The Last to Go

by Rand Richards Cooper

Dan and Mary Slattery meet on a blind date in the cautious 1950s. When Dan catches an advance glimpse of Mary returning from work, he "This is the girl I will marry". The early years brim with confidence, but as the children move away, each successive year registers the marriage unravelling.

320 pages, Print on Demand (Paperback)

First published October 1, 1988

Reviews

[Gabbi Goldman · Rating 3 out of 5]

would’ve given this 3 and a half if I could - randomly picked up this book from a charity shop for £1 and I was pretty enthralled! Wonderful way of writing and although the story was fairly mundane I really enjoyed learning about these people’s lives and I enjoyed the multiple perspectives. I did find it difficult to follow at times as perspectives changed without much description at first so it took a while to figure out who I was following now and the time jumps back and forth were a little difficult.

I also wished they’d explored the father’s bubbling hatred of women and there were a couple of times where it was suggested he wanted to be violent against women which would explain a lot of his behaviour

[Noonie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting perspective about the devolution of a marriage.

[David Hicks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a marvelous book, one that I never would have heard of but for my agent's insistence that I read it. A sweeping and off-kilter novel about a family, the chapters are wonderfully-wrought stories from various family members' points of view, but focusing finally on the son, whose life had been one way before his parents' divorce, and un-moored afterwards. I loved it, and would highly recommend it. It has shown me how to be a better writer.