The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom (2003, Hardcover)

More Than Just A Good Read
Book Review
By James Myers
www.myspace.com/jameswmye​rs
http://www.morebeautifulw​oman.com/more_than_a_good_read


The Five People You Meet in Heaven
By Mitch Albom
Published by Hyperion
198 Pages
Albomfivepeople.com


Rating:
(Four Stars)


“Ruby stepped toward him. “Edward,” she said softly. It was the first time she had called him by his name. “Learn this from me. Holding anger is a poison. It eats at you from the inside. We think that hating is a weapon that attacks the person who harmed us. But hatred is a curved blade. And the harm we do, we do to ourselves. “Forgive, Edward, Forgive. Do you remember the lightness you felt when you first arrived in Heaven?”

Eddie did. Where is my pain?

“That’s because no one is born with anger. And when we die, the soul is freed of it. But now, here, in order to move on, you must understand why you felt what you did, and why you must no longer need to feel it.”

She touched his hand.

“You need to forgive your father.”


Transcendent, sentimental, and profoundly true, Mitch Albom, the author of Tuesdays With Morrie and For One More Day, has written another beautifully crafted novel destined to become a great American classic. Now out in paperback, this book is not only timeless, but a bargain. Eddie is a war veteran, who works at Ruby Amusement Park as a maintenance man, working the same job his father did, fixing amusement park rides by the seashore. As the park has changed and deteriorated over the passing years, so has Eddie. Once an optimistic young man, he has become a cynical, embittered old man, who has lost his wife, and most of his family and friends. Doing the same work, day after day, we see the routine covers his loneliness and regret.

On his 83rd birthday, Eddie dies in a sudden accident, trying to save a little girl from a falling ride. His death initially seems to be as tragically empty as his life. He awakens to find that Heaven is not the paradise we all image, but a place where your life on earth is explained to you by five people who were in it. They may be strangers or family members, but all played an important, but not necessarily obvious role in your life. The key is that these people, whether it was known to you at the time or not, changed the course of your life forever.

Eddie’s five people illuminate the mysteries of his life, and in doing so, shed light on our lives as well. The unknown connections of his life are made clear to him in moving detail. These revelations are instructive and insightful for the reader as well. Eddie’s five lessons are mirrors to our souls as well as his. There is much food for thought in this book. It is a rich and lush exercise in self-discovery and awareness.

As the story builds to a climax, there is still one question that troubles Eddie. Did his last desperate act of heroism save the little girl or not? This question is answered by an unlikely fifth person in a surprise ending. The unexpected nature of this lesson is particularly striking, and is well worth reading.

Mitch Albom has written 3 great American novels. This is the most original story I have ever read, with tremendous insight into issues involving life, death, and the afterlife. This book is emotionally moving and at the same time retains a maturity that makes it credible and believable. Thumbs way up for Mitch Albom. I highly recommend this uplifting, timeless bo

I enjoyed the Book about the first five people you meet in Heaven, a enjoyable adventure. It takes your imagination to the possibilities of who it could be. The conversations you would have with each person.

The story begins with Eddie. Eddie was a quiet man who worked as a maintenance man at a seaside park called Ruby Point. On a tragic day Eddie tries to save a child from a falling cart. Where he accidentally dies at the age of 83.

Upon arriving in Heaven, Eddie starts to meet people from his childhood to old age. when the five people go from his early birthdays to his funeral. He meets people who show him that his life was worthwhile. He touched many lives along the way even with strangers. As he meets them, he helps each one bring closure to all questions to their lives. So Eddie finds peace that his life was not only worthwhile but needed for others. After all we all need to be wanted and valuable.

You will enjoy Mitch Albom, once you start reading, you won't be able to put it down. The book is 178 pages and weighs about 9.6 ounces. You can read the book in about 5 to 6 hours.

I found this book quite confusing and didn't get the message the author was trying to get across.My mother gave me this book she loved and gave me a copy to read.She also said I can keep the book. Three months later my mother passed away suddenly or maybe she didn't she not tell us she was very sick to protect her children one final time. I learned later that she gave all her children four including me the same little red book about the same time.
I knew I would read this book with a new perspective especially in the early mourning stage, I was missing her much more than I ever imagine.I re=read the book which is rather short, and as I cried and tears stained the pages I knew that my mother would be one of the 5 people I will meet in heaven because she was always there for us in heaven.
The book has a very direct message . What we do and how we live our lives is our choice, life is short and "live each day like it is your last" you never know when that day will be like the main character Eddie a simple older man, who knew all he would ever be is a man fixing rides in a run down amusement park which is dull and meaningless it seems Eddie is a inspiration to all mankind because he is dedicated to this job and concerned about the safety of all the ride running safely.Ironically, he dies trying to save a life of a little girl who falls out of a defective ride.Death a total surprise was a result of another person not properly doing his job and a ride broke apart iro making sure it was running properly, ironically Eddie died doing the job he loved .
I started to think of anything I did in my past that possibly caused another's death,For every action there is a reaction. Every life is meaningfull and Eddie is a inspirational charactor in this story. We are all equal in the the end no mattter how much money or material things we acquired in life. How we lived our live and how we treated others is the only important things we take with us after we leave this world. Eddie also learns that while we are alive we must resolve personal grudges and let anger go before its to late especially with loved ones. Eddie still has ro face this issue with his father. The point validify love and work out problems with loved ones while you are both alive, death may not give you a chance to finish personal business and that is final we don't get another chance.
The book is rather short , I read it in about 2 hours, a great beach book!
It is great for those who like Sylvia Brown and John Edward's books, like their books this little red book opened up a new way of looking at the world and although my mother is gone she gave us hope giving us this book that maybe one dsy we will meet in heaven.
This book is timeless original Book reminds us one day will die and death may come very when you least expect it.The writing is excellent original and tells a very inspirational story . I read it months ago and I still think about this book almost daily. It has helped me to get out of bed snd to start to living again> My mother is gone but not forgotten,She would sayz"this too shall pass" meaning get on with your life.
This book is to be a bew classic for generations to come. Read this book!!!

"Five People You Meet In Heaven" The story begins at the end of Eddie's life. Eddie is an elderly maintenance that worked almost his intire life at the same amusement park, Eddie is unhappy and feels that his life is meaningless...

Eddie dies while trying to save a little girl from being crushed by a ride in the park. He awakens in heaven where he meets five people whose purpose it is to explain to Eddie the events of his life.
Now its Eddie's job to find closure with every person he meets,
Each character changes Eddie's perspective about life..and for the first time Eddie see things clearly and what really happened...
In his journey Eddie finally finds peace,and discovers that his life wasn't meaningless at all.

I was very impressed with the way Mitch Album succeed once agian to bring an imaginative, creative tale, that inspired and moved
me in so many ways...

The Five People You Meet in Heaven is a novel by Mitch Albom. It recounts the life and death of an old maintenance man named Eddie. After dying in an accident, Eddie finds himself in the five heavens of the five people he will meet in heaven, where he encounters five people who have significantly affected his life, whether he realized at the time or not. Mitch Albom dedicates the book to his uncle Edward Beitchman. He says that he wants people like his uncle who felt unimportant during their lives to realize how much they mattered and how they were loved.