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The Forty One: a story of hope and a car
“I thought I left West Texas for good, but sometimes things just don't quite end up like you think they will. At 35, I came home to care for my dying father and to fix a car. Maybe even to fix myself.”
The Forty One is a story of relationships and commitment and grease and sweat. It explores the grim reality and brutal deterioration of a ruthless terminal disease coupled with life lessons from a Chevrolet. Part memoir, part layman's car manual. Follow a son as he struggles to fix a dusty old family relic for his father and races to take him for a ride before he dies.
The Forty One is a story of relationships and commitment and grease and sweat. It explores the grim reality and brutal deterioration of a ruthless terminal disease coupled with life lessons from a Chevrolet. Part memoir, part layman's car manual. Follow a son as he struggles to fix a dusty old family relic for his father and races to take him for a ride before he dies.
276 pages, Paperback
First published September 25, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
January 10, 2024
I’ve been meaning to read this book for years.
In the spirit of transparency, the author is someone I’ve known for many years. He was a good friend of my dad’s, and did a hell of a lot for him over the years before he passed. With that in mind, I’m doing my best to write this review without bias, though I also acknowledge there’s probably a bit of bias that will slip through.
As I said, I’ve been meaning to read this for years, pretty much ever since I found out that Blu had a book. But in a weird way, I think I appreciated it more now having lost my own dad almost two years ago. While my dad suffered from medical issues much different than ALS, I felt so many of Blu’s words on a personal level, from passages about grief, to watching your parent struggle and suffer.
Blu is an excellent writer. I knew going in that this book would have a lot to do with fixing a car, and I wasn’t sure how well those parts would keep my attention. However, in my opinion, Blu did a great job at explaining things at an easy-to-understand level, and I even found some of the car passages interesting. My only critique is that I think parts of the book could have used some editing, but that certainly doesn’t take away from the moving story itself.
I’m really glad this story was able to be told, and while it was emotionally hard to read at times, I’m so glad I finally did.
In the spirit of transparency, the author is someone I’ve known for many years. He was a good friend of my dad’s, and did a hell of a lot for him over the years before he passed. With that in mind, I’m doing my best to write this review without bias, though I also acknowledge there’s probably a bit of bias that will slip through.
As I said, I’ve been meaning to read this for years, pretty much ever since I found out that Blu had a book. But in a weird way, I think I appreciated it more now having lost my own dad almost two years ago. While my dad suffered from medical issues much different than ALS, I felt so many of Blu’s words on a personal level, from passages about grief, to watching your parent struggle and suffer.
Blu is an excellent writer. I knew going in that this book would have a lot to do with fixing a car, and I wasn’t sure how well those parts would keep my attention. However, in my opinion, Blu did a great job at explaining things at an easy-to-understand level, and I even found some of the car passages interesting. My only critique is that I think parts of the book could have used some editing, but that certainly doesn’t take away from the moving story itself.
I’m really glad this story was able to be told, and while it was emotionally hard to read at times, I’m so glad I finally did.
July 19, 2020
A glimpse into grief, even though the person you’re grieving is still sitting next to you - and a son’s sometimes hilarious journey in restoring his dad’s beloved 1941 Chevy.
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“You know,” he says to both of us. He looks off to the side like he does when he’s thinking. He smacks his tongue against the roof of his mouth, trying to find moisture. “I know.” Pause. “You think.” Pause. “I buy too many things.” Pause. “But when I.” Pause. “Buy a hammer.” Pause. “I make.” Pause. “Some thing.” Pause. “For you.”
*******************************************************************************
“You know,” he says to both of us. He looks off to the side like he does when he’s thinking. He smacks his tongue against the roof of his mouth, trying to find moisture. “I know.” Pause. “You think.” Pause. “I buy too many things.” Pause. “But when I.” Pause. “Buy a hammer.” Pause. “I make.” Pause. “Some thing.” Pause. “For you.”
April 3, 2019
Pulls at Your Heart
This is such a great read. It's a brutally honest account of someone trying to make the most of life, and who has chosen to remember all his good fortunes, while watching his father slowly die. You will laugh, get angry, and definitely cry, but also hopefully gain some perspective. Excellently written.
This is such a great read. It's a brutally honest account of someone trying to make the most of life, and who has chosen to remember all his good fortunes, while watching his father slowly die. You will laugh, get angry, and definitely cry, but also hopefully gain some perspective. Excellently written.
July 8, 2021
Thank you for writing this. He is missed each and every day. - The Carole Farley family
January 21, 2024
Blu's story is so very touching and laugh out loud funny, even through some very heavy subject matter.
February 8, 2017
This book was written by my cousin who returns home at 35 to El Paso to care for his dying father. Suffering from ALS, the book details the ravages of this terrible disease. While home he also decides to fix up his dad’s ’41 Chevy so he can take his dad for one final ride.
I wasn’t a big fan of the chapters spent on the car restoration, but I thoroughly enjoyed the ones spent on the family and life in El Paso. A very honest, heat-warming and heart-breaking look at the experiences of caring for an ailing and aging parent.
I wasn’t a big fan of the chapters spent on the car restoration, but I thoroughly enjoyed the ones spent on the family and life in El Paso. A very honest, heat-warming and heart-breaking look at the experiences of caring for an ailing and aging parent.
January 1, 2015
Before the Ice Bucket Challenge, there were families suffering and dealing with ALS. Now that you're aware of the disease, take a hard look at what it does to those who have it and those who love them. This book is a mix of stream-of-consciousness and reflection. The author, Blu Sanders, jumps into the process of restoring a car as a final act of respect for his father who is dying from ALS. It's hard to read how this vibrant man, Blu's father, crumbles into his final version, but it's a good read. I cried a lot and thought of my own father and what it would be like to watch a disease overtake his body and spirit. It may happen since he has Parkinson's, and if so, I hope I'm able to articulate the things he has done for me and th way I love him as Blu has.
December 2, 2015
Halfway between liked and really liked. A bit too much on car restoring, but overall a likable narrator and story easy to identify with--taking care of his father in last stages of ALS.
August 24, 2014
I was impressed with the honesty in this book.
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October 19, 2014This is my first book. I'd certainly appreciate feedback/reviews. Thanks!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews