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Summary: A Great Deal of Wisdom in Such a Little Book
Review: Mitch Albom uses the life, and death, of Eddie the elderly maintenance man at a amusement park to share some very valuable lessons of life. After an accident at the park, Eddie meets five people in heaven and the links between he and them surprises both the Eddie and the reader. What does come through in this book is that subtle links between different parts of our past are not always apparent until much later in life and perhaps death. Related to this is the question of when and why we must move on to greater rewards. As was brought home to me this holiday season with the totally unexpected passing of my bosses wife who was only 39 and so full of life. There is a great deal of wisdom within the pages of this little book. For example, when talking with his WWII Commander in heaven, the commander offers, "Sacrifice is a part of life. It's supposed to be. It's not something to regret. It's something to aspire to." And the relationship between Eddie and his father where Albon suggests, "All parents damage their children. It cannot be helped. Youth, like pristine glass, absorbs the prints of its handlers. Some parents smudge, others crack, a few shatter childhood completely into jagged little pieces, beyond repair. This little book will surprise you with a story that keeps your attention and offers numerous pearls of wisdom. You won't be disappointed.
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Summary: Don't get put off by the title!
Review: I thought this was going to be a religious book but I had heard the book was good so I turned inside and read a page. This is a great book. Aside from the story, which you become hooked on as the book progresses, the writing is excellent. I love a book that challenges you with at least one word. I rarely recommend a book but this one just calls out to me.
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Summary: A Predictable Exploration of Human Life
Review: The title intrigued me; who isn't drawn to the possibilities of our afterlives? In The Five People You Meet in Heaven, we meet Eddie, a pathetic old man who is bitter about is life. He thinks he has accomplished nothing, and feels reminded of it every day. Then he dies on his 83rd birthday during an accident at work, and he is carried off to heaven to meet his five people. Each person has a lesson to teach him, and each one of them was completely predictable. The themes in the book are nothing new, and many a philosopher would walk away uninspired. I also found this a quick read, and was skimming over many of the paragraphs. However, I did like the ending as it summed up all life's lessons from the novel. It was a nice little reminder that we are important to others even if we forgot it from time to time.
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Summary: I loved it!
Review: This book was great. It is so short and to the point that a person could read it in a day if they wanted. The writing is very vivid and moves you to cry. It makes you realize the importance that each of us play, regardless of how insignificant your life seems. It's also comforting.
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Summary: A Bit of A Let Down after Tuesdays With Maurie
Review: I was excited to read this book because I was so touched by Albom's first book, Tuesdays With Maurie. It was a quick read and held my attention, but it wasn't nearly as moving as my first experience with his writing. I would recommend this book, but if you haven't read Tuesdays With Maurie, definitely read that book first.
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Summary: Christian: Proceed Thoughtfully
Review: First, I have to confess, this book made me cry. The main character's story is sad, and it touched my heart for unrepentant, unrealized lives of "quiet desperation," those to whom many Christians never reach out. That alone should be worth the read. And unlike other reviewers, I took the "Aesop's fable" style to be a literary device, rather than poor writing. It also paralleled some of my own family relationships, and surely those of many others, so it also had great personal meaning for me -- as it likely will for you. The key themes are:
1. Interconnected lives.
2. Unrecognized value/potential.
3. Human forgiveness. Point 3 is _wonderfully_ illustrated. In fact, all of the five people teach the main character about either sacrifice or forgiveness, sometimes simultaneously. I did have some problems with the implicit theology in spots: "heaven is for explaining your life [to you];" heaven is what you make it; an unrepentant, unrealized life of quiet service to others will get you into heaven; another human soul can elevate you to heaven. It has to be read thoughtfully, with scripture in hand, to guard against a "saved by works/saved regardless" takeaway. Overall, the core themes are meaningful and beautifully illustrated, if taken carefully in a Christian context. The idea that every person is worth your compassion, whether saved or sinner, is a very important lesson all Christians should internalize.
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Summary: Wow
Review: Quick and easy to read. Very touching and thought -provoking. Not based on theology or biblical doctrine but spiritually lifting.
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Summary: Wannabe wonderful life
Review: Read this book for my book club. Normally I will read a 500 plus page book in 5 hrs. This book took me days. Just couldn't get into it. So maudlin, sappy and a wanna be Wonderful Life. Jimmy Stewart never would have acted in it, no less read the script. No substance, no heart, no feeling. Almost like a trivial look into the after-life. Don't know how it stayed on the best seller list. I now have to go to my book club, where I am sure everybody loved it.
To each his own.
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Summary: A Heavenly Experience
Review: I thought this book was magnificent. We all wonder what Heaven is like and Mitch Albom does a great job of painting a mental picture for his readers. It took me 6 hours to complete this book beacuse I did not want to put it down! I highly reccommend it to anyone who is interested, I promise you won't be disappointed.
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Summary: Everything happens for a reason...
Review: Simply said, this is a novel written around the theme of "everything happens for a reason." Each person we meet in our lives, each course of action we are involved with, each path we embark on in our journey of life happens for a reason. We are destined to do certain things, meet certain people, and experience certain challenges, from the day we are born. This book is a classical example of this notion at its best. Mitch Albom has a gift - the gift of putting in writing, the most basic, yet most crucial, lessons of life which each of us will experience to one degree or another. Just as Albom inspired us with "Tuesdays with Morrie," he has continued to do so with "The five people you meet in heaven." A good read... a good reminder of our purpose here on earth.
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