Book of the Week: Last Night at the Lobster

For a novel that clocks in at just under 150 pages, Stewart O’Nan’s 2008 book Last Night at the Lobster certainly manages to tackle some weighty issues.

The story begins with restaurant manager Manny DeLeon arriving for the final day that his Connecticut-based Red Lobster will be open due to corporate downsizing. With just five days to go until Christmas, Manny has cobbled together a final shift of employees who report in despite an impending snowstorm to carry out their work routine one last time together.

In the midst of dealing with mall shoppers seeking a moment’s reprieve, a bus full of tourists that are in need of a restroom, and daily regulars who are just learning that their favorite eatery is about to close its doors for good, the restaurant employees walk a fine line between feeling elation at leaving their old jobs behind and uncertainty at what the future may hold.

For his part, Manny is determined to not only go about business as usual but to exceed the expectations of his employees and customers. As Manny works through his mental checklists over the course of the novel and deals with the various issues that crop up throughout the day, readers are given insight into the quirks and qualities that have made Manny so effective in his position, and O’Nan instills a belief in his audience that Manny’s bittersweet optimism will carry him successfully on to his next endeavor ... working at an Olive Garden no less.

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