Shane Life

The Five People You Meet in Heaven
by Mitch Albom
Rating: 9 out of 10

I have always been hesitant to read this book and Tuesdays with Morrie because I had heard so many people that liked them and thought they were so wonderful and I didn’t want to be unfairly manipulated into liking a book because of its sentimentality or what other people thought about it.

The book actually showed up at my house unannounced (I think that Ashley left it here) and I found it one day and thought that I would give it a crack when I had some time. Last week, I had time.

I’m really glad that I did. What a terrific book and a great version of what heaven might be like. Part of me didn’t want to read the book because I’m familiar with Mitch Albom’s work on ESPN’s The Sports Reporters and I had never really been impressed with his opinions in the times that I had caught that show. I’ve always been more of a Mike Lupica kind of guy. I always thought it was weird that a sports writer had authored Tuesdays with Morrie and The Five People You Meet in Heaven. But that wasn’t going to stop me this time. Since I had named it on my book list, I was determined to at least give it a shot.

The book follows an old, grizzled war veteran named Eddie who dies after a freak accident at the theme park he’s worked at his whole life. Eddie soon learns that heaven isn’t just about utopia, it is the place where you learn the meaning of your own life. That meaning comes to you through 5 people that you meet in stages of heaven. Some are predictable and some are not, but each have a special reason for being there, even if you don’t understand it at first.

I thought that this was an interesting take on the concept of heaven. As humans, we are constantly searching for that meaning of life, whatever it might be. Albom’s book gives us hope that while we may not discover the meaning during our time on earth, there are five people waiting in line when we die to help us understand the importance of our own life and the meaning that it brought to others.

I recommend this book to anyone who ever wonders why they are here or what their purpose in life is. Even if you are not religious or don’t necessarily believe in heaven or the afterlife, I would recommend this book because the story draws you in and helps you to make sense of your own life.