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The Five People You Meet in Heaven
(The Five People You Meet in Heaven #1)
by
From the author of the phenomenal #1 New York Times bestseller Tuesdays with Morrie, a novel that explores the unexpected connections of our lives, and the idea that heaven is more than a place; it's an answer.
Eddie is a wounded war veteran, an old man who has lived, in his mind, an uninspired life. His job is fixing rides at a seaside amusement park. On his 83rd birthday ...more
Eddie is a wounded war veteran, an old man who has lived, in his mind, an uninspired life. His job is fixing rides at a seaside amusement park. On his 83rd birthday ...more
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Paperback, First, 196 pages
Published
September 23rd 2003
by Hyperion
(first published September 1st 2003)
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Popular Answered Questions
Karim Farag
Definitely yes, Albom used simple, clear language in this book.
Dwight Clark
Timekeeper and Magic Strings of Frankie Presto were both quite good
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30

Start your review of The Five People You Meet in Heaven

Jul 27, 2007
AJ Griffin
rated it
did not like it
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
drippy, sentimental pieces of shit who love lifetime tv movies
what providence: i just remembered this book after I read some holier-than-though pretentious bullshit Mitch Albom wrote about Harry Potter. Mr. Albom-Winfrey seems to think the mass marketing of Harry Potter has ruined the theoretical lives of such figures as Winnie the Pooh, Clifford, Curious George, etc., despite that his own shitty books have been thrust upon the world under the same kind of marketing blitz.
As if I weren't annoyed enough at his article, I was subsequently reminded of this l ...more
As if I weren't annoyed enough at his article, I was subsequently reminded of this l ...more

"Lost love is still love, Eddie. It just takes a different form, that's all. You can't hold their hand... You can't tousle their hair... But when those senses weaken another one comes to life... Memory... Memory becomes your partner. You hold it... you dance with it... Life has to end, Eddie... Love doesn't."
The book that taught me the idea of death, God and life's never ending unanswered questions.
I vaguely remember when exactly I read this but I remember I read this couple of months before I ...more
The book that taught me the idea of death, God and life's never ending unanswered questions.
I vaguely remember when exactly I read this but I remember I read this couple of months before I ...more

I don't understand the one star reviews for the book. Are these directed to the author, Mitch Albom, because he openly dissed the Harry Potter phenomena via a 594-word short story? Because as far as I can tell, The Five People You Meet in Heaven is a decent piece of literature that doesn't deserve the harsh punishment (presumably) directed to its writer. It's well-written, has a handful of good quotes, and is overall an inspiring and personal take on one's idea of the moment between death and th
...more

The Five People You Meet in Heaven, Mitch Albom
The Five People You Meet In Heaven is a novel by Mitch Albom. It was published in 2003 by Hyperion and remained on the New York Times Best Seller list for 95 weeks.
It follows the life and death of a maintenance man named Eddie. Eddie is killed and sent to heaven, where he encounters five people who had a significant impact upon him while he was alive.
On Eddie's 83rd birthday, an amusement park ride at Ruby Pier (where he is responsible for maintena ...more
The Five People You Meet In Heaven is a novel by Mitch Albom. It was published in 2003 by Hyperion and remained on the New York Times Best Seller list for 95 weeks.
It follows the life and death of a maintenance man named Eddie. Eddie is killed and sent to heaven, where he encounters five people who had a significant impact upon him while he was alive.
On Eddie's 83rd birthday, an amusement park ride at Ruby Pier (where he is responsible for maintena ...more

Reread Feb 2019
No matter how many times I read this book, its effect on me remains the same. Heart breaking and heart warming in equal measure.
"Holding anger is a poison. It eats you from inside. We think that hating is a weapon that attacks the person who harmed us. But hatred is a curved blade. And the harm we do, we do to ourselves."
****************************************
Original review
This book led Mitch Albom to become one of my favourite authors.
It's such a wonderful idea, that when yo ...more
No matter how many times I read this book, its effect on me remains the same. Heart breaking and heart warming in equal measure.
"Holding anger is a poison. It eats you from inside. We think that hating is a weapon that attacks the person who harmed us. But hatred is a curved blade. And the harm we do, we do to ourselves."
****************************************
Original review
This book led Mitch Albom to become one of my favourite authors.
It's such a wonderful idea, that when yo ...more

