Customer Reviews

The Bridge Across Forever: A True Love Story

5 star:		(71)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I first read this book when I was fourteen. What a tender, influential time of life. And I am so grateful to Richard Bach for writing this book that played a hand in my influence. This book opened a point of view in my life that was not taught to me by my parents or from my newly dating friends. The confusion I felt then about love and all it encompassed was pasted together and has held ever since. Now at thirty-six I am still a believer of his words (regardless of his divorce). In that moment he felt what he felt and fortunately he captured it all in this book for the rest of us to read. Both of the 'me's' that read this great novel appreciate it for what it is. Pure and simple.

This is the sort of novel Richard Rorty might write if he weren't so bright; for Bach adumbrates, in popular form, some of the same romantic polytheism, trendy Prometheanism, egoism, etc., that has been developing in Rorty (and in our culture) for decades. The novel is bad for divers reasons: its ideas are adolescent, the plot is visibly idealized; indeed Bach's folly in the first half of the book is a "straw man" to be knocked down all too easily in the second half. Bach's self-absorption, his selfishness: who can take them seriously? Probably too many. Withal, Bach, in the end, is a self-rightous purveyor of cultish nonsense. Astral projection, immortality. Indeed. Bach's only saving grace is that for a while he listens to the sane voice of Leslie; and we may take a modicum of comfort in this temporary--he's always GROWING, you know!--rapprochement. Very convenient, too, that children are never mentioned in all this soul-mate blather!

I kept waiting for Richard to meet his soulmate. The concept of a soulmate is often over-rated and most of us settle in the end for a comfortable life and existence with some-one who we have shared interests. This was a comfortable book to read and didn't really hold any surprises.

Re Leslie Parrish nee Marjorie Helen actress got her entertainment start in "Tank Battlion" starring Don Kelly. Ruthie Kelly retired six years ago to "The Villages." Has 3 adult children, 9 grandchildren, 2 great grandchildren. If Leslie Parrish Bach would like to contact Ruthie Kelly at Ruthie2609A@yahoo.com okay.

I'm not going to make this a long review because the fact of the matter is that this isn't my kind of book. I'm also not going to say it was good or it was bad or it was anything other than what I just said, for the most part, which is that this is not my kind of book. Overall, it made me laugh a few times. And you have to be somewhat heartened that the guy was able to find his soul mate, or what he thought to be his soul mate at the time.

In real life, I found out that Bach and his soul mate got divorced. I felt that it was inevitable, because the author doesn't espouse one of my beliefs in life, which is that you need to be happy with yourself before you can be happy with someone else. Admittedly, it begs the question of that even being possible. I'm not going to offer an answer either way, but this author didn't even try.

A good friend of mine lent me this book, which is the reason I read it. Not for nothing, I think it's good to read outside your usual "pattern" of reading because it opens your eyes to other authors and styles out there. For that reason, I'm glad to have read it. But beyond that, this was a bit of a failed excursion into a new realm of writing and authors that I had hoped would pay off.

The book was easy enough to read, though towards the end it got very dry and difficult to get through. I don't think I would read a book by this author again, even though a lot of people swear by him. In the end, I guess it's best to say, to each his own. This one really didn't do much for me because it never really shed any light on anything new. And I'm not a fan of his personal life, so it didn't appeal to me in that regard. As for the actual story, well if it sounds too good to be true...

If ever there was a book that I wish I'd have written, it would have to be "The bridge across forever". Richard Bach is a very gifted writer, who can take his readers on a ride through love and other emotions. I read this book for the first time in New Delhi after borrowing it from a hostel-mate. After completing it, i went out and bought my own copy and have since read it two more times!

Love is a very difficult emotion to put into words, but richard bach makes a very good attempt at trying to do so. The journey he takes us through while in search of his soul-mate is the story of everyone of us in one way or the other. Every person on this earth is in search of his/her soul-mate. The bridge across forever is a book about each one of us, whether we be in search of our soul-mate or have already found them.

The words with which Richard Bach describes his love are very meaningful and worth reading over and over.

I suggest this book as a definite read for all.

This is my first experience with Bach excepting a ran-at-and-bounced-off attempt at Jonathan Livingston Seagull a quarter-century ago. The book convinced me I shouldn't have been so thorough in my rejection of this author.

The storyline spans the time when Bach was still barnstorming in his biplane, through his discovery that his books were selling well, the subsequent difficulties with the IRS and a few years into his marriage. It's a carefully woven tale of human growth, values, relationships, goals and metaphysical experience. Bach's unblushing descriptions of the role of metaphysics in his life served as a source of surprise and respect for me throughout the book. His OBEs will appeal to those who've had them, as well as those interested in pursuing that facet of the human psyche/soul. Readers will probably forgive the author his attempts to draw meaning from it all and state his conclusions as fact. Bach isn't alone in this tendency. Robert Monroe, scientist and granddaddy-long-legs of 20th Century OBE writings made a second career of the same occupation.

Pilots will love this tale for a different reason. We're always hungry to hear someone else describe the magic of being airborne. I'd place Bach on the bookshelf alongside Ernest Gann in that respect.

For most people the most important aspect of The Bridge Across Forever probably involves relationships. The last half of the 20th Century uprooted 10,000 years of traditional roles between men and women and offered no replacement. The self-searching and growth Bach experienced during the years spanned by this book will find a resonance with a vast readership of both sexes.

I'll be reading a lot more of Richard Bach. I have no pangs of conscience in recommending The Bridge Across Forever to anyone looking for a good read with surprising substance.

Another deliciously uplifting Richard Bach creation about soul mates, the meaning of life and the ultimate search for true love. Thought provoking about how our destiny unfolds at the appropriate place and time. A must read.
Arlene Millman
author of BOOMERANG - A MIRACLE TRILOGY

Not being a consistant reader,very few topics peak my interest. When the often overused word "soulmate" comes up though I often follow. Having experienced meeting a soulmate once (so far)in my 41 years is by far a gift. Before reading this book I did read the reveiws and that Richard had indeed divorced his soulmate. Not passing judgement I read with eager anticipation of past experiences of love deeper than any words could describe. I was not happy that when shopping for the book ,it was in the fiction area. I would want to hear truths and facts not opinion's of how it should be,after all I have been there. The book was a slow start and I waited to be awakened to that wonderful place deeper than the heart and harder to find than bigfoot! I did not find this in a well written but rather vanilla book about the faults and convictions of love between two people. I am not faulting Richard for the later divorce as life is a constant reminder of stress and balence. Its not easy for anyone. I did catch a deep appreciation of preserverance from Leslie and a rather immature Richard throughout there romance. There are no answers when it comes to "the five ways to find your soulmate" if there was we would all be happy and there. This book lacked the deepness that I felt in a relationship with my soulmate. I understand we are all different,that my story can not be his. Perhaps another read will give me more food for thought? I will give it a try. Good luck finding your soulmate he/she does exsist,often there are meny people that could be in ones life time. Good luck to Richard and Leslie.........peace

I liked this book when I first read it, though I find it ironic that Mr. Bach is divorced from the wife he wrote this book about.