Aah finally, I get to review one of my favourite books - Five people you meet in heaven by Mitch Albom. I found this book, (like most other good books) by chance. I was spending a night out at one of my friends room at Bangalore and I found this wee book tucked away in a corner amidst the unwashed clothes. I have a daily craving to read something during my dinner, so off I went to read this book.
I did not expect anything great from this book, having judged it rather unwisely based on its cover. But once I started reading, I was hooked.
It was not the typical in your face philosophy one sees in most’Self-Help’ books. It was rather more subtle, as I started reading about the life of an old man called Eddie, who maintains the rides at an amusement park called Ruby Park.
Just as we get to know a wee bit about his lonely despondent life, Eddie dies - trying to save the life of a small girl. And then the book takes you over.
Eddie’wakes up’ and finds himself in a strange world. Is this heaven, or is he still alive?
He then goes on to meet five people who explain to him how there are no random acts in life and that there was a cause and explanation for every action of his on earth.
I will not rob the suspense and well deserved ecstasy of new readers by blabbering on about the story.
**But why did I like this book?**
I loved the story because of it originality. This is a stunningly fresh story. The theory that there are no random acts in this universe, that there is no separate Garden of Eden(or Jannath or Heaven), that Heaven is but your view of life on earth, strikes you like a bolt of lightning.
We do not live our lives as islands. Every action of ours affects the lives of others in this world.
**’’All endings are also beginnings. We just don’t know it at the time.’’**
Most of the philosophy in this book, would seem apparent to people born and bred on the concept of’Karma’, but for a western audience, there is a radical departure from established concepts of life and after-life.
For eons, mankind has wrestled with that most original question - "Why was I born? what am I doing with my life". We feel so insignificant when comparing ourselves with others.
In its own subtle way, the book tries to answer these questions. As one of the characters says - **"You have peace when you make it with yourself, ".**
I could not really find anything wrong with it, but again I’m very biased(which is a surprise).
I could say that it became a tad predictable(even sleep-inducing) in the later parts of the book, once you have grasped the core concepts that the author is trying to bring out.
But on the whole, I would strongly recommend this book to anyone looking for a good non-fiction read. Believe you me, you will come back to this again and again.
Also, if you can, please have a look at **Tuesdays with Morrie**, also by this same author.