Dec 17, 2007 12:15 PM
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I never read Mills and Boon, my entire life. OOh too cheesy for me. I went to a college a year back,
and well, there was a CD in one of my friend's collection, she held on to it like a prized trophy. It
was this particular Book, which was made into a movie starring Clint Eastwood. Well, being a
movie lover, I had to see it. Having heard of it for ages! SO well, I asked her if I could borrow it. She
was like'NO! If you haven't read this book, you cannot see the movie.' Well, I know the jazz talk, of
how you should read the book first and then see the movie. Well, I have done that in the past. Read
the books of Harry Potters and Lord of the Rings, but besides these two I wasn't keen on reading
any other book, I have my eyes set on Shantaram though. But I never came around to reading it. It
sits perched on my shelf. Well, coming back to the point. I had my eye on'Bridges' but
once I slyly took the CD and tried playing it, but it just didn't work. Well, so much for that. The other
day, while walking the stairs of Santacruz station in Bombay, I saw a second hand book shop, and I
walked upto him, browsing his lot, looking under the books, hoping I'd find something valuable.
And I did. I caught a glimpse, of th ewords' The bridges of Madison county'. And I gasped.
I bought the book. For 60 rupees. And then I began reading it. In the train, on the way to work,
during dinner time, returning from work. And it took me 3 days to finish it. Normally I can finish it in
one setting. But this book, overwhelmed me so much. I had to keep it on the side. To soak in the
beauty of this man-woman relationship.
Its not about the tall dark handsome man. It is about the man who is intense and passionate about
his work. It is about a man, who comes from the wild, and moves like a gazelle. It is about the
meeting of two people, who fall in love with each other, who fall in love with the comfort of their
presence.
At first, I thought its another cheesy stuff, so when I opened it, it had a preface, and in that the
author talks about how he began writing this book. This story was consciously awarded to him by 2
brave souls who brought their mother's story to the world. And reading only the preface, I wondered
how great this man and this woman are going to be. They were going to be really great, and the
power of their love has touched millions I know.
Its a story about Robert Kinkaid and Francesca. Robert a wild photographer of wildlife. WIld
because, he became one with the nature. Despite being a bright student. He lived his own life on his
own terms. I understand him, because in advertising, you don't get much chance to be free, or
execute your creative talent, in exact form. Because it gets cut down by detractors, who pounce
on your work, and bring the curtain down. He was a freelancer. He then spread his w ings and flew.
He truly was one creative talent who was free. Quite liek Howard Roark. But he, Robert, was real.
He passed by Francesca's house one day, in a bid to photograph a few bridges on a photograpy
assignment. And she came out to greet a stranger, as if she knew him ages before. She possibly
did. Because the comfort with which, they have interacted, and talked adn laughed, and discussed
their life, tells us more about how innately we know a few people in our lives, and when we meet
after ages, we take off from where we left. There is no sense time in between.
But with Francesca and Robert. They didn't know each other before they met. They let each other in their lives, with one look, with one gesture. They owned each other. But in society. They knew htey were strangers. Only a few people realise what that chemistry would mean. Some live with it, some don't.Some people when they find it, run away from their married life with someone they think is truly the one. Only to find disappointment and remorse later.But this one, shows what sacrifice really is. Sacrifice, so that children later don't accuse their parents that they are so dishrevelle din life because their parents divorced. It's easier to blame.
This story, proves that. It proves so easily. It proves that love still remains in the hearts of a million
survivors of sadness. It lives on eternal hope. Again, it is a dream. It gives more strength than an
encouraging word. It is god's greatest gift to the people. And only a few truly find it in people they
care for most.
This book is worth a read, because it is brilliantly written, and no other love story can come close to this one.Nope.
So it is highly recommended you read this one, because it tells you that you don't have to go searching for love, one day it may just find you!
