The Last Convertible

Images from the pages of a book I read in high school have stayed with me throughout all these years. A few months ago I was still thinking of the book and asked my sister if she remembered it since it was from her personal collection of books. I gave her a brief, and probably distorted, description of the novel but she was able to recall the name: The Last Convertible. So, I went down to our local library and checked it out. I am currently on the last chapter, only about ten more pages to go. Now I would not recommend this as high school reading, because, well, it is a bit gritty. I am, although, thankful I read it again years later, because now the book has new meaning. It's real. It's real life.

The author, Anton Myrer, was born in 1922 - that's three years before Paul Newman's birth. Myrer went to Harvard University and left to go into World War II and then came back and finished his degree there. These events are also the path the main character in the book followed as well. I am almost certain it is semi-autobiographical and he is writing about real experiences using fictional characters. He experienced deep friendships, intense love, and witnesses death on the front line of war. He also heard the report of the Pearl Harbor bombing blared out on the radio and was in the audience when John F. Kennedy made his debut in a convincing speech to become senator.

I have been immersed in this book and it is taking me forever to read it. Well, as the characters have jumped off the pages and have come alive, I have desperately wanted to learn more about the author and the details of history.

I found out there was a mini series made soon after the book was published in 1978. Blogs record of those who have been desperately seeking the DVD since 1983. Well, after some of my own searching I found it on a site that trades obscure findings (they even have the compete series of "Thirty Something." Remember that one?). So I purchased The Last Convertible mini series and today I received it in the mail.

It came in a 5 x 5 white envelope, with eight stamps carefully lined up on the top, and my name actually typed on it with a TYPEWRITER (yes, I can totally tell it is). I opened it up and there were four Sony, 120 min. DVD-Rs with no label. I put it in the the DVD player and watched the first part and sure enough it had been copied off of an Atlanta TV station. I bought a completely pirated DVD! Well, since it has come all this way from Massachusetts, it better be good!