The Five People You Meet in Heaven Reviews

• Why is there a love/hate thing going on with this book?

  
  By A35UNON2GI8C0R on 2003-10-18
  In my mind, "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" is a fine book. Regard it as a fable of what might happen to some of us after we're dead.
  
  People have argued that it's too sentimental -- and riddled with more cliches than what's found in director Frank Capra's filmography.
  
  But its structure -- as a book -- is marvelous. "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" moves quickly and is never dull. I believe it's the kind of title that will never go out of print. And yet it will forever polarize readers.
  
  I think it's too easy for intellectual snobs to scoff at works like "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" -- excluding or denigrating all that's mainstream and "popular," as if the unwashed masses who made this book a success are all wrong -- and they themselves are clear-headed and right.
  
  Just ignore them. "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" is for you if you find thick and weighty titles a little daunting after a while. It's the perfect "break," a refreshing change of pace for a guy like me who's used to reading so many books that feel like work -- filled with depressing themes or mind-numbing sentences -- determined to impress critics or juries who give out prizes.
  
  "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" cuts through all that and gets straight to the point in fewer pages. It's not designed to please snobby critics who are always suspicious of commercial success. And in my view, it's mean-spirited to read reviewers accusing Mitch Albom of "selling out" -- when it's obvious that he's tapped into something that resonates and brings optimism to many people who might otherwise avoid books.
  
  "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" is a great response to fashionable pessimism among wine-and-cheese intellectuals. This book isn't Hemingway. So what? As I raced through its pages, I began thinking to myself, "gee, the content is good and the writing is solid -- why can't more books be as effortless to read like this?"
  
  Reading so many books over so many decades, I was still blind-sided by what is revealed on the last page. (Don't cheat -- it has no text -- but it's a doozy.) Only a person with a heart of stone will feel nothing after he or she sees that last page.
  
  However simplistic, I won't fault Albom for knocking out something aimed straight from his heart to mine, even if he doesn't always connect. "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" refuses to be dismissed and its fans will always outnumber its critics. And this is a great thing, you know, people arguing the merits of ANY book.
  
  In sum, "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" is on my list of "guilty pleasures." But in truth, I don't feel guilty. And you shouldn't either.
  
  

• A true and compelling study of the meaning of life

  
  By A3BFGHXY7T2AZ3 on 2003-11-15
  Without going into the set-up of the story (which you can find in other reviews), I'll simply say this amazing little book is on my Christmas shopping list for those that are the dearest to my heart. This is a book I want to share with everyone! Not to scare anyone away from it -- by the end of this story, I was a sobbing mess! The first four of Eddie's people give little pieces of the puzzle, profound little tidbits to help him understand more about the events in his life. But his "fifth person" reveals Eddie's true purpose in life, a life that Eddie felt was a "nothing existence" on Earth. He learns from his fifth person that his life was an incredibly important piece of the tapestry of life's experience here -- one that meant more to people than he could ever have dreamed. A truly inspiring piece of American literature that EVERYONE should read!!
  
  

• I couldn't put this book down.

  
  By A9U2O66XX6COA on 2004-04-07
  I just got this book today when someone recommended it to me and when I started reading it I couldn't put it down. I skipped dinner and didn't do my homework but it was just that good. It leaves you wondering if you ever made a difference in someone's life here on earth. Then it makes you wonder who the five people you will meet in heaven are. This book was truly inspirational. It makes you want to go out into the world and try and make as big as impact on people's lives. I recommend anyone to read this book whether you believe in heaven or not. It's an absolutely amazing book.
  
  

• No thank you

  
  By A2Q3GRQ2X28YPZ on 2003-09-25
  What is this book? I can tell you what it is not: it is not original. It is not compelling. It is not reasonably priced. It is not intelligent. It is not wise.

  Wait: it is preachy. That's what it is.

  Read at your own risk.
  
  

• If that's heaven, I'm staying here.

