FIRST PRIZE: R.C. Shivers Jr.
THE FIVE PEOPLE YOU MEET IN HEAVEN by Mitch Albom, Hyperion, 2003
In days where movies are the predominant source of entertainment, a blockbuster novel has to be bigger than life. Or so I thought before I read Mitch Albom's THE FIVE PEOPLE YOU MEET IN HEAVEN. The book is small, the type is large, and the cover art is bland, but the story of one man's journey to the ultimate reward of Heaven is heart wrenching.
"Eddie Maintenance" thought he was only a bitter old codger, full of regret. His journey on his way to his "Heaven" became a journey of enlightenment, which showed him that everyone, including the lonely old man he had become, did have a great influence over the events of his own life and many others.
The story of each of Eddie's birthdays flashed Eddie's life before my eyes, in a way that made me want to turn pages to find out what would happen to him next. Who would he meet next? The story is not flashy or theatrical, but instead is endearing. The protagonist is someone none of us want to become in life. Yet with each chapter, he gains ground and he is pulled closer to your heart.
This is the story of a man who came up short on his dreams. He is the lonely old maintenance man who reacted to every situation in his life instead of taking the reigns. The reactions that lead him to each stage of his life set in motion his journey to Heaven, where he would meet five people who had great influence on his life. In the end, with tears rolling from my eyes, "Eddie Maintenance" transforms. He learns that he followed a path in life that brought him in contact with many people. Each of those people took a little piece of Eddie with them, and even the course of his death brought life to another person.
Mitch Albom's THE FIVE PEOPLE YOU MEET IN HEAVEN is not your typical blockbuster, number one novel. Instead, it's well told story that allows the reader to journey side by side with Eddie, living the life and feeling the emotions of an "everyday" sort of guy. That is why this small book, with the large type, and the bland cover art became the bestseller that it is.
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