Ways to Live Forever
My name is Sam.
I am eleven years old.
I collect stories and fantastic facts.
By the time you read this,
I will probably be dead.
Sam loves facts. He wants to know about UFOs and horror movies and airships and ghosts and scientists, and how it feels to kiss a girl. And because he has leukaemia he wants to know the facts about dying. Sam needs answers to the questions nobody will answer.
True Facts About Ways to Live Forever
- 1. I really did run up down escalators when I was writing this book. It's something I've wanted to do for ages and I thought, if Sam can do it, so can I. I did it in the same place Sam does - at the Cornmill Centre in Darlington.
- 2. The chapter Visits is based on something my mother did after I was diagnosed with diabetes as a child. It was supposed to be a funny scene - but it didn't turn out that way when I wrote it.
- 3. I deleted over 20,000 words while writing this book (the finished novel is around 32,000 words long). Some of the scenes I deleted include a list of famous last words, a description of how a dead body decomposes and a scene where Sam and Felix try and break their world record by dropping water bombs on Sam's dad.
- 4. There are a few real names and places in this book. Auntie Nicola, Auntie Sarah and Auntie Carolyn are named after friends of mine, as is Raoul, the airship pilot. Stanley Rhode (the airship captain) gets his name from Stanley Road, the street I lived on at university. My friends and I always meant to put Stanley Rhode into one of our essays but never did, so I put him in the book instead. High Strawberry - on Sam's list of favourite things - is also a real place. We used to stay there when I was a child.
- 5. The first words I wrote when I began this book were:
List No. 1 - Five Important Facts About Me
- 1. My name is David Oliver Robinson.
- 2. I am eleven years, two months and seven days old.
- 3. I have one sister. Her name is Katherine Anne Robinson and she is nine years old.
- 4. I have acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
- 5. By the time you read this, I will already be dead.
Hi. I come from Poland. In my nation this book has a different tittle : “Olivier i jego zeszyt z marzeniami” I really love this book. It’s great and fantastic…..
Regards Kasia from Poland
January 11th, 2009 at 3:32 pmhey!! i only bought the book this morning and im nearly done!!! i love it!! it’s really deep or something!!=)
January 12th, 2009 at 6:41 pmHello !
January 31st, 2009 at 6:32 pmI’m french pupil. You’re book is fanstastic !
Hi!
February 5th, 2009 at 2:09 pmWow! I don’t know where to begin!! Ways to Live Forever is a fantabulous and most moving book I have ever read. I can’t wait to read your upcoming book ‘Season of Secrets’
~Nivi
Hi Sally,
It’s a great book. Me & my 8-yr-old daughter love it sooo much…
Can’t wait to read your “Season of Secrets”.
Keep Writing and… Good Luck !!
February 11th, 2009 at 6:04 amThe book was great.
February 12th, 2009 at 2:13 pmDas Buch war fantastisch.
It was the best book I have ever read!!!
February 18th, 2009 at 4:24 pmI totally recomend it!!!
It is fantastic!! but very sad!
This was the best book I’ve ever read! It made me cry, laugh, and even think about my life.
February 20th, 2009 at 4:03 pmI am half way through this book but has already become my favourite! And trust me, I’ve read a lot of books
February 28th, 2009 at 8:45 pmHi,I come from Portugal, i was stopping by a store and your book call my atention, my teacher asked us to do an oral presentation were we have to read a book and then teel the storie to all the students, I have choosed your book and tomorrow its the day. I think this is probably one of my favourite books and change my vision of the world where I live today. Thanks a lot I really loved it.
March 3rd, 2009 at 6:59 pmHi, i’m from Italy i read your book and i think it is fantastic!
March 4th, 2009 at 2:32 pmHi Sally!
March 6th, 2009 at 6:15 pmIch komme aus Österreich und habe dein Buch: Wie man unsterblich wird gelesen. Es hat mir super gefallen und deshalb stelle ich es in Deutsch auch vor. Zurzeit bearbeite ich es gerade damit jeder nur den beste eindruck von dem Buch bekommt.
Danke!
Hi Sally!
March 6th, 2009 at 6:19 pmIam from AUSTRIA.
I like your book very much.
