The Five People You Meet in Heaven

Just coming off a recent read of "A Forgotten Man" by J. Pepper Bryars - which touched me deeply - and left me grieving for the 'middle class' in America - at the hands of an out-of-control Government Leviathan - in a very sad sort of way. I found this wonderful story, this simple, touching and inventive view by Mitch Albom - an author - with a vivid imagination - of a fictional heaven - where ones life, their purpose and their interconnection with the world and their fellow human beings is explained to them - through a series of story telling by those (selected by someone else - unexplained - God Maybe) who (known or unknown) were affected by one's life or that affected the main character's life throughout his or her life experiences quite refreshing. Where decisions, actions and/or inaction in various ways along their path made a big difference in that persons adventure, successes and failures. It was like medication for the previous books negative implications. In fact it was restorative, invigorating and solemnly calming for my inner soul. FIVE People You Meet in Heaven touches you at a level that causes one to think "Hmm, so that could have been me on this or that day." Or "wow who would the 5 individuals be in my life?". And about Mid Book you begin pondering, contemplating, questioning yourself and remembering people, events, dates, important occasions, career choices/changes, survival situations and narrow escapes and the like - wondering - whom your list would include. Was it this guy or that guy or this family member or that - or was it that coworker and on and on to infinity about the countless people you have brushed up against in your life. It is delightfully fun to try to go back and come up with a worthy list of names that would make you the person you are today, or find that special event which put you in the situations you were in or are in now, or the position or career you are holding now and on and on. And as this only happens when you die - you being wondering also "How That Might Now Happen To You! And for what reason or purpose?". As I said it is delightfully fun to ponder all these and just 'go with it'. And the negateers and naysayers or those condemning souls who simply trashed this and every book like it have to be those anti-religious bigots or upset by 'everything morally based' or the 'hate the concept of heaven' list or the 'only government is my God' list or some other such nonsense. They have a sort of ingrained Neanderthal-like anti-intellectual problem of negtiavism in the wrong enviornment syndrome sort of thing. This is not a political book or a social engeneering book, it is fiction, fun and challenging your imagination stuff. It is sad that they simply cannot enjoy a fun thought provoking book when they see one. Sad, just sad. This book is pure and simply fun, thought provoking and challenging throughout - I was halfway through the book when asked - what it was about. In attempting to explain it up to that point and only having read about the first three entities and encounters - I found it was easier thought about - than explained and trying to tie it all together without reading it all - made it difficult. I explained my deductions one way. But by the time I finished reading this exceptional book/story and read the last page. I realized I had been snookered by the brilliance of the authors tapestry weaving. And I was caught completely off guard and found the truth at the end was something completely different than what I imagined at the middle of my reading. Which caused me to instantly review mentally the entire story over again - to find where my error was made - at guessing the outcome incorrectly. I found it - and I wonder if others will as well. I loved it. I applaud the author for giving me a great read, an easy read and a spellbinding read and a mental puzzle to ponder that made me keep the book close by - to pick it up whenever I could. Surprisingly I began on a Saturday about noon on a road trip and finished it at my Granddaughters Birthday Party the very next day - so I could pass it on to a friend of the family - who had expressed an interest in it when he saw it on the table next to me. If you look to condemn - I am sure someone can - but I found it intriguing, fascinating and meaningful at a number of levels. Of course the most significant contemplation I had while enjoying this literary ride - was in real life if this were true - there could actually be a dozen or two dozen or scores of people or even more - in every person's life - who significantly affected in some way each of our lives similarly to the characters in this meaningful work. Something think about - no doubt. My congrats to Mr. Albom. JPL

this book beautifully writes the full circle of life. Eddy is a lovable character that as you continue quickly see who clearly is. Lots of flashbacks but very easy to stay engaged and understand overall I really enjoyed it!!

