A Bridge for Passing
 First edition cover | |
| Author | Pearl S. Buck |
|---|---|
| Genre | Memoir |
| Publisher | John Day Company |
Publication date | April 2, 1962[1] |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (hardcover, paperback) |
| Pages | 256 |
A Bridge for Passing is a memoir by American writer Pearl S. Buck, published in April 1962 by the John Day Company. It chronicles her experiences in Japan in 1960, where she worked on a film adaptation of her 1948 book The Big Wave while coping with the grief of losing her husband, Richard J. Walsh.
Background and contents
[edit]In 1960, Buck visited Japan for the first time in 25 years, to prepare a film adaptation of her 1948 book The Big Wave. During this period, her husband and publisher, Richard J. Walsh, died in the United States.[2] Buck wrote letters while working on the film that executives from Allied Artists (the film's American financier) encouraged her to compile into a book, leading to the creation of A Bridge for Passing.[3]
Set against the backdrop of postwar Japan, the book reflects both personal loss and the cultural milieu of the time (including the Westernization of Japanese women's customs).[2] The book's title is a reference to the death of her husband and Buck's goal of building a "bridge between the west and east".[4]
Names of individuals are rarely mentioned in the book, and Buck often states their ethnicity and occupation instead. She notably refers to Walsh as "he" within the book.[5]
Publication and reception
[edit]A Bridge for Passing received widespread acclaim.[6] It was first published in the December 1961 issue of McCall's.[7] The Chicago Tribune and Kirkus Reviews published reviews on April 1, 1962, collectively praising its poignant autobiographical narrative and insights on grief and Japanese culture.[4][8] A Bridge for Passing was officially published as a book the following day, by the John Day Company.[1][8] Coincidentally, later that same month, The Big Wave opened in selected American theaters.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Books Today". The New York Times. April 2, 1962. p. 28.
- ^ a b c Turner, Mary (May 9, 1962). "Book Recounts Story of Sorrow Overcome". The Item. p. 16 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "On The Sets". The Houston Chronicle. September 30, 1960. p. 23 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Casey, Genevieve (April 1, 1962). "Personal Crisis Treated with Rare Good Taste". Chicago Tribune. p. 184 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Vining, Elizabeth Gray (April 15, 1962). "Encounter With Grief". The New York Times. Retrieved July 26, 2025.
- ^ Sherk, Warren (1992). Pearl S. Buck: Good Earth Mother. Drift Creek Press. p. 165. ISBN 9780962644139.
- ^ McQuiston, Leata (December 21, 1961). "Chatter". Hobbs Daily News-Sun. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "A Bridge for Passing". Kirkus Reviews. April 1, 1962. Retrieved July 26, 2025.
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