| Last Night in Twisted is the story of Dominic | | | | Through the period, Dominic's and Danny's closest |
| Baciagulpo and his son Danny. The novel begins | | | | friend Ketchum remains a constant. Ketchum is a |
| with the death of Angel Pope on the | | | | bear of a man and a compelling character. |
| Androscoggin River, one of the main log driving | | | | Although a simple, tough man of the woods, he is |
| rivers of New Hampshire. Angel fell off a log on a | | | | a constant critic of US foreign policy as we travel |
| logging drive. | | | | through the periods of the Vietnam War and the |
| The town of Twisted River is home to logging | | | | events of 9/11. |
| men and their women. There is little education, | | | | As one comes to expect with Irving's novels, |
| but there are lots of fights. Dominic Baciagulpo is | | | | there are many references to other books. Bears |
| the cook in the Twisted River's logging camp. The | | | | seem ever present, as does amputation. |
| town is policed by Carl (the cowboy) who is a | | | | For Arthur Morey's narration I have nothing but |
| woman beater and a brute with a Colt 45. The | | | | praise. Although each character has his or hers |
| five decades of the novel begin on the last night | | | | own voice, the reading feels subtle. Ketchum is |
| in Twisted River, when Danny accidentally kills | | | | perhaps the one exception and is rightly played in |
| Jane, long time girlfriend of Carl, with whom | | | | a larger than life tone. His occasional profane |
| Danny's father is having an affair. Danny was | | | | ejaculations are very funny. |
| awoken in the night by the sounds of Dominic's | | | | This is a novel of characters. As the novel |
| and Jane's lovemaking and in the confusion of the | | | | progresses through the twentieth century and the |
| darkness and the night, Danny, when he sees | | | | early twenty first century, the listener is carried |
| Jane astride Dominic, mistakes her for a bear and | | | | along through the sometimes small and seemingly |
| brings her life to a premature end with a heavy | | | | insignificant events of a family as they sit |
| skillet. The next five decades are spent hiding | | | | alongside the great events of the post second |
| from Carl. | | | | world war America. |