Last Acts -- Alexander Sammartino, Hardcover

Following a near-death experience, an entrepreneurial father-and-son duo wreak havoc and fend off bankruptcy in this unflinching portrayal of the absurdities of American life.

"Honest, highwire, virtuosic writing that summons up the world with all its charms and hazards." --George Saunders, author of Liberation Day - "Funny as hell...Unputdownable." --Mary Karr, author of Lit

Even though his firearms store is failing, things are looking up for David Rizzo. His son, Nick, has just recovered after a near-fatal overdose, which means one thing: Rizzo can use Nick's resurrection to create the most compelling television commercial for a gun emporium that the world has ever seen. After all, this is America, Rizzo tells himself. Surely anything is possible. But the relationship between father and son is fragile, mired in mutual disappointment. And when the pair embarks on their scheme to avoid bankruptcy, a high stakes crash of hijinks, hope, and disaster ensues.

Featuring a cast of unforgettable characters, this razor-sharp social satire lays bare both the gun and opioid crises. Fans of Don DeLillo and Stephen Markley will be thrilled by this smart, inventive debut.

Author: Alexander Sammartino
Publisher: Scribner Book Company
Published: 01/23/2024
Pages: 224
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.70lbs
Size: 8.50h x 5.50w x 1.00d
ISBN: 9781982196745

Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 10/30/2023
Booklist 11/01/2023 pg. 49
Kirkus Reviews 12/15/2023

About the Author
Alexander Sammartino lives in Brooklyn. He received his MFA from Syracuse University. Last Acts is his first novel.