The Cabala / Heaven's My Destination / Our Town

Thornton Wilder's The Cabala, Heaven's My Destination, and Our Town were published by Raduga Publishers in 1988. The Cabala is a novel about a young American in Rome encountering a secret society of aristocrats, while Heaven's My Destination follows a traveling textbook salesman's fervent religious journey across 1930s America. Our Town is a Pulitzer Prize-winning play set in the fictional American small town of Grover's Corners, exploring universal themes of life, death, and community.
The Cabala:
This novel, published in 1926, is a semi-autobiographical work based on Wilder's time at the American Academy in Rome. It introduces the narrator, Samuele, to a group of eccentric and decaying aristocrats who form a secret society known as the Cabala. The book explores themes of timelessness, human weaknesses, and the end of an era.
Heaven's My Destination:
Published in 1935, this novel tells the story of George Marvin Brush, a traveling textbook salesman and religious convert, as he navigates the social landscape of 1930s America with his idealistic beliefs. The novel is described as humorous and satirical, with Brush's attempts to apply his strict moral code to a world of complex realities.
Our Town:
This Pulitzer Prize-winning play, published in 1938, is a three-act drama set in the fictional American town of Grover's Corners. It explores universal themes of life, death, love, and loss through the everyday experiences of its characters. The play is known for its minimalist staging and its focus on the connections between ordinary lives and profound human experiences.