Author Robert James Waller Dies at 77 [VIDEOS]
March 10, 2017 1 Comment
New York Times bestselling author Robert James Waller created one of fiction’s most celebrated love stories, The Bridges of Madison County. (Photo courtesy Manufacturing Intellect, YouTube)
The Los Angeles Times just reported that author Robert James Waller, 77, died early today at his home in Fredericksburg, Texas after battling cancer.
Warner Books
He is perhaps best remembered for his first novel, the number one New York Times bestselling romance The Bridges of Madison County. Waller went on to pen seven books in all, including Slow Waltz in Cedar Bend, Border Music, and Peurto Vallarta Squeeze.
But it was the popularity of “Bridges,” published in 1992 by Warner Books, that shot Waller’s writing career into the stratosphere. That book alone sold more than 12 million copies in 40 languages, made Waller a multimillionaire, and remained on the bestseller lists for three years.
The book went on to become a movie in 1995. Directed by Clint Eastwood, he starred as National Geographic photographer Robert Kincaid. Meryl Streep gave an Oscar nominated performance as the Italian born Iowa housewife Francesca. The film adaptation went on to gross $182 million worldwide.
In 2014, the story was reimagined as a Broadway musical starring Kelli O’Hara and Steven Pasquale. Jason Robert Brown wrote the two-time Tony Award-winning, heartbreaking score. The show closed after 137 performances, but has been touring nationally ever since.
Waller’s vivid imagination and skill as a wordsmith will definitely be missed. But his stories will live on for years to come, his characters as vibrant and enduring as they ever were. If you want to know more about his work, watch the interview below.
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Reblogged this on Jadeworks Entertainment and commented:
One of the most beloved storytellers of our time, Robert James Waller, has died. Although he is gone, his stories and characters will live on in our hearts forever. After all, who can ever forget that final, bittersweet scene when Robert and Francesca part ways in THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY? If that moment didn’t break your heart, we don’t know what will. Mr. Waller, you’ll be missed.