The Five People You Meet in Heaven
16 journalers for this copy...
Bought today from Ottakars, lending to my ex-husband to stop me from reading it (as I have rings I should be reading first!).
Thought provoking. In common with the last book I read (The Time Traveler's Wife), this book drives home the reality that one person's experience of an event can be very different to another person's view of the same event. It also extends this idea to look at the interconnectedness of people, events and lives.
A unique look at one possible answer to the question, "What is heaven like?" This story is interwoven with insights and revelations that can be relevant to the lives of many, not just the central character of this story.
I now plan to read Albom's previous book, "Tuesdays with Morrie", which GlasgowGal is kindly lending me from her PC :-)
Book Ring
This book appears on loads of peoples' wish list, so I'm going to send it on its travels as a ring.
Ring Participants
aubriel UK
GlasgowGal UK
bookfrogster UK
Miss-R UK
wilksie UK
dodau UK
landrellec France
Tournesol73 France
KatColorado Switzerland
pepita-di-corfu Greece
jaynereader Itlay
outofreach Australia
Amily Australia
deans-girl Australia
Czersk USA
Luvtink81 USA
Morpha USA <---- Book is here
Jalna UK (Asked to be skipped)
coolboxuk UK ----> Return to MaisyMay
Ring Rules!
1. Please journal the book to say you have received it.
2. PM the next person on the list for their address.
3. Read the book within one month (or PM me if you need longer)
4. Journal again to say what you thought of the book.
5. Post to next person on list.
Any problems, please PM me.
A unique look at one possible answer to the question, "What is heaven like?" This story is interwoven with insights and revelations that can be relevant to the lives of many, not just the central character of this story.
I now plan to read Albom's previous book, "Tuesdays with Morrie", which GlasgowGal is kindly lending me from her PC :-)
Book Ring
This book appears on loads of peoples' wish list, so I'm going to send it on its travels as a ring.
Ring Participants
aubriel UK
GlasgowGal UK
bookfrogster UK
Miss-R UK
wilksie UK
dodau UK
landrellec France
Tournesol73 France
KatColorado Switzerland
pepita-di-corfu Greece
jaynereader Itlay
outofreach Australia
Amily Australia
deans-girl Australia
Czersk USA
Luvtink81 USA
Morpha USA <---- Book is here
Jalna UK (Asked to be skipped)
coolboxuk UK ----> Return to MaisyMay
Ring Rules!
1. Please journal the book to say you have received it.
2. PM the next person on the list for their address.
3. Read the book within one month (or PM me if you need longer)
4. Journal again to say what you thought of the book.
5. Post to next person on list.
Any problems, please PM me.
Posted second class today to aubriel - enjoy! It's a fairly quick read (I read it in an evening) so shouldn't add too much weight to mount TBR!!
Journal Entry 4 by aubriel from Sheffield, South Yorkshire United Kingdom on Wednesday, January 26, 2005
Another arrival this morning. Will get to it ASAP, just a few books ahead of it in Mt TBR ;-)
A very easy to read novel. Easy to pick up and flow with the style of writing. I did enjoy this and certainly a page turner, but ultimately I am not sure whether I would go out of my way to recommend it either.
Maybe I expected a little too much of this, but it just didn't resonate on any level I could describe. It was well thought out and nicely written, but without wanting to spoil the story, the fifth person and ending was hardly surprising and sort of spoiled the whole effect for me. Maybe as an ex good catholic girl this story simply didn't bring up any issues I haven't already thought through and made this story no more extraordinary than my preconceived notions of life after death anyway.
Maybe I expected a little too much of this, but it just didn't resonate on any level I could describe. It was well thought out and nicely written, but without wanting to spoil the story, the fifth person and ending was hardly surprising and sort of spoiled the whole effect for me. Maybe as an ex good catholic girl this story simply didn't bring up any issues I haven't already thought through and made this story no more extraordinary than my preconceived notions of life after death anyway.
Received in the mail yesterday. #2 on Mt. TBR.
:-)
:-)
I finished this book on Monday morning and thought it was a nice little story. In my opinion "Tuesdays with Morrie" affected me more as it was a more personal book, but as a novel this is a reasonable enough read. It is nice how five interconnected relationships are highlighted, and how events that seem insignificant to one can have a major effect on the other. I did feel the meeting with the last person was somewhat unresolved, but on the whole this is a nice little book.
Thanks maisymay and aubriel for passing it on.
:-)
Thanks maisymay and aubriel for passing it on.
:-)
Thank you for passing this on. it looks like a fascinating read. I've got another ray book to read before this, but I'll get to it as soon as I can.
