West across the Board by Andrew Jalbert
BUY IT NEW
- $13.95 Online price$12.55 Member price(Save 10%)Limited Time Offer! Everyone receives the Member Price on books.
See Details
Customers who bought this also bought
Product Details
- Pub. Date: March 2007
- Publisher: iUniverse, Incorporated
- Format: Paperback, 192pp
- ISBN-13: 9780595421947
- ISBN: 0595421946
Synopsis
What are the elements of friendship that last a lifetime--the mysterious connection that can outlast great distances and long periods of separation to bring friends back together? For Lazaro, a salty Cuban mariner and Dominic, a sophisticated Chicago engineer, the answers can be found in a game of chess.
From the time of their meeting and first chess match on Key West in the 1930s, each man's win is scratched into the back of the board. As the game tally grows, so does their friendship. Now, both men are in their twilight years, but it's Dominic's life, weathered by cancer, which is reaching its conclusion. Lazaro, who fled from his island home and his friend years ago, learns that Dominic is rapidly dying and sets off on the long journey from Boston to Florida to see his old friend. Prior to leaving, Lazaro retrieves the old chessboard and makes a startling discovery. The number of scratches, first marked over sixty years before and uncounted until now, has the two men evenly tied.
As he drives toward Dominic and the Keys, Lazaro is forced to confront a past he has struggled to forget while anticipating the reunion with his old friend and what could be their final game.
Customer Reviews
- Reader Rating:
- Ratings: 4Reviews: 4
- See All Reviews
West across the Boardby Anonymous
Reader Rating:
See Detailed Ratings
June 12, 2008: Lazaro had fled from his past, but Dominic would make him face his fears some 60 years later. Lazaro had a love of the sea relaxation and fishing were all he thought about in his youth, until that one day when the sea claimed his father. From then on the sea was his enemy, and his best friend Dominic had found a new love and gradually inched his way out of Lazaro?s life. But they would reunite again and it would all be water under the bridge so to say. Dominic was dying of cancer, and his friend and care giver Sarah made the call that both men needed. She knew Dominic?s time was short and painful he would always recount the memories of his youth to her so she made the decision to call Lazaro. And with his long absence away from the Keys and a broken promise to his son about not driving the Chevy in the garage, Lazaro was on his way to his long time friend. Meeting for the first time over a game of chess, the two men kept score on the board and realization hit when the men were tied. Although Lazaro needed to see his friend, he didn?t want this to be the last game of chess they had ever played. Many flashbacks and a long trip later, the two come face to face..can you imagine seeing your best friend for the first time in 60 years? Andrew Jalbert?s book West Across The Board is an amazing story that will have you in tears at the end, but you?ll also smile that smile of relief. Truly heart felt and full of emotion Jalbert writes a historical novel that is impossible to sit down. Without a doubt West Across The Board would be a perfect novel for any one. I thought this was a guy?s novel to be honest, but once reading it and getting into the story, I knew that women would love it..it is that tear jerker that we all look for. 4 Hearts
West across the Boardby Anonymous
Reader Rating:
See Detailed Ratings
May 14, 2008: ISBN - 978-0-595-42194-7 170 pages Excerpt from the back of the book: What are the elements of friendship that last a lifetime - the mysterious connection that can outlast great distances and long periods of separation to bring friends back together? For Lazaro, a salty Cuban mariner, and Dominic, a sophisticated Chicago engineer, the answers can be found in the game of chess. I have to admit that I wasn't sure what to expect when reading this book. First novels can be a bit choppy and poorly edited at times, showing that the author has some growing to do before the true quality of their work shines through. Such is not the case when it comes to Andrew Jalbert. I was delighted not only by the story, but by the way the characters were formed and the ability of the author to separate two different eras in the same book, while still allowing the story to flow smoothly - something that is not an easy task. The friendship between Lazaro and Dominic is one that we all hope to have. When tragedy strikes Lazaro he flees the Keys and decides to start over, never looking back. His friend Dominic writes faithfully at first, but Lazaro just wants to close that part of his life so he packs the letters away with the infamous chess board. He does think of his friend often, but it is too painful to think of everything that has happened so he immerses himself in the lives of his wife and son. But when tragedy strikes again, he starts to rethink the separation and writes Dominic, keeping it very informal and just full of information about what has been going on in his life. Dominic writes back but also keeps in impersonal. This continues until Lazaro receives a phone call which beckons to his heart to go back to the Keys to see his long-time friend, something he should have done long ago. This story is sure to tug at your heartstrings and make you realize that sometimes it is better to face your fears and keep living, without giving up the things that truly matter. Very well written and easy to read! On a side note, I was THRILLED to have Manitowoc mentioned, as this is my hometown. And, my husband is from Two Rivers. During World War II, Manitowoc built 28 submarines, and we still have one on display. I have been through it a bunch of times, and it is truly amazing to think that people actually functioned on these vessels. Thanks to everyone at Pump Up Your Book Promotion for the opportunity to read this!
Loading...