The Bridges of Madison County is a best-selling novel by Robert James Waller which tells the story of a lonely Italian war bride who engages in an adulterous affair with a National Geographic photographer from Bellingham, Washington who has come to Madison County, Iowa in order to create a photographic essay on the covered bridges in the area.

The Bridges of Madison County is one of the best selling novels in history with more than 60 million copies sold. It was made into a 1995 movie adapted by Richard LaGravenese and directed by Clint Eastwood. It stars Eastwood and Meryl Streep.

A parody of the novel, under the title The Washed-out Bridges of Madison County, ran in the Doonesbury comic strip.

THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY, the highly romantic tale of a roaming photographer and a lonely housewife, was Robert James Waller's first novel. Its sensitive exploration of a four-day encounter between star-crossed lovers touched hearts everywhere, and gallons of tears were shed at the sad ending. By the time its popularity began to ebb, the book had set astounding records, with 162 consecutive weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, 38 at number one (in hardcover). It has been translated into 25 languages and sold over 12 million copies. It was also made into a highly successful 1995 movie starring Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood (who also directed). This is an account of the making of the film version.