WHAT! Yet another sentimental old-timer gives this piece of jellied sugar syrup FIVE STARS?
Y'er darned tootin', kid!
Take away the fancy Amazon gift wrap with its shiny veneer and the Good Housekeeping seal of approval (from the folks in the seniors' homes of course), and you have… WHAT?
A story of a broken old man who's had an excruciatingly hard life.
And YES - in the Real World people's hard lives CAN break them.
COMPLETELY.
TOTALLY.
UTTERLY.
Their hard lives can:
Wipe the floor with them.
Grind ...more
Y'er darned tootin', kid!
Take away the fancy Amazon gift wrap with its shiny veneer and the Good Housekeeping seal of approval (from the folks in the seniors' homes of course), and you have… WHAT?
A story of a broken old man who's had an excruciatingly hard life.
And YES - in the Real World people's hard lives CAN break them.
COMPLETELY.
TOTALLY.
UTTERLY.
Their hard lives can:
Wipe the floor with them.
Grind ...more

One of the great things about checking out audiobooks from the public library is that I can take a chance on something I normally wouldn't buy, and I end up loving it. And then, of course, there are the times I take a chance on something I wouldn't normally like and end up really hating it as predicted. See if you can guess which is the case here by the end of this post.
The Five People You Meet in Heaven is about Eddie, an amusement park maintenance guy who dies and goes to heaven. Spoiler alert ...more
The Five People You Meet in Heaven is about Eddie, an amusement park maintenance guy who dies and goes to heaven. Spoiler alert ...more

My face tightens into a mean spirited frown, I grind my teeth, my head starts to burn, I clench my fists, I begin to tremble; there is a tightness in my stomach. I rip the telephone off the wall and throw it out my nine-story window onto the street; I let out a barbaric, guttural, king-of-the-jungle, ape-like scream. I feel my pulse beating in my neck, a blood vessel snaps in the back of my head. I flip over my couch, CRASH! I kick a hole in the middle of my T.V. I like that my shin is cut, blee
...more

I never had any desire to read this book (or Tuesdays with Morrie for that matter), but a girl in my LSAT class gave it to me to read, so I felt like I had to read it.
The Five People You Meet in Heaven is an incredibly quick read. It has small pages with big font and the content is not at all challenging. You could easily read this book in a weekend. That said, I don't know if you would want to. While the book was mildly entertaining and held my interest (I kept wanting to know who Eddie would ...more
The Five People You Meet in Heaven is an incredibly quick read. It has small pages with big font and the content is not at all challenging. You could easily read this book in a weekend. That said, I don't know if you would want to. While the book was mildly entertaining and held my interest (I kept wanting to know who Eddie would ...more

I enjoyed this book. It had a great voice, interesting characters and good messages. I liked how each of the 5 people were connected in different ways, some surprise. The style grabs you. I thought it was a good intro to learn more about how this author writes. Spiritual without getting too religious. Witty and charismatic on some levels. Endearing to see how you watch other people live, as well as guess what happens when you die. I will definitely read more from the author.

Strangely, obliquely, like The Alchemist because this inspires strong emotions - most people will either like it alot and find inspiration and meaning, or loathe it entirely and dismiss it as drivel.
Similar in tone and emotion with his novel Tuesdays with Morrie. I think that the greatest achievement of this story is the dreamlike, subconscious mood and setting the author creates. He can get a bit syrupy, but not too bad to make this contextually a problem.
Albom raises some interesting, thought ...more
Similar in tone and emotion with his novel Tuesdays with Morrie. I think that the greatest achievement of this story is the dreamlike, subconscious mood and setting the author creates. He can get a bit syrupy, but not too bad to make this contextually a problem.
Albom raises some interesting, thought ...more

Joelle Huertas
904 W.A.
Book Review On The Five People You Meet In Heaven
The Five People You Meet In Heaven
By Mitch Albom
208pp Passaic, New Jersey
ISBN-13: 9781401308582
Hyperion $10.80
This book was so amazing that it remained on the New York Best Seller List for 95 weeks. If the book wasn’t that marvelous why would it have remained there? Mitch Albom’s book The Five People You Meet In Heaven is an extraordinary book. You might think it’s a religious book because the title itself ...more
904 W.A.
Book Review On The Five People You Meet In Heaven
The Five People You Meet In Heaven
By Mitch Albom
208pp Passaic, New Jersey
ISBN-13: 9781401308582
Hyperion $10.80
This book was so amazing that it remained on the New York Best Seller List for 95 weeks. If the book wasn’t that marvelous why would it have remained there? Mitch Albom’s book The Five People You Meet In Heaven is an extraordinary book. You might think it’s a religious book because the title itself ...more

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.