I will tell everbody in our class about this book.
Thanks emma
heyyoo.
April 3rd, 2009 at 10:45 ami think that you are fab.
love ya
Emma
xxxxxxxxxxx
I can’t say how much I loved your book.It is sad, but sad is happy for deep people
April 4th, 2009 at 3:43 pmHi Sally, I come from Indonesia in south east Asia
I really love your Book
I cannt stop crying when i was reading it
you’re a great author
love you,
cannt wait your 2nd book X)
April 8th, 2009 at 6:19 amhey sally,
April 8th, 2009 at 9:07 pmi am 11 yrs old and love to read. your book was the best book i have read it has inspired me so much. your a great writer cant wait for your naext book sophiexxxxxx
I think ways to live forever is the best book i have ever read. if it were to win the Gateshead book award i would be so happy.IT IS GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 5th, 2009 at 5:04 pmHello!
May 7th, 2009 at 10:52 pmI’m from Brasil and I believe and say that the book is wonderful. The title in english, “Ways to Live Forever”, tickles my tongue, i guess. Até mais! (in portuguese, it says bie-bie!)
Hi Sally I write you from Italy. I have just ended of to read the book “Volevo vivere per sempre”. This book is moving and touching. I wish for you a nice writer career.
May 12th, 2009 at 7:05 pmThanks for the beautiful emotions that with this book you have given us.
Compliments, indeed.
Excuse for possible errors, but I am not good at English.
Kisses from Italy
Hello Sally!
I’m from Germany and “Ways to Live Forever” is such a nice book. We are now reading it in English, and I read it also in German. The title is “Wie man unsterblich wird”. Sometimes, I cried all night long, but sometimes I laughed so much. This book is really the most moving story I read. Thank you very much for telling us Sam’s story. It’s very affecting. Thanks, Sally!
In Love,
May 16th, 2009 at 11:10 amAmanda xxx
[In German it's Tschüss!]
Hello there! I like your book but i’ve read some better ones. The dying scene of Felix could be better.
May 20th, 2009 at 7:53 amGreetings, Gérhard
I like this book very much!!!!
May 20th, 2009 at 8:20 amIt’s great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey!!
I’m from Germany and we read the book in our class!! It’s fantastic ;-D.
In true things in ways to live forever, you forget warhammer and the Green Day T-Shirt!!
tschüss (in German)
May 20th, 2009 at 8:21 amJan and Thibault
En España se titula “ESTO NO ES JUSTO”.
June 10th, 2009 at 8:18 pmSally ya ha conseguido una forma de vivir para siempre, en el corazon de mucha gente.
Hi Sally!
I read your book “ways to live forever”. i loved it. i’m looking forward on buying your nex book!!!
June 30th, 2009 at 12:43 pmhi sally, how are u?
i love it
July 9th, 2009 at 6:55 amI’ve read the book this morning, before to go at work.
I’ve lived a similar experience with my best friend when I was eight years old.
Thanks for all emotion you are give me.
Ti abbraccio forte
Andrea
August 6th, 2009 at 1:16 pmyour book is simply great!
August 8th, 2009 at 6:14 pmreally change my point of view
touch deep to my heart
keep it up!
Wow. Oh my goodness. This is the only book so far that i have read that made me cry!!
August 9th, 2009 at 6:28 pmIt was just the last list was my breaking point and i had to wait five minutes beforei could finish reading it!!
This is the best book i have read in a long time i love it!!
wow, this book is really great!!. the story in this book is really touch my heart!!!
August 28th, 2009 at 2:20 pmThis book really touched me. As a 12 year old myself I could relate to Sam and the ending broke my heart
September 19th, 2009 at 4:34 pmI love the book. Just finished it on Friday. The book is awesome. I love the bit when Sam kisses the girl and i was almost in tears when felix died. xoxo lol
October 3rd, 2009 at 1:06 pmThis is truely one of the best books i have picked up. I reccommended it to all of my friends, I enjoyed reading it. It is very real; it made me laugh and cry(especially the end i cried for like twenty minutes). I loved every momment of it though, hope to read more!
October 7th, 2009 at 3:40 amMaravilhoso este livro, Parabéns pelo trabalho.
