Review : Five people you meet in heaven

Five people you meet in heaven by Mitch Albom

Five People You Meet In Heaven is a book written by Mitch Albom, which was published in 2003. It was also listed in The New York Times Best Sellers list and remained there for 95 weeks.

Five People You Meet In Heaven tells the story of Eddie, an 83-year old veteran whose job it was to keep the rides at Ruby Pier, an amusement park, safe.

The story starts off with Eddie at Ruby Pier experiencing the last moments of his life. He was resting on a chair when he suddenly heard screams and realized that a cart of one of the rides was loose. After the riders were saved he figured that the cart was about to fall down. He saw a young girl he had already met before standing under the falling cart and tried to save her, so he ran to her. While saving her he died.

And at this moment his journey begins. Eddie arrives in heaven and he meets several people who have all played an important role in his life. However, he does not know much about them or what they have done. So now these people will reveal important facts that he did not know about his life, causing him to learn and think about his life again.

The language of this book is relatively simple and easily comprehensible. The story is divided into several parts (eg. flashbacks or important moments of Eddie's life), causing the main plot to be interrupted a few times. Even though the story is easy to understand, it is not suitable for younger kids to read because of some violent events that are described in a few flashbacks. Throughout the story the reader will get to know the main character, Eddie, better after learning about his history and the experiences he had to go through.

The author first had the idea of writing this book when his uncle, whom this book is dedicated to, told him how he imagined heaven.  His ideas, which are described in this book, are not only lessons that Eddie has to learn but those are lessons that everyone should have at least heard of and thought about since they may be helpful to understand specific things better and to get along with your fellow humans.

"Everyone has an idea of heaven, as do most religions, and they should all be respected. The version represented here is only a guess, a wish, in some ways, that my uncle, and others like him - people who felt unimportant here on earth - realize, finally, how much they mattered and how much they were loved." - Mitch Albom