Alexander's Bridge
1912
Published in 1912, 'Alexander's Bridge' is Willa Cather's first novel, exploring the life of Bartley Alexander, a middle-aged construction engineer caught between his demanding American wife, Winifred, and his British mistress, Hilda Burgoyne. The narrative delves into themes of love, ambition, and the complexities of human relationships, particularly as Alexander's infidelity leads to personal and professional turmoil, culminating in the collapse of a bridge he is constructing. This psychological fiction offers a poignant examination of integrity and the consequences of desire.
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“No one can build his security upon the nobleness of another person.””
— Willa Cather
“Are you going to let me love you a little, Bartley?””
— Willa Cather
“...forever going on journeys that led nowhere; hurrying to catch trains that he might just as well miss; getting up in the morning with a great bustle and splashing of water, to begin a day that had no purpose and no meaning; dining late to shorten the night, sleeping late to shorten the day.””
— Willa Cather
“CHAPTER I Late one brilliant April afternoon Professor Lucius Wilson stood at the head of Chestnut Street, looking about him with the pleased air of a man of taste who does not very often get to Boston.””
— Willa Cather
“After all, life doesn’t offer a man much. You work like the devil and think you’re getting on, and suddenly you discover that you’ve only been getting yourself tied up. A million details drink you dry. Your life keeps going for things you don’t want, and all the while you are being built alive into a social structure you don’t care a rap about.””
— Willa Cather
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Cather, Willa. Alexander's Bridge. Lex, lex-books.com/book/alexander-s-bridge-acc50ea7-6c74-4751-b6c6-f7ccd2a830db.Cather, W. (1912). Alexander's Bridge. Lex. https://lex-books.com/book/alexander-s-bridge-acc50ea7-6c74-4751-b6c6-f7ccd2a830dbCather, Willa. Alexander's Bridge. Lex. https://lex-books.com/book/alexander-s-bridge-acc50ea7-6c74-4751-b6c6-f7ccd2a830db.
