Last Night at the Lobster

This is the first book I read by Stewart O'Nan. It chronicles the final day that a Red Lobster restaurant is open. It closes for good the next day. Manny is the manager and main character. He is taking 4 or 5 other people to his next job at Olive Garden. Only a skeleton crew reports to work on the last day. A couple people desert the team during the day.

Manny seems to continue to be in love with coworker Jacquie. Unfortunately she has moved on. Manny actually has a girlfriend who he got pregnant. He does not think he will ever marry this new girlfriend. He keeps trying to reconnect with Jacquie. But she has a new man now.

The lunchtime crowd is pretty good. There is one group of women with a nasty kid. There is a large group doing a retirement party. After lunch, a lone older couple comes and eats. The power goes off on them briefly. A bus comes later. But it is just people who need to use the bathroom.

The author has written a short book at under 150 pages. He has the ability to write about minimal plot, but can get you to know and love the characters we meet. I have already ordered 4 more books written by this guy. Look for more updates here.

Beautiful Outlaw

This book outlines the personal side of Jesus Christ. Different stories from the Bible are studied, with emphasis on Jesus' character. For example, he meets a Samaritan woman at a well. Normally the Jewish people did not associate with anybody from Samaria. Jesus asks the woman to draw him some water. She asks why should she. He says that he can offer her water which, if drank, will mean she will never be thirsty again.

Jesus later asks this woman to bring her husband to the well. She replies she has no husband. Jesus knows all. He tells her it is true that the man she is with is not her husband. He also informs her he knows she had 5 husbands in the past.

The Samaritan woman acknowledges that Jesus is at least some sort of Jewish prophet. She also seems to know a thing or two. She tells Jesus that a messiah will be coming who will be able to answer all her questions. Jesus responds that he is that messiah.