One of my favourite books (The Five People You Meet in Heaven - Mitch Albom)

Member Name: fran-xoxo

Product:	The Five People You Meet in Heaven - Mitch Albom
Date:	13/05/08 (155 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A touching story about life and death

Disadvantages: None, I love it :)

The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom

This is a book that I accidentally stumbled upon, and nearly totally dismissed , and boy, am I glad I didn't. This is one of my favourite books, and everyone who reads it seems to agree that it totally changes your perspectives and really makes you think. It's not a long book but it is a really beautiful story and I love it J

This book is about death, and then life.



The story starts at the end. It's Eddies 83rd birthday, he is the head of maintenance at Ruby Point Amusement Park, and has been for as long as anyone can remember. On this day he dies.

The first chapter counts down to his time of death. You already know it's coming, but the records of him going about his daily jobs just seems to build up the suspense and you are fearing the incident from the start. Eddie dies trying to save a little girl. One of the Amusement park rides becomes faulty, despite all of Eddies checks. The ride breaks and Eddies attempt to save the girl ends in his own unfortunate death.

As everyone that knew Eddie lays his body to rest and returns to their normal life albeit without him, Eddie finds himself in an unknown place. It is his Ruby Pier, but not as it is in the 21st century, but it is the Ruby Pier from his youth. Eddie is angry that he didn't make more of his life and died so suddenly - but really, all he wants to know is if he saved the little girl. This is when he meets the first person.

Throughout the book, Eddie meets five people, each with their own story, all connected to him in some way, some are obvious to him, others are not and he does not know them, or know why he is meeting them. I like this idea, as it gives a new perspective on how you affect and people affect you even though you may not realise it. Each of these people teach Eddie a lesson and lead him on to understanding why his life was like it was etc.

The first person is the Blue Man, one of the members of the Piers "freak show". The Blue man is just that, a man who's skin is blue. He died because of Eddie, when Eddie was a boy - though not at all intentionally, and Eddie didn't not even know it was his fault! The Blue Man has come to help Eddie find peace and acceptance.

After this, Eddie meets four other people, who have been waiting for him to tell him their story and their lesson, and they all teach him this lesson and he learns how each single action has an impact and effects everything else. I won't go into detail, because I don't want to spoil it for you ;)



This book is such a simple yet moving story, which is so amazing and thought provoking, that I still think about it even though I read it nearly a year ago!

The book goes from Eddies meetings with the five people, and flashbacks to his early life through to his death again, seeing as it started at his death.

We learn about his family, significant birthdays, meeting his wife and many other important events in his life. I love how Eddie is the average Joe Bloggs, like you or me, and he doesn't see him self as important, or as affecting anyone's life in any way, shape or form. This story teaches each reader a lesson about life and themselves.

It is a lovely, touching story but at only 200 odd pages it ended FAR too soon, but then again I think it was also the perfect length, I wouldn't want to learn to much in a way.
I'd recommend this book to absolutely anyone J

Details:

RRP: £5.99
Length: 208 pages
ISBN: 0786868716
Language: English

Summary: A story by Mitch Albom, go read it (Y)