Review of The Bridges of Madison County (1995) by Michael A — 12 Jul 2014

In the present, siblings Michael and Carolyn arrive at the Iowa farmhouse of Francesca Johnson, their recently deceased mother, to see about the settlement of their mother's estate. As they go through the contents of her safe deposit box and the will, they are baffled to discover that their mother left very specific instructions that her body be cremated and her ashes thrown off the nearby Roseman Covered Bridge, which is not in accordance with the burial arrangements they had known from their parents. Michael initially refuses to comply, while Carolyn discovers a set of photos of her mother and a letter. She manages to convince Michael to set aside his initial reaction so they can read the documents she has discovered. Once alone, they go through a series of letters from a man named Robert Kincaid to their mother. The siblings find their way to a chest where their mother left a letter, a series of diaries, and other mementos.

They discover that in 1965, their mother, an Italian war bride, had a four-day affair with Robert Kincaid, a photographer who had come to Madison County, Iowa, to shoot a photographic essay for National Geographic on the covered bridges in the area.[4] The affair took place while her husband and children were away at the Illinois State Fair. The story in the diaries also reveals the impact the affair had on Francesca's and Robert's lives, since they almost run away together, but she intervenes at the last minute in consideration of a bigger picture that includes the consequences on the lives of her children and husband, while he finds meaning and his true calling as an artist. The story also has deep consequences on the lives of Michael and Carolyn, both of whom are facing marital issues, but their mother's story helps them to find a sense of direction in their lives. At the end, the Johnson siblings comply with their mother's request.