Description
Laraine Burrell gets the call to come back to England from the United States just in time to visit briefly with her father before he passes away. Following his death, she is overcome with grief, feeling that she has squandered the time she had with her father. Instead of staying close, she chose to travel the world and seek her own goals as a young woman, always thinking there would be time later on to tell her dad all the things she wanted to tell him-how much she loved him, and how he was her hero. Now, she realizes, it's too late. Wanting to do something significant for her father to make up for her neglect, Burrell reflects on the fascinating life her father, a Royal Yachtsman, led-and decides that the one thing she can do for him is to tell his exceptional life story and make sure he is not forgotten. Our Grand Finale is the culmination of that effort-an exploration of both the author's and her father's unusual life experiences, and a reminder that "later" doesn't always come.
About the Author
Laraine Denny Burrell was born and raised in England and at sixteen won a full scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dancing in London, England. Burrell spent many years living and working all over the world, performing as a professional dancer, singer, and actress. Eventually, she moved to the United States to join the cast of what was then the largest stage show in the world, Hello Hollywood Hello, at the MGM Grand in Reno, Nevada. After retiring as a performer, she went on to obtain three academic degrees, including a law degree. Burrell currently practices as an intellectual property attorney and litigator for a well-established law firm in Washington State. She has written many law-related articles for legal, trade, and general publications. Her short story "The Perfect Crime" was published in Woman's World Magazine.
Reviews
2018 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Finalist in Relationships (Non-Fiction) 2018 National Indie Excellence Awards Finalist in Book Cover Design (Nonfiction) 2018 National Indie Excellence Awards Finalist in Memoir "Burrell has enough vivid material for several books here: a lonely childhood, an exotic career, a difficult motherhood, and belated feelings of familial love and guilt. A curious and complex life story." -Kirkus "Sometimes it takes losing someone we love to fully claim the love that was always there. In Our Grand Finale, Burrell thoughtfully honors the inner geography of family love." -Cheryl Rice, author of Where Have I Been All My Life? "It often takes a significant loss in our lives to wake us up to what truly matters. This memoir starts with a daughter's experience of her father's death and moves into an exploration of her own past as well as his. It weaves the story of both a precocious young child and of a father she loves but really doesn't know. Burrell discovers, when going through her father's treasured possessions, a greater understanding of her family and causes her to reflect on her own journey to adulthood. And what a trip it is." -Rita Gardner, author of Coconut Latitudes
Book Information
ISBN 9781631522383
Author Laraine Denny Burrell
Format Paperback
Page Count 256
Imprint She Writes Press
Publisher She Writes Press
About the Author
Laraine Denny Burrell was born and raised in England and at sixteen won a full scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dancing in London, England. Burrell spent many years living and working all over the world, performing as a professional dancer, singer, and actress. Eventually, she moved to the United States to join the cast of what was then the largest stage show in the world, Hello Hollywood Hello, at the MGM Grand in Reno, Nevada. After retiring as a performer, she went on to obtain three academic degrees, including a law degree. Burrell currently practices as an intellectual property attorney and litigator for a well-established law firm in Washington State. She has written many law-related articles for legal, trade, and general publications. Her short story "The Perfect Crime" was published in Woman's World Magazine.
Reviews
2018 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Finalist in Relationships (Non-Fiction) 2018 National Indie Excellence Awards Finalist in Book Cover Design (Nonfiction) 2018 National Indie Excellence Awards Finalist in Memoir "Burrell has enough vivid material for several books here: a lonely childhood, an exotic career, a difficult motherhood, and belated feelings of familial love and guilt. A curious and complex life story." -Kirkus "Sometimes it takes losing someone we love to fully claim the love that was always there. In Our Grand Finale, Burrell thoughtfully honors the inner geography of family love." -Cheryl Rice, author of Where Have I Been All My Life? "It often takes a significant loss in our lives to wake us up to what truly matters. This memoir starts with a daughter's experience of her father's death and moves into an exploration of her own past as well as his. It weaves the story of both a precocious young child and of a father she loves but really doesn't know. Burrell discovers, when going through her father's treasured possessions, a greater understanding of her family and causes her to reflect on her own journey to adulthood. And what a trip it is." -Rita Gardner, author of Coconut Latitudes
Book Information
ISBN 9781631522383
Author Laraine Denny Burrell
Format Paperback
Page Count 256
Imprint She Writes Press
Publisher She Writes Press