  
  By on 2004-01-18
  Sorry, nine million satisfied readers, but in my opinion, this book is absolute junk. The opening section of the novel, in which Albom describes Eddie's last day on earth, is beautifully told and rings absolutely true. But when Eddie dies and is taken to heaven, the book turns deadly. Is there anyone on this earth who does not already know that his life has been changed by other people in ways he cannot begin to know? But this is the great revelation of The Five People You Meet in Heaven. If you are the kind of person who will be astonished to learn that your life was spared, sometimes deliberately, sometimes inadvertently, sometimes accidentally, by someone who did something you never suspected--for instance (and believe me, this is melodrama of the lowest order)by someone who kept you alive shooting you in the leg--then this book will be a revelation to you. If you believe that certain events in your life which were always inexplicable can somehow have their motives made clear to you and that these clarifications will shine a great light and in turn reconcile you to life's tragedies, bringing you to a kind of heaven of the mind--and in this book, it takes people already dead and in heaven to do it--then you will be greatly comforted. I found the entire book preposterous, sentimental and as deep as a sheet of paper. Everyone in this book is so busy saving everyone else that it astonishing that anyone ever has to suffer. Five Days is formulaic in the extreme, a kind of dime store version of Thornton Wilder The Bride of San Luis Rey (an infinitely better book). Nice to know, though, that Eddie occasionally did something wrong; he's responsible for one of his wife's great tragedies. Cliched, sentimental and downright silly--I can't understand what the fuss is about, but then I keep wanting a book to add something to what I already know.
  
  
• Another life-defining book from Mitch Albom
  By A3DT7E44JHMH94 on 2003-10-20
  To tell the truth, after reading Tuesdays with Morrie from Mitch Albom, I did have high expectations for this follow-up.
  And I must say that my expectations were more than surpassed by another winner from him.
  The interweaving of Eddie "Maintenance"'s various aspects of life from his childhood, teenage years, courtship, military service, marriage, middle age to old age and finally the beginning of his journey through heaven was beautifully and intricately spun in this short tale.
  The poetic descriptions of the various "steps" in heaven that Eddie traversed through in search for inner peace before his final resting destination and the 5 lessons he had to learnt brought to mind the eternal existentialistic questions of why we are here and what our life purpose is, in a quiet and non-intrusive manner. So much so that we can be prompted to examine our own lives more sympathetically.
  The message I got from Mitch Albom at the end was that Eddie could have been anyone of us and that we do not need to wait for our turn to meet our five people in heaven to recognise that whatever we are doing now has meaning and has purpose in wonderful and beautiful ways and that we should never allow ourselves to belittle our lives.
  Not quite the tearjerker as Tuesdays but Five People has certainly touched my heart and a few others in more ways than one. I hope that you will allow this beautiful book to touch yours too.
  Kudos to Mitch Albom and a big thank you to his uncle Eddie for being the source of inspiration for this would-be classic.
  God bless
  
  
• Sorely Disappointed To Say the Least
  By A2Q4BMLCC0RYKR on 2003-10-15
  I loved Tuesdays With Morrie but this thing was the worst book Ive paid money for in years. Disappointed? Putting it mildly. Just poorly written and confusing. Tried and tried to get something from this and finally gave up. I have a home library of 2000+ books and I left this in the motel. Hate to be this negative but what a bad book.
  
  
• This vet resents this book
  By on 2003-09-25
  I am a veteran and I resent this book. It's supposed to be about this guy who's taken prisoner on some Phillipine island. I was in the south pacific, buddy, and the Japanese didn't do it that way. They took a lot of prisoners on the Phillipines when the war started but they all surrendered in mass. After that, no Japanese soldier sneaked in and put a rifle to your head and took you prisoner. They just shot you. They hated prisoners. So right there, I knew this books hadn't been researched very well. I was told it would make me feel better that my wife is in heaven. Well, my wife would tell those five people where to go and it wouldn't be in heaven, I can tell you. I'd just soon watch Touched by an Angel. At least, I know that show is just trying to get me to buy something. Let me save you the price of the book and tell you what it says. When you die, you go to heaven and people will tell you what a neat guy you were and it's all OK. Are you buying that? And it's supposed to make me feel better that this writer made up this story? Like he knows? He don't know. Nobody knows. Me, I hope to see some of my buddies there and have a beer while our wives roll their eyes at us old cranky guys.
  
