Librarians at Seattle Public Library created this list of books, music, and films to enhance your experience of Thornton Wilder's The Skin of Our Teeth, playing at Seattle Rep September 26 - October 20.

The Skin of Our Teeth
by Wilder, Thornton
Book - 2015

The script of The Skin of Our Teeth, for your reading pleasure.

A Field Guide to the Apocalypse: A Mostly Serious Guide to Surviving Our Wild Times
by Aktipis, Athena
Book - 2024

The Antrobus family has survived quite a few calamities over their thousands of years on Earth, but they (and all of us) might find some useful strategies to prepare for the next cataclysm in this helpful guide.

Alfred Hitchcock's Shadow of A Doubt
DVD - 2006

Wilder wrote the screenplay for Shadow of a Doubt in 1942, the same year that The Skin of Our Teeth premiered at the Shubert Theatre in New Haven, Connecticut.

Apocalypse
Streaming Video - 2013

Act II of The Skin of Our Teeth contains several parallels to the Biblical story of Noah and the flood. This streaming documentary explores the themes of suffering, God's wrath, and the idea of righteousness woven through this ancient tale.

The Bible: Authorized King James Version
Book - 199

Many of the characters and story lines in The Skin of Our Teeth are inspired by the Bible. Check out a copy and see if you can catch all those references!

The Complete Ice Age: How Climate Change Shaped the World
Book - 2009

Act I of The Skin of Our Teeth takes place at the dawn of the Ice Age. Since Wilder stretches the facts a bit, learn more about the actual history of this era in this well-researched and engrossing account.

Finnegans Wake
by Joyce, James
Book - 1999

Wilder was a big fan of Joyce's novel, and some contemporary critics accused him of plagiarizing its themes and characters in The Skin of Our Teeth, creating a big controversy at the time. Read it and judge for yourself!

Lilith: A Novel
by Marmery, Nikki
Book - 2023

Like Wilder, novelist Marmery reworks the characters and plot of the Adam-Lilith-Eve story, but her retelling takes a decidedly more feminist tone.

Thornton Wilder: A Life
by Niven, Penelope
eBook - 2012

Drawing on previously unreleased primary materials, Niven's biography of Wilder presents an engaging and comprehensive account of the playwright's life and work.

Thornton Wilder Discusses His Work
Streaming Video - 1961
Click here to stream this video at Access Video 

In this episode of "Camera Three," a New York TV program about the arts, Wilder discusses representational theater with Jose Quintero, who directed Wilder's trio of one-act plays, Plays for Bleeker Street, at Circle in the Square Theatre in the early 1960s.

The Selected Letters of Thornton Wilder
by Wilder, Thornton
Book - 2008

Wilder was an avid letter writer, corresponding frequently with relatives and famous friends. This collection compiles 300 of his letters written across the course of his life and career.

Thornton Wilder: Collected Plays & Writings on Theater
by Wilder, Thornton
Book - 2007

This comprehensive collection contains all of Wilder's dramatic works (including The Skin of Our Teeth), as well as a dozen of his essays on theater.

Wilder: The Official Website of the Thornton Wilder Family
Web Resource

Curated by Wilder's family, this website provides an abundance of information about Wilder's life and literary works, including a section on The Skin of Our Teeth that features essays, historical photos, video, and more.

The Thornton Wilder Society Official Website
Web Resource

The Thornton Wilder Society website features numerous resources about Wilder's life and works, including an extensive section on The Skin of Our Teeth that includes a plot summary, critical analysis, and bibliography.

Reserve YOur Copies

The Skin of Our Teeth runs at Seattle Rep from September 26 - October 20, 2024. Get your tickets today!