November 4th, 2009 at 10:41 pmI love this book so much, but i lost it yesterday =[ forgot where i put it
November 13th, 2009 at 2:25 pmI’m only like half way through the book. it is very sad. i have cried sometimes while reading this book. every time i have this book in my hands i just can’t seem to put the book down. this book is the best book i have ever read.!
November 20th, 2009 at 10:33 pmi have cried sometimes while reading this book. every time i have this book in my hands i just can’t seem to put the book down. this book is the best book i have ever read.!
November 20th, 2009 at 10:34 pmi have not cried in this book but it is very sad. i love this book so much it’s the best; i just can’t ever put this book down, its awesome.!
November 20th, 2009 at 10:39 pmi have actually cried while reading this book. it is very sad.every time i start reading this book i just can’t ever seem to put it back down. i will always remember this most awesome book.
November 21st, 2009 at 3:09 pmHi, I got given a signed copy of this book from my dad & really enjoyed it,
can’t wait to read season of secrets- is it true that it’s being made into a film?
xx
November 21st, 2009 at 3:16 pmHello, I’m from Portugal and here the translation of the book was quite different! ‘O menino que sonhava chegar à Lua’ (The boy who dreamed of getting to the Moon), I love this book, it is my favourite!
December 1st, 2009 at 6:55 pmHi,
December 11th, 2009 at 2:35 pmI am really fascinated reading your book. Please write more books asap.
All the best.
Shamsul, London
heeej I really like the book it’s a really sad story about a little boy. I finished reading it in two days normally I need one week for a english book. I will recommend it to all my friends an I also wou´ld make a speech about this book at school. I hope I will get a good grade at it ;).
I think I will read the book a second time because it is so amazing.
All the best.
December 20th, 2009 at 2:33 pmBeatrice (16), from Austria (Vienna)
Hi,
December 23rd, 2009 at 1:20 pmWays to live forever is a book which have a way to create emotions forever.I’ve read it 10 times and soon 11th will be completed.Sally u & ur ideas are just beyond words.
I n gonna read every book u will ever write
With Best Wishes & Love
Pragya.India
Dear Miss Nicholls.
January 2nd, 2010 at 2:24 pmI’m a 66 years old german actor and supporting since many years the immense important work of the “German Children Hospiz Service”, in which lots of honorary people do a wonderful job.
Your book”Ways to live forever” describes in a wonderful way the destiny of a child on his way to eternity.
My question : I know, your book is published and translated in German and there also exists a CD - if it is possible for me to do a new recording on no-profit base for everybody in order to benefit with a small amount the people who does this wonderful job accompanying the kids and sisterkids and families.
THanking you in advance
I remain with best regards
Wolfgang Welter
I got this book from a schoolastic book orders, by the way I am twelve years old. I read it for a reading project in my class and loved it. It made me feel sorry for Sam and happy for him. I absolutly enjoyed reading this book. I can’t wait to read the other book Secrets something. I am excited. It is one of my favorite books, so read it too!!!!
January 6th, 2010 at 3:58 ami read this book not intentionally but it is the best book i have ever read!!!!t is now my favorite book and it always will be! i was in the library one day and i picked 3 random books up and i read ways to live forever first and i couldnt let the book down so i was up until 3 in the morning reading and i love the book!!!! but sam dies 13days after my birthday. but i still really love this book
January 14th, 2010 at 6:56 pmThis is my very favorite book I’ve ever read! I’m very excited for Seasons of Secrets, the movie and the possible book threes. I don’t think I’ve read a story that moved me so much, and had such an impact on me. This book is really sad, but at the same time uplifting. It’s funny and moving and made me cry through laughs. Good luck on your next books!
January 15th, 2010 at 1:45 amwow!!!! i LUV this book!!! it really touches my heart and it becomr my number 1 fav book!!!! it only took me 4 hours to read this book!! ive nevr heard of sally nicholls before then my friends started telling me this such a good book!!! i read it and i LUVED it!!!!! i hope i like ur next book!!! thx for writing this book soooooo much!!!! i cant wait for ur next book!!! lol!
January 17th, 2010 at 4:30 amHey, Sally. When I read “Ways to live forever” last year, it really touched me. Really. I loved how he ran up and down escalators - I’ve always wanted to do that. Can’t wait to read your next books.
