Book Review: Alexander's Bridge

No one can build his security upon the nobleness of another person.


I am never caught up.  Never.  Oh well. 

I had never read anything by Willa Cather.  Nope, not even My Atonia  or O Pioneers!.  So, I decided to read one.  And yes, for some reason, I started with a very obscure one.  And I loved it.  Perhaps partly because I read it right after the horrific piece of travesty, The Very Thought of You. It probably helped that the theme was kind of directly opposite.  But, I do think it was a good book.

Alexander is a genius civil engineer who designs bridges.  He is currently working on his largest bridge project.  At the same time, he is trying to cut ties with an affair that he has started with a British actress, even though he is perfectly happy with his wife. As Alexander tries to bridge his two lives, he is told that the bridge he is building is too big.  Perhaps both bridges are just too big. 

I think that something many writers struggle with today is being concise.  I think that's part of why I like Thornton Wilder so much, and Willa Cather definitely did it too.  To have so much thought in a mere 100 pages, and to have made it so masterfully.  They really knew how to show and not tell. 

I think I would have liked to have a little more investigation into the character of his wife, but that's really the only criticism that I can find.  The ending was gorgeous, and the story was well-crafted.

Five Stars! 

Comments

p said…
I've always liked Willa Cather.
March 23, 2015 at 7:55 PM
p said…
I've always liked Willa Cather.
March 23, 2015 at 7:56 PM
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