| Ways to Live Forever | |
|---|---|
| Author(s) | Sally Nicholls |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Children's |
| Publisher | Marion Lloyd Books |
| Publication date | 7 January 2008 |
| Pages | 215 pp |
| ISBN | 978-1407104997 |
| OCLC Number | 173499434 |
Ways to Live Forever is a children's novel by Sally Nicholls, first published in 2008. The author's debut novel, it was written when Nicholls was 23 years old.[1]
It won the 2008 Waterstone's Children's Book Prize, 2008 Glen Dimplex (Irish) New Writers Award, 2008 German Luchs des Jahres and 2009 Bristol-based Concorde Children's Book Award.[2] It was shortlisted for the 2009 Manchester Book Award.[3][4]
Contents |
Sam Oliver McQueen is an eleven-year-old child, terminally ill with leukemia, who, during one of his special education sessions decides to write a book about his life. In the book he talks about his life while being ill, the things he'll remember when he dies and, in a section called 'Things I want to do',Sam makes numerous lists of questions. With the help of his teacher and friend Felix Stranger(who is also ill with cancer), they conduct various experiments, Sam and Felix break world records (including the world's smallest night club). However things take a turn for the worse and Felix becomes ill,this surprises Sam as Felix was known as a 'fighter'.But in this scenario the opposite happens and felix dies in hospital.This leaves Sam devastated.Sam and his family go to felix's funeral.Sam is puzzled by the sadness and writes in his book that everyone should have been happy and making jokes and felix should have worn his Favorite top.Having said, that he told in his book he wanted to make sure no one would do that at his funeral. A couple of weeks later, the doctors realize the medication isn't working as well and Sam makes the decision to stop all medication.About a month later he has a dream,all his family(his dad,his mum and his sister Ella) are all sleeping together... then he wakes up and sees his dads face.His dad says 'I love you',but Sam drifts back asleep.Sam dies in his sleep; he has given his parents a form to fill in about his death so he could finish his book. The last comment is made by his mother, who says, "Sam died quietly in his sleep. He was in no pain." This is being made into a film in 2010.
At launch, Ways to Live Forever was translated into Dutch and published using a different title.[5] The Dutch title Als je dit leest, ben ik dood (English: When you read this, I'll be dead) is adapted from one of the book's opening lines. It is also translated to Portuguese (Brazil and Portugal) and Indonesian, with the Portuguese title being O Menino que Sonhava Chegar à Lua (English: The Boy who Dreamed of Reaching the Moon), the Brazilian title of Como Viver Eternamente (English: How to Live Forever), the Indonesian title of Setelah Aku Pergi (English: After I'm Gone), the French title of Quand vous lirez ce... (English: When you read this book ...), the Italian title "Volevo vivere per sempre" (English: I wanted to live forever) and the German title of Wie man unsterblich wird (English: How to become immortal).[6]