I really enjoyed this. It won't change your life, it's not the greatest book ever, but I really liked it. My only problem with it was that it was too short, I would have liked to have read more about the five people-who were their five people when they died?
Passing on now.
Passing on now.
Journal Entry 11 by wilksie from Sheffield, South Yorkshire United Kingdom on Wednesday, April 27, 2005
Arrived this morning. Will get to it as soon as I finish my current read. Looking forward to it, thankyou.
A pleasant enough read. I didn't find it particularly thought provoking. Still not sure how the five meetings resolved Eddie's life for him. It all seemed a bit simplistic to me. But still a decent book for a Bank Holiday afternoon.
Arrived safely this morning. Looking forward to it.
I'd heard a lot about this book and it didn't let me down. Right from the beginning in the minutes before Eddie dies I wanted to know more about him and the book told me that, taking me through his life. Definatly one I would recommend to anyone.
Received today. This book will travel to Martinique with me as I'll be on holiday there next week!
A nice little book, very easy to read with a nice story. I especially liked the ending when Eddie meets the fifth person...
On its way to Katcolorado.
On its way to Katcolorado.
I'm just back from France this very evening, I was for two weeks on holiday in Brittany and I liked it very much. I hope the book wasn't waiting too long for me. Now I'm back home I will start very soon with the bookring, so that it can then travel on again. I'm really looking forward to it...
Thx for organizing it MaisyMay and for sending it Tournesol73!
Thx for organizing it MaisyMay and for sending it Tournesol73!
I really love the concept of the book, about heaven. The idea, that you'll meet five people who will explain the sense of your life is nice, it implies that there is always a sense in every life. I also like that you can then go on to choose the time you liked best and will stay there forever. I don't know which part of my life this would be, maybe I have lived it already, maybe it will still come.
The story itself wasn't all that exciting. Eddies rendez-vous with his five people were interesting but not stunning. I guess you could teach the lessons he learned to pretty much everybody.
The story itself wasn't all that exciting. Eddies rendez-vous with his five people were interesting but not stunning. I guess you could teach the lessons he learned to pretty much everybody.
Released 18 yrs ago (7/7/2005 UTC) at
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
This book can escape the bad weather today and travel to Greece...
This book can escape the bad weather today and travel to Greece...
Journal Entry 20 by pepita-di-Corfu from Thessaloniki - Θεσσαλονίκη, Thessaloniki Greece on Wednesday, July 20, 2005
received today
thanks KatColorado for sending it!
thanks KatColorado for sending it!
Journal Entry 21 by pepita-di-Corfu from Thessaloniki - Θεσσαλονίκη, Thessaloniki Greece on Wednesday, July 27, 2005
i have just finished the book and i'm waiting for jaynereader's address to send it on.
i never thought of heaven like this... i now wonder who MY five people would be in case everything described is true... this was an easy read even though at the begining i thought it would make me melancholy
i never thought of heaven like this... i now wonder who MY five people would be in case everything described is true... this was an easy read even though at the begining i thought it would make me melancholy
Journal Entry 22 by pepita-di-Corfu at by mail in To the next participant, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Tuesday, August 9, 2005
Released 18 yrs ago (8/9/2005 UTC) at by mail in To the next participant, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
on it's way to jaynereader!
on it's way to jaynereader!
Just arrived safely. Will start it as soon as I've finished my current read (not long to go).
This book is so simple it reads like a fairy story or fable. It's very uplifting and moving. If heaven existed, wouldn't it be nice for people to come along and explain everything?
I'm looking forward to reading Tuesdays with Morrie now. Hope it comes soon! Thanks maisymay and pepita-de-corfu for sending it on. I've PMed outofreach for her address.
Sept 1: airmailed to outofreach this morning
I'm looking forward to reading Tuesdays with Morrie now. Hope it comes soon! Thanks maisymay and pepita-de-corfu for sending it on. I've PMed outofreach for her address.
Sept 1: airmailed to outofreach this morning
Journal Entry 25 by outofreach from Melbourne CBD, Victoria Australia on Thursday, September 8, 2005
this book arrived yesterday together with another bookring book. i am planning on reading this one first, however i'm flat out with uni stuff right now so i think it will take me at least two weeks. i hope i won't delay it too much...
somehow i could't get into the book. i'll send it on to the next person on the list as soon as i get their address...
update o4/11: pm'd amily several times during the last three weeks. no answer so far. i will now contact the next person in line...
update 9/11: amily wishes to be skipped. i will now send the book on to the next person in line. the book travelled with me to germany in the beginning of this week and i will send it back to australia by the end of this week.
my appologies that it took me so long. thank you for including me in this ring...
update o4/11: pm'd amily several times during the last three weeks. no answer so far. i will now contact the next person in line...
update 9/11: amily wishes to be skipped. i will now send the book on to the next person in line. the book travelled with me to germany in the beginning of this week and i will send it back to australia by the end of this week.
my appologies that it took me so long. thank you for including me in this ring...