  
• A delightful, moving fable.
  By A32DBM8J4MFJTV on 2003-10-05
  Mitch Albom as taken the experiences of a man's seemingly useless life, and unwrapped a story that is a gift to each of us.
  His use of the language, and ability to evoke real emotions from his character AND his reader at the same time is truly amazing.
  I found this to be a fairly quick read, and read it in one 4 hour sitting. The Author tugs at hearstrings, provokes thought and smiles as the main character sometimes fumbles his way through a timeless heaven, discovering that in the end, his life had more meaning than he could ever imagine.

  Mitch Albom is going to solidify his status as a national treasure with this book.
  Give this book to everyone on your Christmas list!
  
  

• Amazing! Amazing! Amazing!
  By A1QO58039EA1IS on 2003-09-24
  I would highly recommend this book to anyone searching for a beautiful, life-affirming way to spend an afternoon. Mr. Albom has written a book that is a cut above and well worth your time. I could not put this book down!
  
  
• God-awful
  By on 2003-10-05
  Bad writing and worse thinking. Sentimental, insipid, insulting, cliched. So the point of heaven is to make you feel good about yourself? Like, that's the important thing, that Eddie have strong self-esteem? What about God? What about the soul? What about other people? Nope, this is a book where Eddie dies and goes to heaven for a New Age pep talk. Could appeal only to people who think that how they FEEL is the most important thing in the universe.
  
  
• The Five People You Meet In Heaven
  By on 2003-12-02
  This hearty little 200-page book provokes the everlasting question, "What happens when you die?" to rise to familiarity among our thoughts once again. I have wondered where Mr. Albom was inspired to write a story such as this; with such intensity as was shown.
  The story tells of an old man, named Eddie, who dies trying to save a little girl from a falling ferris-wheel cart at a carnival. Eddie goes to heaven, and with the help of five seemingly non-impacting people, he relives his life, point by life-altering point and he begins to understand why he lived and what his purpose on earth was.
  With Mr. Albom's unique flashback technique of writing, this story comes alive within the imagination of it's readers.
  A wonderful and deeply intense book and I recommend it to individuals who have read and loved Mr. Albom's previous book, Tuesday's With Morrie.
  Many will learn to love and appreciate this book and I hope that reading this review will persuade YOU to read it as well.

  Thank You ... and Congratulations, Mr. Albom for writing a wonderful book.
  
  

• Author over-rated
  By on 2004-03-14
  I must admit that I read this book because of its sales rank, and also because I read the author's another book, "Tuesdays with Morrie." I read "Tuesdays with Morrie," because of its sales rank, and its overall favorable reviews, and because a very close friend of mine read it. My impression: both books and the author are way over-rated.

  I more or less agree with another reviewer, Dr J E Robinson's view that this is an either you love it and you may even cry while reading it type of book, or you may, just like me, have no feeling/reaction to it. First, I don't find the author a good story teller. Obviously, he tried hard to be one, but in my opinion, he failed. This book can be written in half its length without losing anything except some revenues, as the book is much shorter. Second, the whole story reflects only the author's view/interpretation/inspiration of what life is about. And I find some of his views quite shallow.

  My guess is, for those who are really really touched by this book, probably they might have shared one or some experience of the story's character, Eddie's. Overall, I can believe that this story is written by a college freshman as a term paper.
  
  

• Simply poor
  By AYE0053R5VBQD on 2003-09-24
  Mr. Album has written a story that my teen-aged daughter would be ashamed to turn into English Composition class. This book is simplistic, poorly conceived, mindless, and trite. I think maybe the wisdom in "Morrie" was clearly and entirely "Morrie's" and Mr. Albom, apparently not much of a writer based on this hackneyed attempt, was a very lucky man to have been there to record Morrie's thoughts. I strongly recommend skipping this one unless you like to be bored pretty much out of your mind. I couldn't take it, even though it's a short book. I'll say one thing though. Hype obviously sells books. That's the only thing that must be selling this awful work. We shouldn't reward Mr. Albom for this. Let him write something good, then buy it but not before.
  
  
• One of the people you'll meet in heaven is a hack
  By on 2003-09-29
  This is a hacked out piece of garbage, completely unoriginal, poorly written, monumentally boring and insulting to readers in a manipulative, almost devious way. It's also a major disappointment to someone who LOVED Tuesdays With Morrie. Mitch Albom can do so much better... right?

