The Five People You Meet in Heaven

I enjoyed this much more than Tuesday's with Morrie. I loved the different characters and how they all tied in together at the end. Wow.

Let me start off by saying that this was the first Mitch Albom book I'd ever read, so I had pretty high expectations based on what I had heard. I try to write all my reviews without spoilers!

The book starts off pretty slow with a pretty unclear trail of what's going on. As the book starts to dive into the thick of the plot my attention was drawn in by the narrative that was used. It was like an out of body experience and as the reader I found it hard at first to really connect to the main character of the book. With that aside the premise and plot of the book started to really pick up as it went on and what I found was that by placing myself in the shoes of the narrator it became a lot easier to read and I became entwined as if I myself were the character. By the end of the book I felt very connected to the main character and felt the message that was being projected by the author.

Although some claim that Mitch Albom pretends to be some enlightened prophet, what he really asks us to do is take a deeper look within ourselves as we read to connect to the message. One of the bigger problems with people today is being able to honestly self-reflect in truth. I believe that while reading this book anyone can connect to it in some way.

Such an interesting idea of heaven, really makes you sit back and evaluate what you're doing with your life and where your priorities are. I was really impacted by it, and it's scattered with great quotes to hold onto. My personal favourite comes right away on the fourth page:

"Had he known his death was imminent, he might have gone somewhere else. Instead, he did what we all do: He went about his dull routine as if all the days in the world were still to come." (pg. 4)

We are all interlinked

My friends gave me the perfect book as a birthday gift. A very moving and thought-provoking story about the people we meet in life and the stories we create. A beautiful tale about the narratives we set not just in our lives but in the lives of others who we love but also others who we only have chance encounters with. Emotional towards the end. Easy read, can recommend to anyone. Such simple language, yet such compelling stories.

Before he can devote himself to God or a woman, a boy will devote himself to his father, even foolishly, even beyond explanation.

this was an incredibly easy read, & i blew by it in a couple of days. however, i am so disappointed! some of the concepts and pages here are awesome, but feel like the writing limits things somewhat. the writing just reminds me of like, a mixture between melodramatic lifetime movies & dhar mann. the way characters will ask rhetorical questions and then answer themselves with a very clear moral message is so dhar mann!! loved the bit towards the end, but don't believe the rest of it was very worth the journey.

Rating: 3.5/5

Simple and straightforward prose doesn’t lessen the impact this book has as a contemplative read towards a man’s life in heaven, what he lived for, why he lived in the first place, and to an extent, our lives as well.

It’s a thought-provoking read with many life lessons discussed per chapter, ranging from interconnected lives between strangers, what we give and gain in sacrifice, and how we cherish the memories of those who we love before their passing. Felt lots of emotions throughout.

I do think some of the lessons feel a bit “in your face” and could’ve used more subtlety in its delivery and how I find some chapters a little lacking in the “lesson” department compared to others, but nevertheless, this is a read that will take you on a journey of acceptance, self-reflection, and self-discovery. Genuinely a book that heals, comforts, and warms the soul.

It was touching, but also nothing special.

I read it for my book club. If you think everything happens for a reason, it might be a good book for you. But if you're an optimistic nihilist like me, watch Everything Everywhere All At Once instead. It's more fun anyway.

Read this again w/ Will. Finished it alone because he (I think) lost interest. Was my fave book for so long and it was still great, but maybe more for the nostalgia than the content.

I read this book to get out of my reading slump... Let's just say it worked.

I really didn't get into this book until the last two people Eddie met in heaven. This is such a touching book I can see why it's a best seller.

I was condescendingly expecting this book to be some kind of bland aphorisms about the meaning of life and instead I found it a TRULY UPSETTING AND GRIM VISION OF THE AFTERLIFE

https://www.frowl.org/worstbestsellers/episode-124-the-five-people-you-meet-in-heaven/

SERIOUSLY I THINK THIS IS HELL AND I'M HAUNTED BY IT

This was a very quick read, and I absolutely loved it. I thought that it was going to be overly religious, but it wasn't. I also thought that it was going to be extremely sad, but I only teared up once. Eddie is a very likeable and relatable character, each of the 5 people that he meets in heaven is significant for him, even if he's never met them during his life on earth. The author does a great job at putting feelings into words, or making a point that you've never thought of before. I definitely can't wait until I get to read, “The Next Person You Meet In Heaven.”

I read this on the recommendation of a good friend. It was fine—gripping enough to pull me through it, and short enough to have been read in a day. While there might be some chicken-soup-for-the-soul stuff here for someone, that person wasn't me. It's a nice reminder that nobody is an island and that being a bitter, curmudgeonly old man is no way to live your life. Also, go give your dad a call.

I think I expected too much after having this recommended by so many people (and loving Tuesdays with Morrie). I was disappointed.

This book is amazing! Really! Eddie is hero. He saves lives, I'm so proud of him. He may thought that his life is nothing but really, he is a hero. I thought the fifth person he'll meet is the girl he saved but I was shocked when it was the kid from the nipa hut. I like that some parts are held in the Philippines because I'm from there. It made me think of the wars of the past which our country faced. This book is must-read. It thought me a lot of things. Everything I do corresponds to what might happen in the future, and sacrifice and everything.

Too sappy for me.

A beautiful short read that legit brought tears to my eyes a few times. Sweet and full of hope in this age of anxiety and depression.