The Bridges of Madison County

By: Robert James Waller

Narrated by: Kelli O'Hara, Steven Pasquale

Length: 3 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's summary

The legendary love story and the major motion picture starring Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep. This is the story of Robert Kincaid, the photographer and free spirit searching for the covered bridges of Madison County, and Francesca Johnson, the farm wife waiting for fulfillment of a girlhood dream. It shows listeners what it is to love and be loved so intensely that life is never the same again.

©1992 Robert James Waller (P)2013 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

Narrators Kelli O’Hara and Steven Pasquale bring out the beautiful simplicity of this love story about a photographer who shows up in a small town in the Midwest and meets a married woman. As the narrators alternate chapters, both offer performances that reflect the natural development of the love affair that develops. The gentle narration keeps the story focused on themes of self-fulfillment and true love, rather than on issues of morality. O’Hara and Pasquale complement each other’s performance with consistent renditions of Richard’s steady speech, reflecting his contemplative nature, and the foreign-born Francesca’s slight accent and soft voice. The dual narration adds to the effectiveness of this quietly stirring romance." (AudioFile magazine)

"An erotic, bittersweet tale of lingering memories and forsaken possibilities." (Publishers Weekly)

Like a beautiful photograph

Just like its subject matter, this book or, better yet, novella leaves you thinking of it like a beautiful photograph, yearning to learn more about its subject. It is written with gorgeous, lyrical prose. The two main characters are incredibly human. I wish that the author did describe the bridges a bit more - which have become the iconic remainder landmark of this book's output.

I was super excited that the narrators are the original Broadway cast members of the new musical version of the story. Both Kelli O'Hara and Steven Pasquale are incredibly talented. All we are missing here is hearing them sing. I'm going to go listen to the cast recording next. :-)

Love

When I think of what love is, I think of the contents of this book. I could listen to this book every day and never get tired of it. It speaks to me in a way that no other love story ever has.

if you need to remember that magic exists

One of the best stories I've ever heard. So real, so painful, so beautiful. It is more than about love and love's many forms I think, and mostly touched me on a transcended level I'm not sure many people can let themselves get to. If you can be free, even if just for the time you are reading this book, it will change you.

It's true love.

Seen the movie a couple of times in the past and loved it. Glad that I read the book. It's lovely.

Excellent

Loved it, but I had forgotten how heartbreaking the story was.

The narration was well done, and the writing was exquisite. The writer knew exactly how to paint a picture with words, and draw in the reader.

Can’t listen just once.

This is a book and now audiobook that I come back to over and over again. It touches me somewhere deep where few things reach. I have known and loved men who had bits of Robert Kincaid in them, but only bits. I return to this when I need to feel something deep inside me, to remind me that I can still feel, even if it is only for fictional characters. Have tissues ready. The epilogue is brilliant.

Beautiful Story

I fell in love with this book when I first read it years ago. I can still remember the feel of it in my hands. I was happy to have found it on Audible. Although now that I've been married for 15 years with children, it brings forth a different feeling than it did years ago. As a young woman, I found it dreamy -- a beautiful love story. However, now, it's almost like grief -- a tragic sense of longing - now that I know what it all means. I like to think that Francesca & Robert Kincaid are real, although sources claim that the story is a work of fiction; the author tells quite the convincing story. I suppose anyone trying to protect anyone's identity would do the same. No one could write a story like that without having felt that way before or having known of someone who felt that way before. Perhaps there's a bit of Robert & Francesca in all of us -- and if there isn't, well...there certainly will be after you read/listen to this. Be well.

One of my life's favorite books.

This is a story about a rare love, a love many dream of having but never find. This book brings me joy every time I read/listen to it.

Simply beautiful.

Beautiful modern day fairytale. Best book I've read this year. Year is half over but that will be a hard one to beat. I don't reread books but I will probably revisit this one.

Fantastic

It was one of the best love stories I have ever heard. I saw the movie but this was so much better. Made m