The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom

I often wonder, as I listen to an audiobook, whether the author ever finds anything “wrong” or “missing” when they listen to spoken interpretation of their text.  I guess Mitch Albom didn’t have to worry about that, though, since he WAS the narrator of his book!  (I didn’t even realize this until I got to the end of the book and there was an author interview…  So much for paying attention to details when I pick up an audiobook!)  Anyhow.  I think Mitch’s reading was very well done.  The pacing was great and the voices were always distinct.  Sometimes, I have a hard time understanding a narrator when they add an extra gruffness or accent, but this audiobook was nothing but smooth sailing.  Enough about the narration, though.  I should say a little about the story.

Eddie led a pretty simple life.  There were some major events — like going off to war and getting married — but most of his life was rather standard fare.  Eddie grew up in a working-class family and ended up becoming a working-class man.  He and his wife were unable to have children of their own, but Eddie always loved kids and was well-loved by the kids who knew him from his job at an amusement park called Ruby Pier.  On his 83rd birthday, while attempting to save a little girl from the runaway roller coaster car of a broken ride, Eddie died.  He immediately moved on and began a journey to meet 5 people whose job it was to help Eddie understand the happenings and the people in his life.

I liked the fact that the story strayed from traditional ideas of heaven and angels.  I also appreciated the multiple “twists” that came with the explanations from the 5 people.  And, while no one knows the “truth” about heaven, I can only hope that Mitch Albom’s ideas of heaven are not too far off.

Happy Reading!