  If this manuscript was submitted to a writing teacher, it would get sent back, marked up with lots of red ink and comments in the margins that would go something like this: HUH??? WHAT??? PATHETIC WRITING! WHO ARE YOU TRYING TO FOOL WITH THIS TRIPE???

  If one of the people we all get to meet in heaven is a hack writer, don't be surprised if his name is Mitch Albom.

  I hope one of the people I'll get to meet in heaven will be a gullible book buyer who will pay full cover price for this sad little volume of cliches!
  
  

• SANCTIMONIOUS DRECK
  By A3SIENB954UOMH on 2003-12-22
  We'll never know, but I believe that if Mitch Albom had not just written the appealing "Tuesdays with Morrie", this book either would not have been deemed worthy of publishing or would have sunk like a stone.

  Why do I say that? Let me count the ways:

  1) It's BORING. The main character does not engage my interest. Even his love story and his war experiences are unexciting.

  2) The writing is BAD. Physical descriptions seem arbitrary and superimposed on the story. The language is clunky. The sentences don't flow. I have nothing against sports writers--I read the sports pages first every day--but this fish is way out of water.

  3) The message of the book is the OPPOSITE OF INSPIRING. It encourages people not to change, not to stretch or grow. It seeks to reassure people that even if they live out their status quo, it's all right. They can reconcile in the afterlife their self-defeating choices, their despair, their sense of defeat, their surrender of life. The intellectul thrust of the book, like some anti-Nike, is: JUST DON'T DO IT! That is, don't worry, it's okay, it'll all work out. There's no need to struggle or work on yourself or change. It's okay to stay miserable. All I can say to that is: UGH!

  The success of this book tells me that a lot of people appreciate the consolation it offers for self-defeating life choices. I may be out of step with that current. So be it. Unlike Albom, my hope for humankind is that we all do not go softly into the night.
  
  

• ONE MAN'S VIEW OF WHAT MIGHT BE
  By on 2003-12-24
  Great literature invariably draws the reader in and invites him to think, to make comparisons between what he is reading and how it compares to ones own life and thoughts, to weigh in on whether there is agreement or disagreement. Story telling, on the other hand may be as simple as watching the latest brainless sitcom on television.

  So where does "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" by Mitch Albom fall out? After reading the book my opinion--and obviously opinion is as different as fingerprints--is that Albom's book firmly fits the former and not the latter.

  The book tells the story of a good man who lives a full life but doesn't know it. He feels shortchanged and, following his death, wonders what it all might of meant. The five people he meets help him to accept life as it was and to find some closure for the future. Some of the five are individuals he remembers some are mere phantoms that passed by without leaving much of an impression on him--or so he believes. Each teaches a lesson (and, yes, each lesson has applicability to every life) and clarifies how his interaction impacted life.

  I hesitate to say more because Albom's book is written in such a way as to make it an entirely different statement and experience for each reader. My memories, feelings and experience are markedly different from yours and Albom's story struck chords with me that simply won't be the same for you.

  Don't try to compare this one to "A Christmas Carol" (there is no opportunity here as Scrooge had to go back and make amends). Don't compare it to "It's a wonderful Life" (this really isn't a story about how a life made life wonderful for his peers). Some have compared it to Homer's Odyssey. This is a stretch because, again, our hero here is not trying to get back to his former life.

  Instead Albom, I believe, in "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" makes a simple statement: one life touches so many others, both known and unknown, in a variety of ways. Often we like to think that we are alone here and that an action today has no impact on anyone else. Instead Albom poses questions about how a boy's simple act of retrieving a ball from the street might result in an ultimate consequence for an unknown passer by.

  I did not find Albom's book to be preachy in any sense. Instead the author seems to simply state that a life lived has its wonders and consequences and when it's over it's over. Or is it? "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" does offer the interesting scenario of a newcomer becoming a player in the unfolding drama of Heaven's next arrival.

  Don't look for answers about what Heaven might actually be. I don't think Albom in his work was trying to offer anything new to the established canon of accepted Christian scripture. Rather enjoy a very interesting story about one man's view of what might be. And if you're not interested in a thoughtful, introspective ride, there's always Seinfeld reruns.

  Douglas McAllister
  
  

• Author SCREAMS to be picked up as a movie of the week
  By A2B6RFV05M7LAQ on 2004-07-10
  I'll admit, the book is very simplistic. It was recommended to me, and was a quick read, so I picked it up. I read it in a day. I gave it 3 stars to keep from giving it 2 (one star I granted because, being that it isn't my kind of book, it wouldn't be fair to criticize what I wasn't anticipating). I guess, to me, it seemed the ideal choice for "Oprah's Book Club." Given that she had a field day with "Tuedays With Maurie," I guess I couldn't get that out of my head when I was reading "Five People." To me, it just screamed to be picked up as a screen play or a movie of the week. Which is fine--they're authors. That's how they make their dough, in some cases...but, to my mind, it just seemed very commercial. It's very uplifting, it's very feel-good, and it might make some people think. I'll admit, I didn't know quite where it was going--but, I can also say that a lot of it was predictable. Bottom line, if you're lying on a beach and don't want to think too much--this is perfect. If you're like me, and don't see the world through rose colored glasses 24/7, then, you might find it a little too fluffy to digest.
  
  
• It makes you think about your life .......
  By on 2003-09-26
  I enjoyed this book. It does jump around. But I like that way it is set up that way. It starts on the day that Eddie dies. It tells every hour what is occuring to lead up to his death. Then his death happens and he ends up in heaven. But he doesn't know the first person and what meeting this person means to him. But later as he talks to this person, he understands more. Then it goes back into his life to a much earlier birthday and what was occuring then. You get a view of Eddies life from beginning to end. The book continues this way throughout the book. Each person he meets lets you understand the meaning of your life too. How we all mean something to each other and how we all touch each other's life without even realizing it. Read the book, I don't think you'll be disappointed. It's not Tuesday's With Morrie. But it's short and to the point.
  
  
• sorrowful
  By A1EJZAM0EZE7HK on 2003-11-04
  I dislike Mitch for the fact that he came to Atlanta a couple of years ago to promote his "shallow" book on "Tuesday With..."

  I have a sister with Lou Gehrig's disease -in her 14th year. So Mitch comes to Atlanta to give a talk on the "Tuesday" book and my sister had bought a copy, the family and friends bought one and so many other ALS patients had as well.. So the HUGE effort it takes to get an ALS person to such an event was a big deal. The dinner sucked for "it" was a dinner for the average "joe" who could swallow normally. FEW people understand the ALS suffering.... And Mitch did little to communicate that idea... I sat there and listened to his "self-grandiosity" and was repulsed. "His" visit was all "about his trite little expereience with ALS" and not about the huge amount of work that it takes to keep an ALS person comfortable for seven days a week, twenty four hours a day....

  The final "straw" about my loathing for his self-aggrandizement was when the 8-10 ALS people all had their books, wanting an autograph. Waiting for Mitch to show up at their table, David Jayne, my sister, Susan and others and then, after his farewell, he left the building without even going over to the table of the people with ALS... I have no respect for this "sportscaster". NONE! He is a "user" of a circumstance and "got lucky" with the opportunity...

  He should really be ashamed of himself and will ultimately have his own struggle to deal with..... Deal with his "greed" for his "message is of Ego".

  14 years I have lived with ALS.... Mitch has no clue.... Read my notes of four years and he might "grow up"....

  Sincerely,

  Kevin Duffy
  
  

• There should be a 'no star' rating
  By on 2003-12-08
  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!
  
  

• Vivid Imagery.
  By A1IHT31N8RLPN8 on 2007-01-11
  This is not about atheism or New age pop psychology. It is a novel, period. Mr. Albom shows that life is not as short or shallow as we think. The connections between people have more depth than we recognize on the surface. Although this book is cut from a different genre, it reminded me of Charles Dickens "A Christmas Carol." Eddie, a once wounded WW2 veteran is now 83 years old. He feels that his life has been dank & uninspiring. He dies in a tragic accident saving a little girl. He soon meets 5 souls, some he knows, others not.
  
  From childhood to old age they show him his life, revealing a haunting secret behind his anguished question. "Why was I here?" This was a quick & entertaining slide show of very different characters. It made you want to have the author delve deeper into the five souls so you could feel their experiences as much as we felt Eddie's. Nonetheless, it was a great read.
  