Enjoyed the easy read, thanks outofreach. Have PM'ed Czerk now for her address in the US. This book has certainly got some stamps in its passport!
I sped through the first read, so I'll go back and read it again now while I wait for Czerk's address. Enjoyed it very much, but thought the ending could have tied the five messages together better.
I sped through the first read, so I'll go back and read it again now while I wait for Czerk's address. Enjoyed it very much, but thought the ending could have tied the five messages together better.
This much anticipated book is finally here! I'm going to save it for a day where I can read it straight through and- if it's anything like Tuesdays with Morrie- cry until there are no tears left in my body and I must drink a lake to replenish the lost water. Thanks so much for passing it on to me!
Mailed to Czerk in the USA in early January 2006.
OK, so I did not cry myself into dehydration like I had anticipated. It was a very nice little book- it definately gave me something to think about, but I agree with many of the BCers before me that it really was not as personal as Tuesdays With Morrie, and it was very simplistic- maybe too much so. I did enjoy reading it, however. I have never thought of heaven in this way.
Off to the next . . .
***
UPDATE:
It looks as if Luvtink81 is taking a Bookcrossing break. I shall try the next BCer.
Off to the next . . .
***
UPDATE:
It looks as if Luvtink81 is taking a Bookcrossing break. I shall try the next BCer.
Arrived today. I have one book in front of this, should start on it tomorrow. Thanks to czersk and MaisyMay!
I ripped through this book like fire through Kleenex.
I'm of two minds about this book 1) I take it for face value and love it or, 2) it's a manipulative feel-good designed to give us a wer'e all humans together in the same boat, gosh-ain't-that-wonderful hangover.
The lessons it presents are:
1) No man is an island, we affect many others and many others affect us.
2)You're right where you're supposed to be, enjoy it. Even if you don't think you have something to contribute, you do.
3)Love what you have like there is no tomorrow because there may not be.
4) Resentment is a waste of time and energy and kills you if you let it. Let go!
If heaven exists, I want it to be like in this book.
Jalna has asked to be skipped. I am waiting to hear from the next person on the list.
5)We must be able to forgive, but hardest and most important of all is to learn to forgive ourselves
I'm of two minds about this book 1) I take it for face value and love it or, 2) it's a manipulative feel-good designed to give us a wer'e all humans together in the same boat, gosh-ain't-that-wonderful hangover.
The lessons it presents are:
1) No man is an island, we affect many others and many others affect us.
2)You're right where you're supposed to be, enjoy it. Even if you don't think you have something to contribute, you do.
3)Love what you have like there is no tomorrow because there may not be.
4) Resentment is a waste of time and energy and kills you if you let it. Let go!
If heaven exists, I want it to be like in this book.
Jalna has asked to be skipped. I am waiting to hear from the next person on the list.
5)We must be able to forgive, but hardest and most important of all is to learn to forgive ourselves
Received today, thanks. Next in line when I've finished my current read.
A great book with a most unusual theme... I admit it was very different from what I expected and particularly the simple descriptive language surprised me. It didn't seem right for such a profound theme, but maybe that was deliberate. I also found it surprising that the main character was such an ordinary person with such an ordinary life, but again I suspect that was deliberate. Everything seemed very ordinary and simple but I think the author achieved his purpose of bringing across his idea that everything in life is connected and happens for a reason, and also perhaps that your past will no doubt catch up with you and need to be resolved. That becomes clear in his last meeting. But most of all I think it is about more transcendent qualities such as self-worth, love and forgiving - concepts that the character has to put in perspective for himself.
It is true that the "lessons" he is learning are just common sense and would apply to everybody, but the story is an interesting concept to bring that across.
It is true that the "lessons" he is learning are just common sense and would apply to everybody, but the story is an interesting concept to bring that across.
The ring has been extended at the Chertsey Bookcrossers Meeting tonight with one more taker:
Twicky
MaisyMay (return)
Twicky
MaisyMay (return)
I liked this little book. Not giving any games away here, it's about somebody going to heaven and meeting five people that help him make sense of various parts of his life.
My book is home! Thank you to everyone that joined in my bookring - nice to see a wide range of reading experiences for one book.
Included in a bookbox offered on freecycle.
