Family is one of the most important (if not the most important) things in our lives. It's on this premise that The Last Dance by Stephen Manning is written.
The story revolved around Steve Manning and Mary Ann Lesin, and how they were able to build a life together — the battles fought, how they overcame, and how the couple learned to live with the ones they couldn't win.
Steve Manning showed me how good a storyteller he was. I could feel the pain as a result of his loss. He told a love story that was so relatable I could connect to the entire experience. The pages of the book were filled with tales of the love he shared with Mary Ann Lesin.
I loved the author's descriptive style of writing. He described events in a way that painted a vivid picture in my mind; it felt like I was watching them play on a screen. At a point, I felt my emotions stirred as teardrops escaped my eyes. Readers would have to get a hold of their emotions as this book would burst their emotional bubbles. Also, the author painted a clear picture of his wife and the love they shared. He described how loving and motherly she was. I think he did an excellent job explaining, not just on the motherly aspect, but also on her fantastic personality. I saw her as a sweet, loving, understanding, and sacrificial woman — someone who was ready to do whatever she could to express her love for Steve Manning.
There was more to the story than a narrative filled with sorrow and pain. The author's sense of humor came to bear in this book. The author's occasional jokes added comic relief, thereby easing the book's emotional tension. Here's an excerpt to bolster my point:
He did veer off a couple of times while explaining some things. However, the narrative was well put together.I told her, "I enjoyed meeting your dad, as I suspected, I see a lot of your dad in you. He seems to be a special and caring person, works hard and cares about his family, his friends and his coworkers. In fact, the only negative thing about your dad is that he has a bad golf grip!"
This book was plain and straightforward; there were no cacophonic, jaw-breaking, or multi-syllabic words that were difficult to understand. That made it an easy read for me.
The book was written well and professionally edited — I could only find one error in it. Therefore, I rate it four out of four stars. If you enjoy tragi-comedic memoirs, then I recommend this book to you.
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Last Dance
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