  
• Certainly not "Wednesdays With Morrie"
  By A4ITSUQTV4QU4 on 2003-09-28
  I'm almost embarassed by how much I liked this book. And I'll be the first one to admit that it is not for everyone.
  Albom has followed up the classic "Tuesday's With Morrie" with a parable about faith, and the impact we have on other's lives. It's part "It's A Wonderful Life" part Greek myth, and part Don Miguel Rios.
  A very short story to begin with, Albom's use of language is so crafty that you don't realize how quickly the story of Eddie's final moments and encounters goes by...until you realize that you want more. And if you are moved by this book, you'll be thinking of your own "5 People" for many days after completion.
  To say much more would give away the joy of finding out what is so special about each of our own "5". Suffice it to say that if spiritual based, new-age leaning, life affirming literature is your cup of tea, you're going to love this story.
  
  
• Cool Whip
  By on 2003-09-29
  An interesting idea although not very well presented. This book is more like the second or third draft of a possibly good book, both in substance and style. I was disappointed because I felt that it could have been so much better. It's the Cool Whip on top of a banana pudding: light, fluffy but you need to get to the pudding before you really enjoy it.
  
  
• Five people you meet in heaven is a must read for all.
  By on 2004-04-19
  I will be brief. This book is outstanding. Everyone should read this book, regardless of their religious background. The message is universal, simple, yet astonishingly profound. I am of the opinion that this book should never take up space on a bookshelf, it should be forever in motion, from one person to the next untill it is in tatters. If you havent read this book, read it. If you own this book give it away to a dear friend with instructions to do the same.
  
  
• (4 1/2) Mitch Albom As The Modern Day John Donne
  By AVGGEAI1YGSAP on 2003-10-02
  The reviews to date validate my reaction to this book - that you will probably love it or hate it. Forty-five people have written a review, almost exactly divided between high praise and complete scorn. Twenty-two five star ratings, a single four star rating, a single three star rating, six did not indicate complete disdain with a two star rating, and the remaining fifteen rated it one star. I rated it five stars for three reasons, first I really enjoyed it - both the content and the style. Second, I thought that the author's technique and its implementation were interesting. Third, I concluded that the author accomplished his apparent goals exceptionally well. The goal of this review is to provide enough information for potential readers of Albom's allegory to decide whether it is the sort of book that they might enjoy and from which they might derive insight; THIS DEFINITELY IS NOT A BOOK FOR EVERYONE.

  This is literally and nominally the story of Eddie, an 83 year old maintenance man who we meet on the birthday on which he dies in a tragic accident at Ruby Pier, the amusement park where he spent most of his life and where his father had worked before him. But it is also an allegory about what it means to be a human being and our search for meaning in our lives. The story literally starts at "The End", with the first section being a description of the moments before Eddie's death , which occurs as he tries to save a little girl who is about to be crushed by a falling cart that has come lose from one of the rides. The remainder of the book consists of flashbacks to various birthdays as mileposts in Eddie's life and a few brief intrusions of the present as life proceeds for Eddie's coworker Dominguez, but it primarily involves the journey which Eddie begins as he enters heaven. This journey involves THE FIVE PEOPLE YOU MEET IN HEAVEN, each of whom has played a meaningful role in his life (perhaps unbeknownst to him), and each of whom has chosen to wait for him to join them in heaven in order to help him understand his earthly path. The experience of each person contains a lesson for Eddie, and the cumulative impact is to help him put his life in a context that is far different from that which he perceived during his day to day existence. As one of them tells him, heaven is so you can finally understand the past, "to make sense of your yesterdays". The story is well told, logically consistent, and arrives at a very powerful and unexpected conclusion. It contains moments of humor but is primarily bittersweet, since Eddie views himself as having lived a life of missed opportunities, lost love, and little consequence.

  One point of the story is that what appear to be simple situations often mask profound truths and unexpected complexity. The author manages to combine the same elements of seeming simplicity and complexity within this story. The simple language employed is yet perfectly evocative of the possibilities of heaven juxtaposed against the often mundane realities of life. Indeed, many of the diverse aspects of life are touched upon including the effect of war not only on the participants but on the noncombatants as well, parental love and expectations for their children and the meaning of friendship and the role of duty in our lives. Thus if you are interested in an allegorical tale utilizing Eddie Maintenance (the name on his work shirt and adopted by the kids who enjoyed the rides at Ruby Pier) as the means to think about life's meaning, our relationship to God, and ourrole here on Earth, I highly recommend this book. My advice would be to savor it, rather than rush through it. It is only 196 small pages of relatively large type and can be read at a single sitting, but that would not do it justice. I found that I actually enjoyed it more because I had to occasionally put it away for a while to get other tasks accomplished; then I could come back and get reacquainted with Eddie as he proceeded on his journey. Of course, one advantage of the book being so short is that if you do not enjoy it as much as I did you haven't wasted much time.

