for current price.
Review last updated: