The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom

from goodreads

5 stars

I am going through a bit of a reading frustration this week. I read one book that totally hit me at just the right time. I read it in a day, staying up to the wee hours of the morning to finish it. I usually don't do that as I have kids to look after in the morning but I could not put it down. It was a light enjoyable read. Now I have descended from that reading high and finding it hard to settle down into my next literary conquest.

Does that ever happen to you? You read a book that has fit into your life so well and then when you try to move on every other book is kind of a let down? Hopefully this phase will be over soon and I will find a book that I can fall right into. Until then I will just have to keep persevering.

Synopsis

Eddie is an old lonely man who feels he has had a wasted life. When he dies in an accident Eddie arrives in Heaven where he encounters five different people who help him see his life in a new light.

My Thoughts

I really enjoyed this book.

While Albom's version of heaven isn't exactly how I picture it, it does make you think about what it will be like. Perhaps this isn't too far off.

I like the idea of being able to get a chance to see how our lives have affected others, hopefully positively. Sometimes I think we all feel that our lives have been wasted or we have failed in someway. But, when we actually stop to think of friends, teachers and family that surround us we realize that our sphere of influence is greater than we think. A simple or boring life does not mean that life has been a failure.

I like how Albom shows he interconnectedness of us all. It was interesting to see how certain parts or problems of Eddie's life all seemed to be connected somehow. Coincidence? I don't know.

I think the take away from this is that sometimes the everyday mundane things we do have the most impact on others. We are greater than what we think. No life is a wasted life. We are all of value.

If you haven't read this book before I urge you too. If you are looking for a great pick me up this is the book for you.