  Tucker Andersen
  
  

• The best book of 2003
  By AX54G5AL870Q8 on 2003-12-18
  THE FIVE PEOPLE YOU MEET IN HEAVEN by Mitch Albom

  Such a small book but what a big message it sends to the reader. THE FIVE PEOPLE YOU MEET IN HEAVEN by Mitch Albom is the follow up novel to his very popular TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE. Both have similar themes - living and dying - but HEAVEN takes on a different approach.

  The book starts right off with the reader knowing that Eddie is about to die. He's a simple man, worked nearly his entire life for the beachside amusement park called Ruby's Pier, and spent his time maintaining all the rides at this park. He's in his 80's, lives alone and has lived alone for quite a long time. He talks about his dearly beloved Marguerite, but his co-workers have never met her. Basically, outside of the children that come to the pier and his coworkers, Eddie is alone in the world.

  Eddie's life flashes before our eyes, the years rolling by as we see him "celebrating" one birthday after another. These birthday scenes are significant, showing us what Eddie's life was all about, from the time he was five years old, till many years later in his old age. At the same time, we also watch his death, how his co-workers react to it, and the preparations that take place for the funeral.

  The third story line is what happens after Eddie dies. He is taken to what he thinks is heaven, and before he can "pass", he is to meet five people that he made some important difference in their lives. He doesn't even know some of these people. But as their stories unfold, Eddie finds out why they were chosen to be his five people, how he touched their lives, and yet he cannot see why his life was so important, to them or to anyone. Not until he meets that last person, the fifth person in heaven.

  For that is how Eddie lived his life. He feels that his life was unimportant; that it meant nothing whatsoever to anyone. He feels his life was a waste and that he probably wishes he had done things differently.

  Without giving much of the story away (for this is a very short book), the moral of THE FIVE PEOPLE YOU MEET IN HEAVEN is this, and Albom did an excellent job at getting to this point: NO person is unimportant on this earth. We are all here for a reason, for a purpose, even though it may be so small that it is hard to see. In Albom's heaven, every person who has died meets their five people, and through these five people, they learn the significance of their lives on earth. Even Eddie learns the meaning of his life, and it is far more significant than he could ever have imagined.

  It is needless for me to say that I am going to probably give THE FIVE PEOPLE YOU MEET IN HEAVEN the number one spot for books read in 2003. It has an important message for all of us, and was written in such a way that it should make a big impact on anyone that reads the book and understands the message. Mitch Albom once again has written a classic, and it will be enjoyed by many for years to come.
  
  

• So disappointed
  By A1WHB12E6JZA0L on 2004-07-15
  I did a lot of research before buying this book. This was on the NY Times best-seller list, and I read about 20 reviews from amazon.com before purchasing. I had heard great reviews about this book and Tuesdays with Morrie. I am a girl who enjoys a great heart-warming and touching book. However, I found myself literally rolling my eyes while reading this book! It was incredibly corny and what would be called a typical "chick's book". I suppose the only reason that Tuesdays with Morrie was a lot better was because it's supposed to be a true story. Although this is based on a true character, the storyline is a bit far-fetched. Sorry, but this is a no-go for me.
  
  
• More Like Purgatory
  By AVPNL1R2YWT3X on 2005-02-22
  After a long day I was standing in a bookstore in the Atlanta Airport staring at this slim novel, which as of this writing is in its seventeenth printing, after spending forever on the best seller list. So I relented, parted with $19.95 plus tax, and boarded my plane.
  
  The good news is I finished the book before the plane landed. The better news is they were serving adult beverages, without which I could never have muddled through this one.
  
