The Hope Valley Hubcap King: A Novel

by Sean Murphy

Time, The Universe, And America...In a country a lot like our own, in a time a little bit like now, Bibi Brown is an ordinary young man with an extraordinary destiny. Bibi, the first male in twelve generations of Browns not to have taken his own life, has a furious crush on a beautiful nine-fingered woman and an unbearable urge to understand the meaning of Time, the Universe, and America. So Bibi begins his quest--careening through a world of bizarre cults, gravity-defying crones, and lunatics of every stripe--all for a chance to meet his long-lost uncle Otto, a legendary junk-dealer who lives on the Hope Valley Hubcap Ranch. Because in a world that is spinning a little too fast, and a little too wildly, Bibi’s destiny is to find the essence of hope, the beauty of hubcaps, and the meaning of life in the Valley of the Hubcap King....With a touch of Candide, a dash of Don Quixote, and healthy dose of Zen, Sean Murphy’s wondrous, riotous novel is the story of an ordinary man searching through a hilariously off-kilter world--for the truths that might just save us all.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Humor

304 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

SEAN MURPHY'S debut novel, The Hope Valley Hubcap King, (Bantam/Dell, 2002/2004), won the Hemingway Award for a First Novel and was a 2003 Book Sense pick. See info on his latest, The Time of New Weather, below. He is also the author of the Pulitzer-nominated The Finished Man (Bantam/Dell 2004), as well as One Bird, One Stone (Renaissance/St. Martins 2002), a nonfiction chronicle of Zen practice in America. He has been a Zen meditation practitioner for 20 years, and teaches meditation, creative writing and literature for UNM-Taos, as well as leading writing workshops for a variety of organizations and his own Big Sky Writing Workshops

Reviews

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book. It was full of craziness, uncertainty, fear, love, journeys, and so much more. As soon as I finished reading it, I sent it to my dad who also loved it. Looking very much forward to reading more of Sean's work.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Murphy has great imagery throughout the book; his characters are detailed and interesting. But it's almost like he tries too hard to be edgy and post-modern. It's a fun read and the ideas are interesting, but these ideas have all been explored before. I just don't think he brought anything new to the table.

[Ivy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly, I found this book just barely okay. Mostly I found it self-indulgent and irritating, with symbolism so labored and ham-fisted it was like a fifteen-year-old's attempt at spiritual profundity. Maybe I'm being too harsh, but that was my sincere reaction.

[Barbara Domue · Rating 5 out of 5]

for all you philosophers out there....please read this instead of Sophie's World!!

[Jeffery · Rating 4 out of 5]

a book that takes enlightenment to new and eclectic heights. a book about the obsession of deformity and the search for the meaning of life: based in a distorted version of the world we know.

[Tania · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I'm married to the author

[Gauri Bhatnagar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one book which has to be read at various times of your life....to do full justice...it is funny, it is profound...there's irony, bewilderment, sadness...all there..in one beautiful journey.

[Vicki Gibson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like it, but I just couldn't. The cover is the most interesting thing about the book.

Bibi Brown, the main character, was likeable. The premise had promise: For eleven generations the Brown males committed suicide. That's Bibi's legacy. Only one other Brown escaped that fate, Bibi's long-lost Uncle Otto, the Hope Valley Hubcap King. Bibi sets out on a quixotic journey to find Uncle Otto and to discover "Time, the Universe, and America."

It felt like the author tried a bit too hard - as if he set out to write a "cult classic" and didn't quite hit the mark. The underlying Zen Buddhist philosophy is unmistakable, annoyingly so. Bibi's bizarre world is just too trippy. There are many references I assume were meant to be funny, but I found myself groaning instead of laughing. (The founder of The Shape of Tuesday Institute is Julian Calendar. A banquet to honor time serves up parsley, sage, and rosemary. That sort of "humor.") The book tried to be quirky but came off as peculiar, and not in a good way.

The most relatable character in the book is Bibi's mother and there is precious little of her. At times, she is the only tenuous thread tethering Bibi to this world, but she remains mostly a mystery.

I can't recommend the book, although I'll admit it's possible I'm just not sophisticated enough to "get it."

[Ronn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hitch Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy meets Zen & The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance as written by John Bunyan. A few good lines, but nothing to engage. Good cover art though.

[Eagonflow · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book hit me right in the center.
If you've read thru the description and moved on to reviews...
You are already hooked.
Read it. And recharge your wonderment.

[Mason Nichols · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not life changing, but a very fun read.

[Riana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bibi Brown is the heir to a 12-generation-old tradition to commit suicide. However, after discovering that his Uncle Otto had been victorious in resisting this fatal habit, he sets out into the unknown to find this rumoured Hubcap King.

If the whole plot had continued in the same manner as the first 120 pages I probably would’ve given this book 5 stars. I loved the way the author blended together hints of “Into the Wild,” “Spy Kids” and “Alice in Wonderland.” A great balance of action and philosophy keeps the story alive and enjoyable. Unfortunately, from chapter six onwards the firm story line starts unraveling severely. Personally, I would prefer plenty of action with a bit of philosophy thrown in instead of the other way around. However, if you choose to see the big picture of the tale and think of it as being symbolic of life, this aimless drifting could be fitting. Life is not always fast-paced adventure; there will be many periods filled with tediousness, gloom and inanity. From that perspective, the later chapters of the book serve a purpose, although I do feel it could have been narrated with more drive. I have to honestly say I was disappointed with the ending of the book – I was left somewhat befuddled and frustrated.

The characters are imaginative and vivid and add a special touch to the story, although I felt towards the end of the book that I was getting slightly tired of meeting yet another weird individual. Peter, the Professor, Cilantro, the Potato Man and Dormouse were my favourite characters.

There were numerous chunks of wisdom to be found in this tale, which can be very valuable, if taken in the correct proportions: clear your mind from pre-formed assumptions, don’t feel the need to have a reason for everything and accept the fact that you don’t know everything (or anything) and that it is okay not to. However, I found the character of Bibi to turn out quite sadly, because although he learned all these truths through hard work and experienc he ended up all alone, with the love of his life gone and all connection to his mother (whom I think he must’ve hurt quite a lot through his self-centred travels) lost. His mind-clearing exercises had paid off so well that he not only thought nothing, but became nothing, and I do not see the value in that. I do not understand the ending of the book very well, so I might be getting this completely wrong, but perhaps Bibi had failed one of the lessons that Uncle Otto taught him: Don’t search so hard for the meaning of life (think about apples in general) that you forget to actually find meaning in life (think about the apple you are currently eating). I would love to hear anyone else’s thoughts on this as the ending frankly has me somewhat confused.

Overall, I enjoyed the writing style and vocabulary. Some of my new favourite words I picked up are “kilter” and “doldrum.” A weird read, but sufficiently entertaining and giving one plenty of ponder material.

[Carolyn Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. It is seriously one of my all time favorites. I found myself laughing out loud more than I ever have while reading. It is hysterically funny, and yet profoundly wise.

[Stephen rubin · Rating 4 out of 5]

sean is a good new mexcian and great writer
unique and funny

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining and poignant. Despite it's comedic tone for the better part of the novel, it made me think.

[Tammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure what I learned. I know this is one of Jade's favorite books, but I think it was just over my head.

[Erick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very strange and surreal book.

Zen.

The kind of book you sit and ponder after you are done.

[Tania · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I'm married to the author