Life is Puzzle. Crack it after Death

“Five People You Meet in Heaven” is a philosophical fiction written by Mitch Albom.

The novel is about Edward an ordinary maintenance worker in an amusement park who had dullest of life possible (as he thinks so) without much of adventure and celebration till the end. All his dreams remained dreams. But the book says that even in such a hopeless life, there are lot of thrills, surprises, twists and turns. After Edward reaches heaven, he meets five people who crossed his life or whose life he has crossed and learns five lessons. He sees his own life from a different perspective. In the heaven, he gets answers for all the questions that he had in his mind while living on earth.

The book is really unique in all the way. The story, the presentation, the thoughts and the structure of narration are very unique. Especially the first 10 pages which describes what happens in 50 minutes, just before Edward dies is a very unique stuff and interesting to read through. The story splitting into three parallel lines after Eddie’s death is yet another confusing yet innovative concept. Though initially you get confused of this pattern, you eventually get used to it. Brilliance of the author sparks when closely related parts of Eddie’s life in earth and his lessons in heaven based on that part are put one following the other.

Though we know it is all imagination, we have a feel that it would be nice if we also could revisit our own life like this after death. It is really surprising to read that most of the incidents that happens in our life how unimportant it may be has some meaning in its entirety. The most moving episode of the book is when Eddie (as a young soldier) and his troop get caught in an enemy camp and their operations to escape. This part was very well written especially a one page description of what all a soldier get used to while in a combat.

The five lessons taught in this book are must to be learnt by everyone and the way they are gelled with the story is incredible. The way in which the lives of Eddie and the five people cross each other is logical and convincing. Also the description of heaven and the way the things appear and disappear there, the way Eddie moves, speaks are all very imagined and inked. The book deserves applause for its simplicity in dealing with such complex philosophies.

The biggest lesson the book teaches us is that everyone’s life is affected by everyone else’s life in this world. No man is separate. All the lives are interlinked and interdependent. So will you accept that if you are going to do this as a consequence of me doing something else? If no, read this book. It will convince you to accept.