When I met Nicolas Sparks at NCTE in Las Vegas 2012, I knew the name, the books, the fame, etc….When I finished the book January 9, 2013, I overlooked one thing…The deepness that can come past the emotions Nicholas Sparks adds into texts is subtle.  It is too easy to classify Mr Sparks as the author that can play the harp strings of females – he does connect well, but know this especially after reading several of his books and finally, The Last Song ,

I saw the beginning of my years in elementary, phases of being a country boy, to a city boy, to a college student, experiencing the struggle of life without my Dad toy seemed to know the world, and help the world, my life moving to the coast, to Mexico, creating pang strings of emotion with the students I came to love, and after the tears, yes, tears, laughter, and amazing roller coaster ride I travelled in this text, I found myself looking at the last page – and seeing Columbia University ending this book.  I just had come full circle with my students in Mexico, relived the amazing moments with my dear dear families I made in Seaford, and has encompassed my whole life in one book – yes, this book was that powerful.

YOUR last song might be a short story that gets published, a marathon you place  and win for someone, a challenge that relights a memory of someone that never disappears from your life, but as this book makes clear – everyone has their own last song.

Review from Good reads:

“I stand corrected after going through a snapshot of my life, so many emotions – and reading this in two days because I WOULD NOT STOP – this book, one of many, define so many people that have touched my life and I realized – Nicolas Sparks does the emotional thing for sure, yet, there is more substance to him than just picking emotional strings, there are memories you can take back with you if you look deep enough.  Fittingly enough, Columbia University ended this novel, and my former essay on things coming full circle – this book shook me by the shoulders and made me realize this all over again.  Certainly, this novel can define a person, and the letter that came with this book, explaining the need to add SAT, ACT, sample essays and so many more student guided materials that go along with the novel – AMAZING. “