February 4th, 2010 at 9:46 pmI just stared reading the book.It is so GREAT I can’t put it down. It has it sad times, happy times, and that’s what makes it so GREAT. Sally Nicholls is my favorite autor she is so intelligent,and I can can’t wait to read the next book.
February 12th, 2010 at 4:47 amOlá!
e estou um pouco nervosa pois tenho medo de desvalorizar esta grandiosa obra.
Eu chamo-me Débora e ando no 10º ano. Amanhã vou apresentar o livro: “O Menino Que Sonhava Chegar À Lua” por Sally Nicholls
Para mim foi sem dúvida o melhor livro que li até hoje porque todas as paginas contêm sentimentos unicos, vividos… demasiado importantes e realmente fascinasntes! Porque todas as dores, todos os sorrisos, todo o medo e toda a angustia…toda a coragem e alegria das pequenas personagens “Sam e Félix” foram tão verosineis que não consegui deixar de ler cada capitulo, como uma droga, que só me fazia ler e ler até encontrar o fim.
Gostaria imenso de poder ter a oportunidade de continuar a ler obras da sua autoria, muito obrigada porque este livro foi mesmo muito importante e guarda por detrás de cada palavra uma grande mensagem!
Parabéns, espero que todos os seus livros prendam cada pessoa ás suas histórias como me prendeu a mim
Débora Prata, Portugal.
February 24th, 2010 at 6:28 pmOlá,eu chamo-me Débora e ando no 10ºano. Amanha vou apresentar ” O Menino Que Sonhava Chegar À Lua”, na disciplina de Português e sinceramente estou com um pouco de receio de desvalorizar esta grandiosa obra.Cada pagina, cada palavra…foi tudo tão sentido, tão unico, tão grande, que me prenderam á história de tal maneira que no final as lagrimas escorreram-me pelo rosto. Gosto mesmo muito da sua escrita, e sem querer desvalorizar outros livros que já li, este encontra-se num patamar bastante elevado das minhas perferencias. Também gosto muito de escrever, aliás, é um dos meus passatempos preferidos…a maneira como transpasso cada opinião, cada pensamento, cada sentimento cria em mim uma nova razão de encarar a vida…é como que todos os meus problemas estivessem apenas numa folha branca, sem qualqer valor… mas ao mesmo tempo a sua importância era tal que ao le-lo os problemas iam-se tornando mais pequenos e a solução era tão facil de descobrir…
February 24th, 2010 at 6:48 pmEnfim, tudo isto para dizer que um dia tambem gostava de mostrar ao mundo um bocadinho de mim, tal como a senhora o fez. Obrigada por nunca ter desistido de lutar pela publicação deste livro, é sem dúvida uma mensagem fundamental para superarmos o mundo em que nos deparamos
Hey yall, I LOVE this book!!!!
March 4th, 2010 at 10:57 pmI got this book from the library and I think it is one of the best books i’v ever read.IT REALLY MAKES YOU STOP AND THINK ABOUT HOW LUCKY YOU ARE…..if u have never read this book then read it as soon as posible.
March 19th, 2010 at 3:07 amhello.!
March 31st, 2010 at 12:51 pmHEY SALLAY;YOUR BOOK WAS PERFECT IT MADE ME REMEMBER OF MY UNCLE WHO TOO DIED IN LEUKEMIA
April 7th, 2010 at 7:22 amis his name oliver or sam
April 8th, 2010 at 8:43 pmThis is by far the best book I’ve ever read. It was so touching and moving. I lived it I read it in one day.
April 13th, 2010 at 1:50 amLoved
April 13th, 2010 at 1:51 amI started this book this morning and finished it straight away! This book is so touching, I just don’t understand how you wrote something so inspiring!
April 13th, 2010 at 8:53 pmYou see, when I grow up I also want to be a writer, and I love seeking for inspiring writers like Sam likes to seek for facts.
I LOVE this book.
Even everything I’m saying now is too less to describe how great this book was! I could feel that I was the character, I was the one who wrote the essay on near-death experience and that I was the one with platelets!
