Adult

A tense and unnerving psychological thriller, MYSTIC RIVER is also an epic novel of love, loyalty, faith, and family. Twenty-five years after a terrible incident destroyed their boyhood friendship, three Boston men are brought together by another tragedy --- causing conflict and finally bringing to light what happened all those years ago.

With simple yet moving prose, Robert James Waller weaves together a touching story that tells readers what happened to Robert Kincaid and Francesca Johnson after their passionate, yet ill-fated affair in The Bridges of Madison County. In A Thousand Country Roads Kincaid initially finds himself with little but memories -- memories of a lonely existence lived mostly on the road and memories of Francesca Johnson, the woman whose passion he stirred so briefly and with such power. So, with his memories pushing him, searching for something undefined, something to give meaning to the rest of his life, Kincaid takes to the road again in what becomes a journey of discovery and surprise. A Thousand Country Roads explores the struggles of love, hope, disappointment, and loneliness – everyday issues, which touch us all. The discussion questions included in this guide will encourage readers to explore both the literary elements and the complex issues in this compelling new book.