“An aria of understanding, love, and cultural identity… Perhaps the strongest aspect of this memoir, which sets it apart from other celebrations of parents’ lives, is the author’s attention to documenting the ripples of change that affected family connections… He achieves his goal with love and insights gleaned from his ability to self-analyze, observe, and document the highs and lows of his father’s life and his own relationship with him.”
—D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review
“His poetic prose pulls readers into the verdant landscape of rural Puerto Rico, peopled with honest, hardworking folk, and included photographs offer a more intimate glimpse into Fontánez’s story… Fontánez excels at evoking the slower and more fulfilling tempo of rural life in this impressive offering…”
—BookLife by Publishers Weekly
“An imposing presence in the life of his son, Modesto is seen alternately as a hero and a villain but always as a man of nuanced passions. Fontánez portrays this fluidity by blending elements of personal narrative, journal entries, poetry, photographs, and artwork inspired by his childhood in Puerto Rico. The resulting eclectic work is as beautiful and readable as it is memorable… Captivating from cover to cover.”
“An elegant elegy for an imperfect man, Edwin Fontánez’s One Last Song For My Father is a gorgeous blend of alliterative prose, lyrical poetry, and lush metaphoric writing… Place plays an enormous role in the memoir, with memories of the beautiful island of Puerto Rico looming large over the narrative. Fontánez’s stunning descriptions of the native flora and fauna of the mountains and countryside set the reader firmly in his world, as nature and geography are often used to smartly reflect the events of the story… Ultimately, One Last Song For My Father is a momentous achievement.”