  Basically its about a guy who works maitenance at an old fashioned boardwalk amusement park for his entire life. After some heavy handed foreshadowing, he dies, thinking he has lead a
  totally useless existence. Then, in the afterlife he meets five people who set out to convince him otherwise. Three of them knew him, one didnt, and the fifth, was someone he believed had been a mirage. Shock of shocks, after he concludes these conversations, he realizes his life may have had meaning after all. This gets him ready for the next stage of the afterlife, which has to be more heavenly than the pain he experiences in the pages of this book.
  
  This effort, Albom's first book after the deadly "Tuesdays With Morrie," gives the term "trite" a bad connotation. If you think of a blending of "Tuesdays..," "The Greatest Generation," and sprinkle it with three cups of saccharine, you will get some clue about this insipid, unoriginal opus. Mercifully, it is short. Now if I can only find someone dumb enough to give it to.
  
  
• Reassuring Mush about a Pointless Purgatory
  By A30CXBWNJ83TUG on 2006-04-18
  I read this because it was strongly urged upon my by a friend. It was a quick and painless read, but a waste of time. I will try to avoid spoilers.
  
  It is about a saintly old codger named Eddie, who in the opening chapter dies heroically at the age of 83 attempting to save a child's life. (This, BTW, is exactly how I would like to die -- heroically, at the age of 83). He finds himself in a sort of afterlife, where he must meet five former mortals (all in some way connected to his earthly life) who will explain his past life to him, so that he can understand it better. Evidently, this routine of the five-explainers is something that every departed soul must endure (hence the title seemingly addressed to the generic reader), but it is a different five for everyone. Why it should always be five -- no more and no less --is apparently just an arbitrary decision of the author.
  
  These five heavenly explainers serve as a framing device through wich the author tells us the story of Eddie's life, while still incorporating elements of Eddie's story that Eddie could not have known while alive. The revelations are often painful to Eddie. But apart from its usefulness as a non-linear storytelling device, it is hard to see the point of the purgatory that Eddie must endure, or of the phony wisdom that the explainers occasionally expound.
  
  The overall lesson and theme is that everything is connected, and (in particular) that there were connections in Eddie's life that he was unaware of while alive. He learns, for instance, that his acts have, unbeknownst to him, caused tragedy for others, and that certain of his own fortunes and misfortunes were inextricably connected to each other. (Such latter revelations apparently make it easier for him to accept his misfortunes, but why it should matter now that he has reached the afterlife and his misfortunes are history is unclear). But the author states this connectedness lesson so broadly that it rings false. It may be true, ultimately, that all things are connected. But the universe is a vast and complex place, and (except by coincidence) everything cannot be connected in a way that a mere mortal will find meaningful.
  
  Although the goal of Eddie's purgatory is a sort of enlightenment for Eddie, it does not seem to involve or require any kind of moral growth. As far as we can tell, Eddie never seems to actually done anything that the author regards as immoral. Eddie seemingly is not required to repent of anything, merely to understand. Even the tragedies Eddie learns he has unwittingly caused were not caused by any wrongdoing by Eddie, or, if his behavior was immoral, the author fails to make this clear or explain the moral rules on which his judgment was based. Indeed, it seemed to me rather unjust of these explainers to cause Eddie emotional pain by confronting him with tragedies he accidentally "caused" in the course of behavior that was not inherently wrong, and of which he is unaware until now. So even to the extent that they do inflict repentance and remorse on him (if that is the point) they are applying a skewed moral code in which right and wrong are judged on the basis of twists of fate and accidental consequences.
  
  Although Eddie seems quite the saint and martyr, as far as we can tell, this has nothing to do with his arrival in Heaven. The author heavily implies that happened to him will happen to us all. Five people will explain things to us, we will then understand why our miserable lives had to be the way they were, then (apparently) we will find eternal happiness. This is very reassuring fantasy, and perhaps explains the books popularity. But it is not morally challenging, and it is not deep.
  
  On the other hand, as relates to this life, the message seems potentially depressing and fatalistic. The moral can be read as "be satisfied with all your miseries, because they are a secret punishment for misdeeds you don't even know about."
  
  If you want a far more insightful and morally relevant purgatory-explain-your-life tale (though one which literally takes place on Earth) try TIL WE HAVE FACES by CS Lewis.
  
  

• For One More Day
• Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson
• The Five People You Meet in Heaven
• Tuesdays with Morrie
• The Secret Life of Bees