“All endings are also beginnings. We just don’t know it at the time.”
A maintenance man called Eddie dies and is sent to heaven, where he encounters five people - some known to him and some not - who each teach him a lesson.
If heaven truly exists, I sure hope it’s exactly like this! What sounds better than meeting up with loved ones who have gone before and have them explain to you the meaning of your life?
Religion and whether or not you believe in heaven or the afterlife is obviously a very pers ...more
A maintenance man called Eddie dies and is sent to heaven, where he encounters five people - some known to him and some not - who each teach him a lesson.
If heaven truly exists, I sure hope it’s exactly like this! What sounds better than meeting up with loved ones who have gone before and have them explain to you the meaning of your life?
Religion and whether or not you believe in heaven or the afterlife is obviously a very pers ...more

Not at all my normal fare, but it was a last thing at night read. I am a sceptic, so again this would not be a book that would attract me; it’s not that I like the idea of the cessation of existence at death, but I think that’s what happens. So how come I read this? Occasionally I buy books at auction because they can be very cheap; this came with assorted others, so ended up on the shelves.
It’s very brief and could easily be read in one sitting and is about a fairground worker called Eddie. It ...more
It’s very brief and could easily be read in one sitting and is about a fairground worker called Eddie. It ...more

This was okay but not as good as either The First Phone Call from Heaven or The Time Keeper. It was a pleasant enough story but it failed to really engross me in the various happenings.
Partly I think I found it an extremely weird idea of what Heaven might be like. The five people seemed a strange collection to me and I could understand if Eddie felt a bit miffed by who he got! I must admit I started thinking who I might want for my five people .........
Putting any criticism aside I read the book ...more
Partly I think I found it an extremely weird idea of what Heaven might be like. The five people seemed a strange collection to me and I could understand if Eddie felt a bit miffed by who he got! I must admit I started thinking who I might want for my five people .........
Putting any criticism aside I read the book ...more

I get why old religious women might like this book, but it wasn't for me.
...more

Buzzword A Thon
Golden Girls Read A Thon: Read a book under 200 pages
This is my 5th time reading this book. I can't explain why I love this book so much. I usually hate, Hate, HATE cheesy heartwarming stories like this.
And yet The Five People You Meet In Heaven just touches me on an emotional level.
Eddie is a grizzled old war veteran and widower, has spent the last 50 years working a job he hates at an amusement park and just feeling like his life has no meaning. Then on his 83rd birthday Eddie ...more
Golden Girls Read A Thon: Read a book under 200 pages
This is my 5th time reading this book. I can't explain why I love this book so much. I usually hate, Hate, HATE cheesy heartwarming stories like this.
And yet The Five People You Meet In Heaven just touches me on an emotional level.
Eddie is a grizzled old war veteran and widower, has spent the last 50 years working a job he hates at an amusement park and just feeling like his life has no meaning. Then on his 83rd birthday Eddie ...more

Talks about a dead man,Eddie, who goes to heaven to learn what heaven is not about and what heaven should mean.
He will meet five important people in heaven (who may or may not be someone he knows personally during his lifetime) giving him a chance to look back and see how his life actually was as opposed to how he perceived his life when he was alive. *Some important themes that are dealt with:
Sacrifices that were unknowingly made; grudges, anger, hatred, regrets ruining lives; unseen blessings; ...more
He will meet five important people in heaven (who may or may not be someone he knows personally during his lifetime) giving him a chance to look back and see how his life actually was as opposed to how he perceived his life when he was alive. *Some important themes that are dealt with:
Sacrifices that were unknowingly made; grudges, anger, hatred, regrets ruining lives; unseen blessings; ...more

Extreme simplification, ridiculous writing style, nonsense. Honestly, whatever this author was trying to do, whether making me cry tears of blood, philosophy over the meaning of life, or discover my connection with those around me, but he failed miserably at all of them.
How on the history of time was this book on the Bestseller list for over ninety weeks?
How on the history of time was this book on the Bestseller list for over ninety weeks?

