is there a way....

[Big Rig]

Or a set up that will allow me to read the last post in a thread first?

[The emperor has no clothes]

In the far right of each topic is a little icon that looks like a piece of paper that is dog eared . Click on it. 

[Jess from VA]

To avoid reading what you have previously read, click NEW in the title line.  It doesn't go to the last post in the thread, but to the lasts posts you didn't previously read.