The Five People You Meet in Heaven

Rating:
Summary: Wonderfully endearing
Review: Mitch Albom has touched people's hearts with his latest endearing book, The Five People You Meet In Heaven. I absolutely loved this book and could not put it down.

The premise of the book is that people we meet in our lives are put into our lives for a reason, although we may not understand that reason at that time. The purpose of heaven then, is to understand one's life on earth.

"People think of heaven as a paradise garden a place where they can float on clouds and laze in rivers and mountains. But scenery without solace is meaningless. This is the greatest gift God can give you: to understand what happened in your life. To have it explained. It is the place you have been searching for." Albom reminds us throughout this wonderful tale, that there are no random acts, that we all are indeed connected. The circle is never ending.

The story is seen through Eddie's eyes - the maintenance worker at Ruby's Pier, who dies trying to save a little girl from a crashing carnival ride. The five significant people in Eddie's life leave Eddie a bit baffled in the beginning, but further on into the story the meaning is very clear and illuminating for Eddie, as for the reader. The messages are timeless for the reader, but more importantly, healing and bringing a sense of serenity for Eddie, once he understands the significance of it all. After all, people *are* put into our lives for a reason.

This book is wonderfully wise and the serenity and insight contained within will warm one's heart. This book is a departure from Tuesdays With Morrie, yet just as beautifully written, filled with the same heartfelt insight and compassion. Readers will fall in love with Eddie, just as they did with Morrie.

This is book is a definite winner and one will be left thinking and contemplating their own lives afterwards, for days to come. I know I did! I cannot recommend this book highly enough!

Rating:
Summary: The Pages Flew By
Review: I was unable to put this book down. The pages flew by like there was no stopping them. Mitch Albom did a great job of making you think of the way you impact others' lives, and vise versa. He shows that the small details can change a whole life.

Albom's version of heaven is an interesting one. The thought exposes you to different possibilities that you never would have considered had you not read this book. The plot of The Five People You Meet In Heaven isn't very concrete but if you sit and think about it, you can come up with a few.

One thing that I would like to see changed about the book is the fact that it is a bit short. I think that Mitch Albom could have gone into greater detail with the characters and the lessons than he did. I understood everything that he was trying to get across, but sometimes he could have went deeper. Don't get me wrong, for a quick read this is an excellent choice. It is not, however, a good choice for someone who is looking for length.

To people who are considering reading this book, I would recommend it. It puts thoughts in your head and opens you up to new ideas. Even though it is a bit short, if you like it, you will know what kind of book to look for next time your looking for a good read.

Rating:
Summary: Otherworldly
Review: I really liked this book. I read it in a day because I simply couldn't put it down. What a nice way to think of heaven.

Rating:
Summary: Creatively Exploring Life, Afterlife and Spirituality
Review: Mitch Albom opened eyes and warmed hearts with his first novel, Tuesdays with Morrie. Now with his second novel, Albom further explores spiritual curiosities.

Eddie's job at an amusement park is taking its toll on him. After many long years fixing the rides and maintaining the park he is left feeling like his life's work from a young boy to old age is meaningless and feels unfulfilled.

Then one day on his eighty-third birthday Eddie is killed tragically during a heroic rescue of a little girl falling from a cart on a ride. When Eddie awakens he realizes he is no longer among the living and that heaven is nothing like he thought it to be.

The people Eddie meets in heaven explore his life with him, opening his eyes to see how even though certain people didn't seem significant to him, Eddie played a major role in their lives.

Through them, Eddie realizes his life wasn't so meaningless after all. Albom's exploration of the afterlife is written with such imagination and creativity.

This is a wonderful story that will invoke so much emotion from readers. Albom has a warm and magical writing style that will comfort his readers and leave them feeling fulfilled by his words.

Rating:
Summary: What a great story
Review: I sat down and read the book the other night, expecting to enjoy it. I found it to be a lot more substantial than I ever expected, and I loved it. Mitch Albom has a very imaginative and provocative idea of what happens to us when we die. There are also some quitely profound thoughts woven into the story. As opposed to hitting us over the head with the five lessons Eddie learns as he completes his journey, Albom voices them in simple ways, through the five very different people Eddie encounters. There are no lightning and thunder claps when the messages are delivered; the understated tone actually gives the book more impact. The story was dark, sad, funny, biting, magical and warm. Albom cares not only for his characters, but for those of us reading the book. It has echoes of "It's a Wonderful Life" and "A Christmas Carol", but "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" is a tale that holds its own.

Rating:
Summary: Amazing Book
Review: I found that this book was well written and amazing. I thought at first that it would be a book that appealed to older generations, but it's great for all ages. I would recommend this book to anyone.

Rating:
Summary: Didn't get any satisfaction from the book 2.5 Stars
Review: I, like so many, loved Tuesday's With Morrie. I just finished it and rushed to buy this book. I'm sad to say I thought this book was mediocre at best. Mitch Albom's view of heaven was interesting but not the heaven I want to see.

Each of the five people met in heaven are supposed to give you a better understanding of why things happened during your life. There is only one, Eddie's captain, that goes into detail. The remaining four have chapters that are too short without great enough detail. I did not feel like any lessons were really taught except perhaps by one of the five people met. Wonderful premise for the book but just not enough elaboration. Also, like Morrie, too short.

Rating:
Summary: There should be a 'no star' rating
Review: A typical American 'feel good' book. This book is definitely a must read for anyone who still holds on to the belief that people are generally good and that there is no greed in this capitalist world. It's a way of keeping the wool over their eyes for just a little longer. Why not snuggle down to this book while drinking your mulled wine at Christmas in front of an open fire.

What most people fail to realise is that there is no impirical evidence of the existence of heaven. It a tool devised by religious institutions as a form of control. This book (probably un-wittingly) furthers the religious cause by linking the concept of heaven to the daily routine of life.

There is no such thing as heaven and your life has no meaning - get over it!

Rating:
Summary: The Five People You Meet in Heaven
Review: I read this story in one afternoon! I did not learn anything
new in the belief department, as far as that goes. It was an
interesting story, but not the kind you would read over, and
over again, like many of the books I own. It is a one time read
only. Many people were asking me if it was a good book, well
all I could say, was "It's different!"

Rating:
Summary: Excellent book
Review: A must read. Makes you really stop and think about how you impact other people's lives as well as how other people impact your own life.
Excellent...loved every chapter.