The Bridge Club, by Patricia Sands

March 11, 2011 by thinkhappy

Product Description

The Bridge Club is a powerful story about friendship. Not simply the "Hi, how are you?" type but the kind that weathers all sorts of storms, unselfishly celebrates triumphs, and hums along year after year with never an unkind word. It does exist. If you already have friendship like this in your life, you will relate to the women of The Bridge Club. If you don't have it, perhaps the story will inspire you to find it.

For more than forty years, the mantra of these women has been "one for all and all for one." Beginning their monthly soiree in the psychedelic Sixties, unpredicted twists of fate weave through the good times and strong friendship they share as the years pass. The constant from one decade to the next is loyal and nonjudgmental support, even when agreeing to disagree is the final solution. From the exhilarating cultural changes of their early times together through the "zoomer" years, their connection never falters.As they celebrate turning sixty at a group birthday weekend, each woman recalls a time in her life when the Bridge Club came to the rescue. After tossing around ideas mixed with a generous helping of common sense and a large dose of laughter they decide to refer to that time as their "SOS". Eight chapters document each one's story.

Everything is put into perspective and the strength of their friendship is tested when one of these women faces a life-altering decision. Her choice profoundly affects all of the group, pushing the limits of their beliefs and values. The unique alliance they share is confronted with an unimaginable crisis.
This is a story that provokes laughter and tears and prompts women of all ages to consider the friendships in their lives.

Reviews

Where can you find a story about friendship, laughter and the good things in life that also touches on alcoholism, infidelity, p**naddiction, terminal illness and grief? For most women, it’s often within their own circle of friends. Author Patricia Sands reminds us of the complexities of women’s friendships in her new book, The Bridge Club, a moving tale of eight women whose lives intersect once a month initially to play the game of bridge. What began as one night turns into four decades that span the segments of a woman’s journey from youthful optimism to embracing the challenges and opportunities presented in life’s later years.

Based loosely on her own bridge club, Sands weaves the reader through a maze of life’s inevitable scenarios as the club bears the death of a member’s spouse, one woman’s meeting with her biological mother, the inevitable marital and health issues, and another’s final chance at freedom from the painful addiction to alcohol through rehab.

“There are many subjects I address in the book that are controversial. Some people may wonder if they were chosen to thicken the plot,” says Sands. “Although I have taken

liberties with the actual events, and it is truly a work of fiction, most issues faced by the characters in the book were experienced in my own bridge club. The bottom line of the story is a testament to friendship and hope.”

The final chapter of The Bridge Club challenges our principles as one woman begins to descend into dementia.

The Bridge Club is a 1000 GIRLFRIENDS’ BOOK OF CHOICE. We highly recommend this remarkable story of friendship. It’s the PERFECT book club choice. Here’s a link to purchase the book. We will be hosting our own Twitter Party for #TheBridgeClub so stay tuned for details! by Kathy Scott, Creator of Me and My 1000 Girlfriends

"A few years ago, Hollywood gave us a movie about what women want. Patricia Sands has written a novel about how women think." Peter McNeilly, Kitchener, ON