Perched in the far corner of a run-down New England mall, the Red Lobster hasn't been making its numbers and headquarters has pulled the plug. But manager Manny DeLeon still needs to navigate a tricky last shift. With only four shopping days left until Christmas, Manny must convince his near-mutinous staff to hunker down and serve the final onslaught of hungry retirees, lunatics, and holiday office parties. All the while, he's wondering how to handle the waitress he's still in love with, his pregnant girlfriend at home, and where to find the present that will make everything better.. Last Night at the Lobster is a poignant yet redemptive look at what a man does when he discovers that his best might not be good enough.
Restaurant manager Manny is good at his job but careless in his personal life. Then his Red Lobster has to close, and he must see it through its last day. A major snowstorm kills business, employees and liquor disappear, an unruly child vomits, and he must find a present for his pregnant girlfriend while stifling his feelings for one of his waitresses. Despite his flaws, Manny is a sympathetic character, and Jonathan Davis reads with appropriate sensitivity. Banter between employees, friendly or hostile, is delivered realistically as are encounters with picky diners and a Polish shop girl. In sum, Davis's narration captures O'Nan's almost poetic rendering of a few hours in a tawdry shopping center. This is a brief slice of life beautifully portrayed. J.B.G. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine
About the Author
Stewart O'Nan's award-winning fiction includes Snow Angels, The Names of the Dead, The Speed Queen, A World Away, A Prayer for the Dying, Everyday People, and the story collection In the Walled City. In 1996, Granta named him one of America's Best Young Novelists. O’Nan lives with his family in Avon, Connecticut.
