My Father's Ashes

A Young Man's Journey Through His Father's Life

By: Bruce Jenvey

Narrated by: Dave Cruse

Length: 12 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's summary

Daniel Peterson's life was all planned out. His upcoming marriage would guarantee him the lifetime corner office in her father's firm, complete with the highest social standing, country club memberships...even golf lessons.

But then the phone rang. It seems the father he never knew has passed away, leaving him a tidy inheritance. To claim it, Dan is tasked with scattering his father's ashes, but under the most bizarre conditions and circumstances he could possibly imagine. This sends Dan on a wild, cross-country adventure of discovery - and self-discovery. As he comes to know his father, he is also forced to re-evaluate himself and all he holds dear. This is a heart-warming tale that redefines friends and family, and will leave you laughing with a tear in your eye.

©2016 Bruce Jenvey (P)2016 Bruce Jenvey

My Father's Ashes

My Father's Ashes: A Young Man's Journey Through His Father's Life
: Bruce Jenvey




A young man who never knew his father learns about him after a lawyer calls to tell him of his death. Dan's life had been planned out for him, first by his mother then by his fiancee and her father. When he travels to fulfill his fathers last request, he finds himself. The listener goes along on the journey and learns there is more to life than success.I hope to find more from this author.


The narration was well done.The characters were well portrayed. Dave Cruse draws the listener into the story. It was very enjoyable!!



"I was voluntarily provided this review copy audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator."

Such a special listen!!!

I cannot even begin to tell you how special this listen is. It was so unsettling and yet rewarding in its simplicity. Dan goes on a quest to scatter his father's ashes and along the way, he finds himself. It was beautifully written and performed.

There are no real bad guys. No real lead up to a showdown. No angst. No hand-wringing. No miscommunications. It was a true-to-life pivot where a son follows his Dad's life path and discovers his own. Sure, Dan had to deal with his now jilted ex-fiance and her dollar-crazy father, but they were a backstory. Front and center was the journey. I absolutely loved it!!

You don't get the privilege of having feelings, good or bad, about Dan's mother. She is the catalyst for the story but is pretty much a footnote as Dan travels. Dan's father, however, looms real and special.

The narration is incredibly special. I had just listened to a Cruse-narrated book and it was in that search that I found this listen. I'm so glad I went looking!!

Incredible Oscar worthy!

Truly hope they make this one a movie. Rich in characters that made me weep and laugh out loud. I wish I could give this book a reward as it sure rewarded me. Feel deeply in love with Bob and his deep depth of friendship and humanity. The journey he sends his son Dan on is incredibly beautiful to listen to. And that is in itself beautiful, the narrator is so good on this book you will not be disappointed. Again, incredible job! I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest opinion. I don't think anyone could be disappointed in this book it's really that good.

I didn't want this story to end...

It's rare I come across a book that connects with me so deep that I don't want it to end. My Father's Ashes is one of those rare gems. As someone who is estranged from my father, I connected with Dan Peterson in a deep and satisfying way.

The main character Dan discovers that the father he never knew has died. This leads him on a quest that helps him discover both who his father was, and as a consequence, discovers who Dan himself really is. The journey that Dan undertakes is both heartwarming and heartbreaking, and is spectacularly written.

There are times when the author goes into much detail about the actions: Dan opens the cupboard, takes out the bread, makes the sandwich, puts the bread back, etc. It seems at first way over the top, but then you realize that these little actions described in minutiae adds to journey itself. You are there for every single moment of Dan's discovery and it becomes a pleasant voyeuristic ride, like a fly on the wall.

The narrator was spectacular. I think Dave Cruse's folksy sing-song voice was perfect for this tale. Based on some irregular pacing and excessive mouth noise, it seems that editing was kept to a minimum, but overall I REALLY enjoyed his performance.

When the book ended I sat for a while contemplating what a masterful tale I had just listened to, and how I wished there were more content. I think another book could easily be written picking up right where this ended, but in a way, it's probably best to let your imagination envision what happened to Dan. Did he follow in his father's footsteps? Or did he pave his own way? It could have gone in either direction, and I'm still finding myself thinking of Dan wistfully, like an old friend I know I'll never see again, yet still wondering what became of him.

This audio book was gifted to me by the narrator at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review.

A Journey I would have loved to have gone on

What did you love best about My Father's Ashes?

My father passed away in 2009. I miss him every day. I knew my dad, unlike Daniel in this story. However I would have loved to have had a series of journey's to go on to learn my father, as he was beyond our family.

What was one of the most memorable moments of My Father's Ashes?

Daniel began to see similarities between himself and the father he never knew was nicely handled and I loved the transformation from going through the motions to living for the next adventure. I loved seeing the main character beginning to recognize his father in his own self along the way.

Which character – as performed by Dave Cruse – was your favorite?

David Cruse does a beuatiful job of narrating, although at the beginning I found the falsetto he employed for some of the female characters off putting, but by the end I no longer heard the falsetto but only heard the character. He was consistent throughout with the tonal shifts he employed for the various characters and did a very nice job overall.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I listened to this book over a series of days, although I would have liked to have had time for a one day listen. I have no doubt that I will revisit this at some point for a second listen. It is a book so full of detail that I am sure I will here new things every time I listen.

Any additional comments?

I was provided a copy of this audio book free of charge through a promotion. However, I would have purchased it because the description caught my attention.

just listen to it

great story. no slow spots waiting for the next interesting thing to be told. great narration

Learning from His Father

Would you consider the audio edition of My Father's Ashes to be better than the print version?

I haven't read the print or Kindle version. However, the story is strong and Dave Cruse's performance is amazing!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Daniel. He is open to the adventure and discovery of his father's life.

What about Dave Cruse’s performance did you like?

Dave Cruse is exceptional on this recording. He possesses a sense of conversation that is realistic. Maybe the best of the many audio book voice talents that I've listened to! He has a varied range of voices for characters. A great voice that keeps the story moving. He adds so much to this work!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I did want to, but also wanted to savor it bit by bit.

Any additional comments?

This is one of the best listens I've had for its entertainment aspects.

Thank you for the opportunity to review it!

This review copy audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost. I am happy to give my honest review of it
You are the author of this review.

Highly recommend

This book takes you on an enjoyable journey of discovery. Sit back, relax and enjoy.

damn I really love this book

sorry for the lack of capitals and punctuation I'm writing this as I go down the highway but I wanted to leave a fantastic review let you know that you really should listen to this book it's just that good 2 shades of awesome job

Very Enjoyable and Quite Different !!

What a pleasant surprise. A very different "quest" story of a man who never knew his father. Good characters and locations. Wanted it to continue. Highly recommend this book. "I was provided this audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator in exchange for an unbiased review via Audiobook Blast."