I’m just speechless. I don’t know HOW I can describe this book.
It’s a too-good and must-read book.
holy cow!!! this book was great, i read it for my book report at school and loved it i recamended it to all my bff’s and teachers, great job sally!!!!
April 22nd, 2010 at 10:40 pmHi! I think this book is fantastic! Sally is coming into my school next wee, and I am really looking forward to it, ive read both of the two books now…they’re just as good as each other. Thanks, and I look forward to seeing you next week.
Lydia
April 25th, 2010 at 9:39 pmhi…sally
May 4th, 2010 at 5:12 ami’m frm INDIA
i lyk ur book very much…
it’s very interesting…
i also write many stories…
I am from england and i have just read this book…..which i find amazing!!!
May 12th, 2010 at 7:45 pmI am inspired by him he isnt afraid of anything…..highly inspired!!!
Hi..sally
May 30th, 2010 at 5:13 pmI’m from TURKEY
I think this book is fantastic!
It is so GREAT !!
i’m fainting you!
hi sally your book is amazing i love it.! i could totally read it again it is so understanding. Thanks is great!!!!x
June 1st, 2010 at 12:55 pmHi Sally,
My son (age 12) has dyslexia and rarely reads at all. 2 months ago, his father died. Now his school teacher asked the class to read your book. My son started last Friday and finished yesterday - 3 days! He has never before read so fast and he was never before so emotionally caught by anything written, it really seemed to help him cope with his dad’s death.
Thank you for writing so beautifully on a difficult subject.
Jay’s Mum
June 7th, 2010 at 1:21 pmhey…!!!!!!
June 13th, 2010 at 12:21 pmsally…
ur books r fantastic…specially ways to live forever…i literally cried while i was reading this book….many of my frnds n i have formed a group…nd we published an article about u n ur books…ur an inspiration to me…. n i am trying to be a gr8 writer like u..
greetings from me and my frnds…
This book forever! I loved it (thank you school) and I loved your workshop, too.
June 15th, 2010 at 3:49 pmHi!
July 1st, 2010 at 11:14 amWays to live forever is really great! I like it so much and I read it again and again. The story is very touching and mind-blowing. One day, I´ll be “oncologe for childdren(like D. Bill) or author(like Sally Nicholls;))
This is the best book i have ever read ,even know i’m 11.
July 2nd, 2010 at 3:15 pmHi Sally!
July 8th, 2010 at 6:43 pmJust wanna say one thing…..I cried lyk hell after reading this book. Rock on! I m waiting 4 more buks 4m u.
Hello!
July 12th, 2010 at 9:58 amI love Ways To Love Forever!
It has been my favourite book for a long time. My grandparents gave it to me as a birthday present and I thought, ‘What’s this? Sally Nichols, never heard of her before, this may be a good book!’ and I read it a month or two later and I really, really loved it. I’m going to ask them to get me your other book as soon as possible. I can’t believe you’re that good as a writer. If we compare you as an author to Karen Gillan, who is the best actor EVER, (in my opinion) then you are only, less than a quarter of a mile behind her. (Which on the scale I’m using is absolutely amazing!)
Anna
luv ure book ways 2 live forever it was brilliant
July 12th, 2010 at 5:12 pmGreat Writer. Horrible to realize that Sam did not even exist.
July 15th, 2010 at 1:37 amhey sally ,
August 9th, 2010 at 4:27 pmhow can u rite such a gr8 book ?
ur the best author in the whole wide world !!!!
i have read “ways to live forever” for
100s of times!
nevar stop writing .
BEST OF LUCK !!
DEYASINI.INDIA
hey sally ,
August 9th, 2010 at 4:30 pmhow can u rite such a gr8 book ?
ur the best author in the whole wide world !!!!
i have read “ways to live forever” for
100s of times!
never stop writing .
BEST OF LUCK !!
DEYASINI.INDIA
hey!!!!!
sally u r osum!!!!1
ur book wz fantastic…..i luvd it…
waitin 4 ur next book dear…
good luck!!!!
August 20th, 2010 at 9:17 amI Love your books!!! YOu are the best author, EVER !!!
everyone should read your books, they are so real.
Love M x
September 2nd, 2010 at 5:28 pm