The Bridges of Madison County

THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY, the highly romantic tale of a roaming photographer and a lonely housewife, was Robert James Waller's first novel. Its sensitive exploration of a four-day encounter between star-crossed lovers touched hearts everywhere, and gallons of tears were shed at the sad ending. By the time its popularity began to ebb, the book had set astounding records, with 162 consecutive weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, 38 at number one (in hardcover). It has been translated into 25 languages and sold over 12 million copies. It was also made into a highly successful 1995 movie starring Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood (who also directed).