" Lost love is still love, Eddie. It takes a different form, that's all. You can't see their smile or bring them food or tousle their hair or move them around a dance floor. But when those senses weaken, another heightens. Memory, Memory becomes your partner. You nurture it. You hold it. You dance with it"
THE FIVE PEOPLE YOU MEET IN HEAVEN tells the story of Eddie, the head of maintenance department at a well-known amusement park. On his 83rd birthday, Eddie had a severe accident. Along with Edd ...more
THE FIVE PEOPLE YOU MEET IN HEAVEN tells the story of Eddie, the head of maintenance department at a well-known amusement park. On his 83rd birthday, Eddie had a severe accident. Along with Edd ...more

I appreciate the sentiments of this book, the messages although a little schmaltzy made you stop and think about your own reflections on life, the little differences and the impact you can make that can leave impressions on other people whether your aware of it or not. I wasn’t completely sold on the style of the writing or the overall message, as an agnostic I feel somewhat conflicted about the whole heaven thing so I feel 3 stars is being generous.

Jun 09, 2016
Rachel Maniacup
rated it
it was amazing
Recommends it for:
Everyone!
Recommended to Rachel by:
Aj the Ravenous Reader
Shelves:
inspiring
Review to follow..

Dec 23, 2011
Shovelmonkey1
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
people waiting for christmas
Recommended to Shovelmonkey1 by:
sheer profusion in local charity shops
I read this at Christmas but frankly after eating too many roasted vegetables, drinking too much merlot and making myself a comfortable nest out of discarded wrapping paper, I was disinclined to write a review. It's now six months later and I think I've finally worked off the last roasted potato so this seems like a timely juncture to write a review of The Five People You Meet in Heaven.
Eddie works at the amusement park on the Ruby Pier. He's 83 and probably due for retirement. On his birthday, ...more
Eddie works at the amusement park on the Ruby Pier. He's 83 and probably due for retirement. On his birthday, ...more

It’s interesting seeing how heaven is perceived in someone else’s eyes. I do believe there is an afterlife of some sort, but I don’t know what exactly lies there. I think the concept presented in this book in which you meet five people that in one way or another shaped your life or are interconnected to you is clever. Furthermore, they explain to you about your purpose, destiny, and their involvement in you. This made me think about how it is true, there are many circumstances which affect your
...more

The title alone got me reading this book and more when I found out the Mitch Albom wrote it since I am a big fan of his Tuesday's with Morrie. Though I did not like this book as much as I did Tuesday's, Mitch Albom again succeeded in inspiring his readers and moving them to have uniquely fresh view of death just like what he did in Tuesday's.
...more

Mom and others passionate about this book were right that I’d appreciate it. Without animals, it couldn’t be a tearjerker for me. I wanted to behold Heaven’s final domain but what it entails is memorable. Our own relatives can raise a ruckus discussing the Afterlife. I applaud that this author published his ideas bravely. Genuine spirituality isn’t about a church. It’s about goodness and understanding our worth. Mitch Albom dedicates his book to his blue-collar uncle. We follow a maintenance man
...more

Death to me is such an intriguing topic to read about. Many people view death as a tragedy, however, it seems to me that a lot of understanding comes from it as well. The memories that are revisited, the theories of the after life, the interconnection of souls, the new perspectives on life, and so many other mind expanding lessons. This book drew all of those topics into a touching story about a ‘simple’ man named Eddie. It’s a story of death, love, impact, and the soul. But, if I had to sum up
...more

Extremely well written by Mitch Albom, best-selling author of Tuesdays With Morrie. The main character, Eddie, dies and goes to heaven where he meets 5 people who help him transition from all that he needed to resolve in his earthly life in order to find tranquility and peace in heaven. Thoughtfulness, sacrifice, compassion, redemption and everlasting love.
I read this book once before but it seems to have come to light for me with this read. Highly recommended!
I read this book once before but it seems to have come to light for me with this read. Highly recommended!
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Mitchell David Albom is an author, journalist, screenwriter, playwright, radio and television broadcaster and musician. His books have collectively sold over 35 million copies worldwide; have been published in forty-one territories and in forty-two languages around the world; and have been made into Emmy Award-winning and critically-acclaimed television movies.
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