The Sand Bucket List: Lessons for Living Life and Facing Death

At the age of forty-six, Brad Fischer was diagnosed with stage 4 gastric cancer. He could handle the chemotherapy and its side effects. What he wasn’t prepared for was everything he felt. Faced with a life expectancy of twelve months, Brad realized all the things in life he had never done: skydiving, running a marathon, or riding in a hot air balloon.

But as the months passed, Brad realized these weren’t things he needed to do. In his debut memoir, Brad dispels the notion of finding joy and purpose in life by creating “a bucket list,” a collection of arbitrary adventures to be completed once in a lifetime. Instead, he provides a practical but uplifting alternative: “a sand bucket list”—essential ingredients that should be practiced as frequently and thoroughly as possible.

Brad’s tales of playing Shit Purse as a kid, walking into the wrong house as a college student, or roller skating with another guy as an adult are not only stories that give us a peek into his personality and sense of humor, but are also surprisingly meaningful anecdotes for anyone suffering or wanting to find peace, comfort, and joy in their lives. This book isn’t about dying, nor a story about fighting cancer. It’s a book about life. It’s a book about living.