Robert James Waller

Robert James Waller – Life, Career & Memorable Quotes

Learn about the life of Robert James Waller (1939–2017), the American author best known for The Bridges of Madison County. Explore his journey as a professor, musician, photographer, and novelist, along with his writing philosophy and key quotations.

Introduction

Robert James Waller (August 1, 1939 – March 10, 2017) was an American author, academic, musician, and photographer. He gained international fame with his 1992 novel The Bridges of Madison County, which became a bestseller and was adapted into a major film starring Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep.

While many know him for that romance, Waller’s life was multifaceted—blending scholarship, creative pursuits, and a later-in-life transition into fiction. His story is one of reinvention, passion, and the surprising places from which storytelling can emerge.

Early Life and Family

Robert James Waller Jr. was born on August 1, 1939, in Charles City, Iowa. He grew up in Rockford, Iowa, where his family’s rural and Midwestern roots shaped much of his worldview.

In 1961, he married Georgia Ann Wiedemeier. They had one daughter, Rachel (born in 1968). In 1997, Waller and Georgia divorced; he later married Linda Bow in 2004.

Education & Academic Career

Waller’s academic path began at the University of Northern Iowa (then known as Iowa State Teachers College). He earned a B.A. in Business Education in 1962 and an M.A. in Education in 1964.

He went on to pursue doctoral studies and earned a Ph.D. in Business from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University in 1968.

That same year, he returned to the University of Northern Iowa and began his academic career teaching management, economics, and applied mathematics. Over the years, he rose to full professor (1977) and in 1980 became the founding Dean of the College of Business, a role he held until 1986. After stepping down as dean, he returned to teaching and later shifted his focus toward writing and creative work.

Transition to Writing & Creative Work

Although Waller was an academic for much of his life, he nurtured interests in photography, music, and writing. He released a CD titled The Ballads of Madison County (1993) as a complement to his literary work.

His writing career began with essays, travel reflections, and personal musings published in newspapers (notably The Des Moines Register) before he launched his first major novel.

Breakthrough: The Bridges of Madison County

In 1992, Waller published The Bridges of Madison County, a novel that would become his signature work. The story centers on a four-day affair between a National Geographic photographer (Robert Kincaid) and a farm wife (Francesca Johnson) in Madison County, Iowa, in the mid-1960s.

Although critics were mixed, Bridges resonated with large audiences. It became a New York Times bestseller for years and sold tens of millions of copies worldwide.

The novel was adapted into a 1995 film directed by and starring Clint Eastwood, with Meryl Streep as Francesca. Waller followed Bridges with several more novels—Slow Waltz in Cedar Bend (1993), Puerto Vallarta Squeeze (1995), Border Music (1995), A Thousand Country Roads (2002), High Plains Tango (2005), and The Long Night of Winchell Dear (2007).

He also continued to write non-fiction works: Just Beyond the Firelight (1988), One Good Road Is Enough (1990), Iowa: Perspectives on Today and Tomorrow (1991), Old Songs in a New Café (1994), Images (1994) and The Summer Nights Never End … Until They Do (2012).

Later Life & Death

Later in life, Waller retired from academia. He lived in Texas, in a rural setting, devoting his time to writing, music, and photography.

On March 10, 2017, Waller died at his home in Fredericksburg, Texas, at the age of 77. The cause was complications from multiple myeloma and pneumonia.

Personality, Themes & Literary Style

Waller’s work is often characterized by romantic, lyrical prose and settings that evoke nostalgia, landscapes, emotional longing, and introspection. His protagonists frequently grapple with choices between passion and duty.

He embraced late blooming as a concept—his literary success came in his 50s, after years of academic life. This speaks to one of his themes: that life’s most meaningful events can come unexpectedly, and that creativity is not limited to youth. (Implied in biographical accounts)

He also integrated his skills in photography and music into his narrative sensibility—many of his descriptions evoke visual or musical imagery, and his supplemental works (like Images) reflect his interdisciplinary interests.

Famous Quotes by Robert James Waller

Here are several quotations attributed to Waller that reflect his voice, values, and approach to love and life:

“Be careful what you feel, how you judge others, and don’t squander what you have.”

“We all die. The goal isn’t to live forever, but to create something that will.”

“Loneliness is the poverty of self; solitude is the richness of self.”

“Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.”

“You know something is eternal when you can hold it in your mind’s eye and see it in your heart’s heart.”

“Everyone believes in something—and some of us believe in something more.”

(Note: Some of these are drawn from collections of quotations attributed to Waller in public sources rather than a canonical anthology.)

Lessons from Robert James Waller

1. It’s never too late to create. Waller’s greatest success came after years in a different career track.

2. Blend your passions. His life underscores how combining interests (music, photography, writing) can enrich and feed creative work.

3. Emotion resonates. He found a wide audience by tapping into universal feelings of longing, regret, and love.

4. Simplicity in storytelling. His narratives often forgo elaborate plots for emotional depth and clarity.

5. Creative risk yields reward. Leaving or stepping back from certainty (academia) opened space for the work that would define him.

Conclusion

Robert James Waller left a legacy that transcends the label of “romance novelist.” He was a scholar, artist, and storyteller who demonstrated both patience and boldness in his path. The Bridges of Madison County remains his most widely known work, but his entire oeuvre—and life story—speaks to the possibility of transformation, the interplay between art and life, and the enduring power of a heartfelt story.