I thoroughly enjoyed reading G.G. Vandagriff's novel "The Last Waltz." Amalia's personal struggles, which took place over several decades,seemed very real to me as they were set amid political struggles involving World War I and beyond. The story itself was very compelling--I was immediately drawn into a chaotic world of love and war--an interesting juxtaposition. I kept reading if only only to discovered how the story would end. But along the way I encountered several themes which ran throughout the novel. What does it mean to be in love? Is it true that you can give yourself completely to another person only once, as Amalia's uncle states? What does it mean to be part of a family--especially when family members keep secrets? How can one find strength to make good choices and persevere in the face of adversity? How can we avoid the tragedy of becoming, as one character says, "less than we were born to be"?

Norman Mailer wrote the following: "I feel that th...