A Thousand Country Roads

This book is mesmerizing...classic reading of the works of Robert James Waller. Although it seemed to focus more on Robert Kincaid- and his life after the four days he spent with Francesca Johnson, you have to remember their daily lives. Robert Kincaid was a photographer who roamed the world and his work brought him in contact with many people. Francesca Johnson was a dutiful housewife and mother. The consequences of Robert Kincaid's actions eventually appeared in his life. New people emerged. As for Francesca Johnson, how much excitement or how many earth shattering events would have come to her life after Robert Kincaid? With a deceased husband, children now adults with families of their own, and a daily walk to Rosemon Bridge from the farmhouse, life was probably mundane for Francesca Johnson. She chose her family all of those years ago. Yet, she took the biggest risk of her life during her four days of intimacy with Robert Kincaid. She also came alive. She knew she would never be loved like that again in her lifetime. Francesca Johnson did not have the life experiences that would afford her the same opportunities as Robert Kincaid. This is probably why Francesca Johnson's life was not as prominent in the book as Robert Kincaid's. Excellent reading...oh, how I love Robert James Waller! Would love to visit Winterset!

A Thousand Country Roads makes delightful summer reading. At 175 pages or less it is an easy read in a weekend or even a long rainy day. Fun and enjoyable, it takes us back to the Bridges of Madison County and a trip through California and other states. But most of all it takes us forward as an epilogue to the famous book that became a wonderful movie. Robert Kincaid goes back in search of his Francesca Johnson with his truck named Harry. The characters he meets make the story seem real and warm. The language ranges from downright romantic to possibly pedantic in some areas. Pass quickly through the passages that don't please you to find some that will sing with your beliefs. Summer is always a good time to look back and to begin again in some way no matter what our ages. On the road-- he discovers more about life, himself and of course love. And the author gives us another 'bridge' to a future we could not even imagine Kincaid the solo photographer having. It may inspire you to take a second look at your surroundings as you vacation into your future.

Mr. Waller does a wonderful job of pulling together all the loose ends left at the finish of "Bridges Of Madison County".

When Francesca and Robert are about to meet once again at the covered bridge the readers will find themselves reaching for that box of tissues!

If you loved Bridges of Madison County this is a great story to tie everything together. Loved it!!

This is, what you call, a quest for money... Considering the planetary success of "Bridges..." it became obvious that any day now, one should expect a sequel... Which is not entirely bad, when you come down to the bottom... what makes it bad is how that sequel was written...
Without any kind of emotion, or as once were said for Kerouac "that is not writing, it is typing", with cheap philosophy, small minded attacks on academic world or any kind of higher education, presenting life in a way that never existed, with narrative that every house wife can tell you in five to six minutes, it is a sad thing that someone actually printed this.
Well, what can you say, if you have any taste, you will skip this one, you can think of a better ending of "Bridges..." for yourself...

I am one of the people who adored BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY, both book and film, and am not ashamed to say so. Many years after reading the first lyrical novel, I remember staying up all night to finish it and how I sobbed over the love of Francesca and Robert. I did then wonder what happened to Robert in those "missing years," and filled in the blanks with my own imagination. Robert James Waller topped me, of course.

The author indicates in his preface that this book will not likely stand on its own for those who have not read BRIDGES, and I agree. For those who have, however, it provides a lovely coda to those four days in 1965, with some surprises along the way. More is shared about Robert Kincaid's life both before and after his time with Francesca. Waller has that unique gift of being able to describe a place in such a way that you feel you're sitting there next to him, and this gift does not fail him in COUNTRY ROADS. Big Sur, Mendocino, and even a small town in South Dakota come to life for the reader. He also shares with us the realities of growing older; our bodies begin to betray us, and we often lose ourselves in memories.

My intention was to take my time reading A THOUSAND COUNTRY ROADS. I knew that this would be the last time I'd get to hear anything new from these characters, and I was loath to rush through that experience. When it came down to it, however, I couldn't read the pages fast enough. I just had to know what happened next and though all who read BRIDGES know how it ends, I wanted to know what came in between. I stayed up all night. Again. I cried. Again. I loved it. Again.

Loved it ... "Clint Eastwood" died (in this story). His end not what I would have wished for, but, that's life. I guess you could say that "she" lived a boring, day-to-day life as a good housewife, always dreaming of her prince charming. And she made that dream her ultimate inward happiness, the Madison County bridge the symbol of that best dream. Her children and their happiness her utmost responsibility. Warning: A tear jerker, much as the first story!

The detail of descriptions is one of the major joys of Robert Waller's writing. You can actually see the places and know the people he meets along his travels. This book is no different and of course, is the conclusion of "Madison County". Same route with new people, new places are all special. Wish the ending could have been more the way I would have liked it but then even life has disapointments.

The Bridges of Madison County is a classic. And no doubt this book, A Thousand Country Roads is a very welcome addition to the story. It carries you on into the lives of the characters and reinforces the feeling of their love for each other. I just love when there is a GOOD sequel to a good story. It doesn't happen often, but this is one time it did. Thanks Amazon.

Wasn’t a love story.