I heard about this book from an English teacher who said it was good. so I gave it a shot and was very happy at what I found. Here are some key aspects of the book: -Readability- there are only 200 pages which I was able to read in a day and a half. this was both due to interest level and ease of reading. There are flashbacks, however they are easily separated through the use of italicized text to avoid confusion. Chapters focus on a single topic therefore they allow the reader to focus on only one element. Overall not a difficult read and it was certainly an enjoyable one. -Plot- As you can probably conclude from the title the main plot line is the main character (Eddie) making his way through 5 people from his life, However the way these people were chosen and why he meets them is amazing to read about and creates some deep thoughts about life for myself. All but one of the characters are completely unexpected and add another dimension to Eddie. In addition to this plotline there is also one about Eddie's life on earth and some other sub plots including life after his death. in conclusion it is a great plot that is unexpected and entertaining. -cons- the only bad thing I can say is that I wish there was more. I wanted to know more about many aspects of the book. I feel like another 20-50 pages would have been nice. but it leaves a little room for imagination in the reader. conclusion: I would recommend this book to many people of all walks of life. contrary to what you might believe it is very minimally about anything Biblical. It was fun to read and hard to put down.

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.

I usually read reviews before purchasing a book to prepare myself for the journey ahead. But though I thought I was ready for this story, I wasn't prepared for how closely it would resemble my own life. It has been a very long time since a piece of literature has touched my soul with such intensity. As I walked alongside Eddie through his journey, I found myself navigating the five lessons that define a life well-lived: • Connectivity: I realized that there are no random acts; we are all tied together, and our lives intersect in ways we may never understand in the moment. • Sacrifice: The book beautifully illustrated that sacrifice is not a loss, but a passing of a baton—a necessary part of the human experience. • Forgiveness: I felt the weight of my own past as I read about the necessity of letting go of anger, for "holding onto it is like a poison." • Love: I was reminded that love does not end with death; it simply takes a different form, remaining a powerful, living presence. • Meaning: Finally, the lesson of purpose hit home—the realization that every life has a place and every person serves a vital role in the world, no matter how "ordinary" they feel. I have spent hours reflecting on my own history, wondering which five people I might meet one day to help make sense of my path. This book didn't just tell a story; it provided a roadmap for my own healing. I hope someday to find the same peace and love within myself that I found within these pages.

The five people you meet in heaven is by Mitch Albom. It is so interesting that I had to finish reading it even if it meant staying up late. Mitch writes in a profound way about what heaven is. It certainly isn’t what most people think. I found it quite interesting. The book is really good. Eddie was the maintenance man at Ruby Pier amusement park for almost all his life. He did join the army and spent time in the Phillipines and then worked elsewhere for a while after marrying his only love Margurite. After his father’s death, he moved back to the building he lived in as a child to take care of his mother. He stayed in that apartment until his death. Eddie was well known to all of the children who came regularly to the park. He would ride with them to check out rides, talk with them, make pipe cleaner animals for them, and listen and watch for any problems that might arise with the rides. He never wanted a ride to go wrong and cause someone to get hurt or die. However, one ride did go wrong and two of his younger men managed to get the people out of the car; but it came loose when they tried to restart it, a steel cable broke. Eddie tried to tell them not to start it; but they couldn’t hear him. He yelled for everyone to get back, which they did, except for a little girl he had met earlier. He dropped his cane and tried to reach the little girl but his leg gave out and he fell. He felt her hands holding his and then nothing. Eddie died. The rest of the book tells about the five people he meets in heaven. Each played a part in his life or he in theirs. They were there to teach him a lesson and to send him on to the next person. Eddie’s life is revealed while talking to these five people. The lessons they impart are lessons everyone should consider in their own lives. One thing that Eddie is taught is that everyone’s life in intertwined with many others, even those you may not know or who have lived long before you. They are all intertwined. One question he asks throughout the book is “Did the little girl die too?”

The story is interesting - about a man who finds understanding and closure for many of the big questions of his life. It is well written, and a very easy read. What I really liked about the book was that it presents a novel idea, and makes you reflect on your own life and the loved ones in your life. That said, the main character "Eddie" is someone I can't really connect with. He's presented as an "All American Boy" who loves his friends and family, is strong and good at Baseball. If he inadvertently kills someone here or where, no big deal, and excuses are readily presented (seriously? wtf?). He's also largely void of ambition and would have been a better role model 200 years ago than today. The other criticism is simply the quality of the book. It has "deckled edges", as these are apparently called. Some may like it, but I found it mainly annoying.

Makes one think about heaven and how their time is spent here on Earth Worth a read definitely!! Great story