Alexander’s Bridge Audiobook

" Another book on tape. "Alexander's Bridge" is a novella with a dated morality. Bradly (I think) Alexander is an architect/engineer who builds bridges. He is seen by his friend and teacher as a somewhat unstoppable force with flaws. He's idolized by his clever and self-contained wife. He is in love with his wife but when he encounters an old flame, he plans to meet her in London where he is scheduled to be the next summer. He agonizes over his lust for the old flame and his loyalty for his wife and is saved from making a decision about the "right" thing to do by death when one of his bridges collapses. His wife retreats into grieving in a lady-like way. Well written but the issues seem somewhat irrelevant, or perhaps it's not the issues but the pace at which they are either resolved or not. A minor work and probably rightly so. "

" Skip this dog. Even in the preface, Cather admits this isn't her finest work. Trite, and no character is fully sketched out. "

" I'm reading Cather's novels in order of publication this year (a challenge from the Cather Foundation picked up by a blog I follow). She was 39 when this was published, which accounts for the maturity of the theme (mid-life crisis). It wasn't too hard to predict the outcome of the story, which made it entirely satisfactory when it transpired. I think I would have felt tricked by any other resolution. I look forward to the next work. "

" Some beautiful writing in this first novel of Willa Cather. I have enjoyed some of her others more, but definitely hints of future excellence here. I did identify with the mid-life feelings of the main character, though his way of dealing with regaining his lost youth was,sadly, not the right way to go. I never really felt like the characters in this novel were quite fleshed out. The analogy of the bridge was a good one, I think, but not very subtle. Early on I predicted what the end would be and I was not the least surprised. "

" This is Willa Cather's first novel. I hadn't really heard of it, but love her other works, so I tried it out. Her characters and plot line are very Edith Wharton-ish, but not nearly as well-executed. This kind of plot line is unusual for Ms. Cather. In her preface, she sounds like she's making excuses for it not being as good as her other books. I thought it was ok, but now I know why it's not a well-known piece of her work. "

" Again I love the Barnes and Noble Library of Essential Reading Series, it brings me books I would have missed. Very different style from her other works, not as compelling but interesting and worth a read. "

" This is no "My Antonia" or "O Pioneers." Rather, it is a mannered book of Eastern mores of the late 19th century, not at all up to the books for which Cather is known. I was disappointed. "

" Not my favorite Willa Cather, but a good book. A quick read... I finished it in one day. "

" Unsophisticated plot and characters, but charming nonetheless. "

" I've liked other Willa Cather books much better. "

" Early Cather. Better than she herself thought. "

" This is Willa Cather's first novel. It was very Edith Wharton-y, not Willa Cather-y. I ain't complainin'. "

" Man builds bridge. Bridge is youth. Bridge falls down. Death of youth. Fin. "

" Trite. Overplayed metaphor between life and life's work stretched to breaking point. "

" Not my favorite Willa Cather book, but still pretty good. I love Willa Cather. "

" A beautiful love story as told by Cather. Something about the story reminded me a great deal of Nora and Holly from the TV drama, Brothers and Sisters. "