The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Five People You Meet in Heaven
Book Review: A simply beautiful book...
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this book because I loved the poetry in the title, and I'm so glad I did! It's a simple story - old man dies, wondering if his life was worthwhile, and goes to heaven, where he meets 5 people who tell him about their role in his life. It's not a long book, or a difficult one to read, but I think it's going to stick with me for quite a while - there is a beautiful philosophy underlying the story, that we are all interconnected and no one is ever alone, nothing happens in isolation. It's a very moving story, and I highly recommend it. *****Book Review: A wonderful book with an inspirational, comforting message
Summary: 5 Stars
In many ways, The Five People You Meet in Heaven is a simple little book; as is so often the case, the most profound of answers are revealed most clearly in the simplest of explanations. This is not a book about heaven in a religious sense; the truths it establishes are to be found right here in our own lives: every life has a purpose, every person and every action is related, and while you may not be able to discern it now, it all makes sense in the end. Eddie represents all of us to some degree. Looking back on his life with regret over all the things he should have done or not done, he is almost a ghost of himself. Since the death of his wife, he has basically gone through the motions, working at the same job his father worked before him, dealing with the bad dreams brought on by his wartime experience, watching his body deteriorate to the point that he can barely get around, waiting for nothing, feeling nothing but regret. He always wanted to get away from his father and live an entirely different sort of life, yet he wound up taking over his father's job, living in the same building, failing to achieve any of the hopes and dreams he embraced so tightly as a young man. His wife was his only anchor, and she has been dead a long time now.
When we first meet Eddie, he is about to die. The end is just another beginning, however, and we learn the story of Eddie's life as the novel progresses. Heaven is not what he expected; he finds no peace here at all. Happiness cannot come without understanding, however, and five people are waiting to explain Eddie's life to him. They include people he barely knew or did not know at all, yet he soon learns what a huge influence he had in their earthly lives. Each one imparts to Eddie a lesson he must learn in order to find peace. I won't describe who the five people are or what they tell him; but I will say that the overall message is a really touching and significant one. Understanding is not a pain-free process, but it leads to the complete unburdening of Eddie's soul. The ending was nothing short of beautiful. It would have been easy to sit back and let an overly sappy conclusion ruin the whole story, but Albom does not let that happen.
While this is a great and rewarding read, some readers will never give themselves fully to the story and will thus wonder what the big deal about this book is. For many, though, The Five People You Meet in Heaven will provide an important level of comfort and inspiration for those who see only a past of regrets and no future. We all sometimes wonder why we are here and whether it's even worth going on day after meaningless, monotonous day. This book does not provide the definitive answer to such profound questions, but it does provide an answer - and it is a comforting one.
Book Review: An Exceptional Read
Summary: 5 Stars
Rarely in my experience do you come across a book which is as thought provoking as it is entertaining - i.e., a good read! The storyline here is unique in that it's not just a fantasy adventure about heaven and its pearly gates and fluffy clouds but rather sets you to wondering if there's more to life - as we live and know it - than just BEing here. I'm sure most would agree there are lessons to be learned from our experiences, both good and bad (the experiences, not the lessons). But here the author takes that idea one step further and makes you really *think* about the purpose not only of those experiences but of the people we meet, the relationships we have etc etc. Like I said ... thought provoking AND a good read :) Enjoy!Book Review: A strange blend.
Summary: 4 Stars
The spiel on the back of this book and even the title itself is more than enough to get one hooked on the idea of reading this unusual offering from the sports writer - Mitch Albom.Without a baseball pitcher, linebacker or cricketer anywhere in sight, you would think this novel is outside the sphere of influence of Mr. Albom, but this doesn't prove to be the case. A very unusual look at the subject of dying proves to be very entertaining despite my own personal opinion that some of the five could have been more interesting. In parts, the book is very painful reading when the main character is asked to examine the nature of forgiveness one cannot help but think of all the people we cannot excuse ourselves.
Buy it, read it.
Book Review: emotionally captivating
Summary: 5 Stars
I read this book in one sitting. I felt compelled to finish it but at the same time did not want it to end. I soiled the pages with my tears on too many occasions throughout, but was stangely uplifted by a story of death & forgivness. It will make everyone who reads it think about aspects of their life and the events that shape it. You dont need to worry about whether this view of the 'afterlife' is right or wrong, thats not what its about.Read it, weep and enjoy.