One Last Thing Before I Go is a novel by writer Jonathan Tropper. In this novel, Drew Silver is a washed up rock star who is living in an apartment building known for its desperate, divorced tenants. Silver learns on the same day that his eighteen year old daughter is pregnant and that he has an aneurysm that, without surgery, will end his life. Silver chooses not to have the surgery, much to the shock and anger of those who love him, a fact that forces him to reevaluate the direction of his life and determine if there is anything salvageable about it. One Last Thing Before I Go is a funny, insightful novel that leaves the reader both in love with and deeply annoyed by the character of Silver.

Silver was once the drummer of Bent Daisies, a rock band that had one hit single. Unfortunately, after the band began experiencing the sweetness of success, its lead singer decided he would be better off with a solo career. In the aftermath of the Bent Daisies, Silver lost his wife and daughter to a not unexpected divorce. More than seven years later, Silver continues to live in the Versailles, a pathetic apartment building known to be a refuge for divorced men. Silver’s only friends are Jack and Oliver, two other divorced men who, like Silver, are mostly to blame for their own situations.

Casey, Silver’s eighteen year old daughter, has recently graduated from high school as valedictorian. She has been accepted at Princeton. Unfortunately, Casey has also recently discovered that she is pregnant. Casey comes to Silver first, because, as she is not afraid to tell him, she is less worried about letting him down. Silver agrees to pay for and accompany Casey to get an abortion. However, shortly after their arrival at the clinic, Silver passes out. In the hospital, Silver is told by his wife’s soon-to-be second husband that he has an aneurysm in his heart. If Silver does not have emergency surgery immediately, he could die.

Silver decides not to have the surgery. Not only that, but the TMI, or small stroke, he had that alerted doctors to the aneurysm, causes him to speak his thoughts out loud without really realizing it. Silver accidentally tells his ex-wife, his parents, and his brother that Casey is pregnant. This creates a storm of arguing that leaves Casey angry with Silver and the family distracted. Silver sneaks out of the hospital as they deal with Casey’s situation.

His medical situation causes Silver to take a hard look at his life. He decides that there are three things he would like to do before he dies. The first is to be a better father. The second is to be a better man. The third is to fall in love.

Silver’s father, a Rabbi, begins insisting that Silver attend the various milestones of life that he often oversees in his capacity with the temple. The first is a funeral of a young man who died of a drug overdose. Silver’s father, Ruben, tries to stress to Silver how tragic it can be for a parent to bury a child. Silver is filled with guilt, but he continues to refuse the surgery.

As part of trying to be a better father, Silver goes to see Casey. Rich refuses to let Silver into the house, so he tricks Rich into stepping outside and then locks him out. Silver charges into his ex-wife, Denise’s, bedroom and tries to convince her that he wants to be a better man. As they talk, Denise sees something of the man she once loved and reaches out to him just as Rich breaks down the door, catching Denise with the edge of the door.

Denise is confused by Silver’s new attitude and her feelings of anger at Rich for hitting her with the door. Denise attempts to postpone hers and Rich’s wedding, but Rich refuses. At the same time, Casey moves in with Silver and becomes something of a constant companion to him and his friends. Silver continues to go to different ceremonies with his father, including a bris.

One day, Oliver announces that he has cancer. Jack is angry, but when he learns that Oliver wants to see his kids before he has surgery, children he has been estranged from for a decade, he insists that they drive to see Oliver’s son that day. The trio, plus Casey, drive to New Jersey to see Oliver’s son, a reunion that goes better than expected. About the same time, Silver goes to a family dinner at his parents’ home only to discover it is an intervention. Silver and his brother fight, but later make a kind of amends.

After the intervention at his parents’ house, Silver takes Denise home and they share some intimacy. Silver hopes that this is the beginning of a reunion, but Denise realizes that it is a goodbye. Afterward, they go to confront the father of Casey’s baby only to accidentally make a full confession in front of everyone, including Rich. The following morning, Denise makes Silver go with her to try and make amends with Rich. Denise is successful in repairing her relationship, but Silver finds himself on the outs with Casey again.

Shortly before Denise and Rich’s wedding, Silver finally gets up the courage to ask out a woman he has admired for some time and spends the night with her. At the wedding, Silver makes amends with Denise, Casey, and Rich. Casey and Silver talk for a time and make decisions as to what to do about their situations. The next day, Silver undergoes surgery while Casey returns to the clinic.