Five People You Meet in Heaven 连续95周名列纽约时报畅销书之一，9次位居榜首这是一部关于人性与爱的故事让人们重拾人间的温暖和真爱)
作者： Mitch
出版社：little brown 2004年09月
简介：
THE FIVE PEOPLE YOUMEET IN HEAVEN is a wonderfully moving fable that addresses themeaning of life, and life after death, in the poignant way thatmade TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE such an astonishing book. The novel'sprotagonist is an elderly amusement park maintenance worker namedEddie who, while operating a ride called the 'Free Fall', dieswhile trying to save a young girl who gets in the way of a fallingcart that hurtles to earth. Eddie goes to heaven, where he meetsfive people who were unexpectedly instrumental in some way in hislife. While each guide takes him through heaven, Eddie learns alittle bit more about what his time on earth meant, what he wassupposed to have learned, and what his true purpose on earth was.Throughout there are dramatic flashbacks where we see scenes fromhis troubled childhood, his years in the army in the Philippinesjungle, and with his first and only love, his wife Marguerite. THEFIVE PEOPLE YOU MEET IN HEAVEN is the perfect book to followTUESDAYS WITH MORRIE. Its compellingly affecting themes and lyricalwriting will fascinate Mitch Albom's huge readership.
【媒体评论】
"This is a well-intentioned novel about a man who dies andgoesto heaven, finding there a meaning to his life. For this fableAlbomhas chosen an unlikely character, an old and lonely man who,likehis father before him, services rides in an amusement park.BecauseEddie has the word 'maintenance' on his uniform, to hiswork matesand regular customers he has become just that - EddieMaintenance.Genial and indulgent to the children, he finds littleelse to cheerhim and when the accident that he has always dreadedhappens he askseveryone he meets in the afterlife if he had atleast managed tosave the small girl who was playing under theroller coaster. He hasto wait a long time for the answer, as thefive people waiting forhim have their own agenda. Eddie recognizessome of them and isfamiliar with the place they inhabit but othersare strangers to himeven if their lives have touched. There is amessage in this book,indeed several messages. Before he can findpeace Eddie must learnto listen and absorb what those chosen towelcome him have to teach.The lessons are sincere and carefullyexplained; they areillustrated like parables and are repeatedlysummed up to make surethat they are understood. All the sentimentsfit into religiousteaching; for example, the captain who died inthe war just aftersaving Eddies's life explains that sacrifice isa part of life, agood and necessary part. For the reader who fearswhimsy there aremore down-to-earth pages, scenes from Eddie'schildhood and familylife, passages which show how his deathaffects those left to takeover his repair shop. But it's far toobland, a bit like a thoughtfor the day aimed at those who believein God and life after death.If there were Sunday Schools foradults this would be the prize."
--Kirkus UK
"This is a well-intentioned novel about a man who diesand
goes to heaven, finding there a meaning to his life. For thisfable
Albom has chosen an unlikely character, an old and lonely manwho,
like his father before him, services rides in an amusementpark.
Because Eddie has the word 'maintenance' on his uniform, tohis
work mates and regular customers he has become just that -Eddie
Maintenance. Genial and indulgent to the children, he findslittle
else to cheer him and when the accident that he has alwaysdreaded
happens he asks everyone he meets in the afterlife if he hadat
least managed to save the small girl who was playing underthe
roller coaster. He has to wait a long time for the answer, asthe
five people waiting for him have their own agenda. Eddierecognizes
some of them and is familiar with the place they inhabit butothers
are strangers to him even if their lives have touched. There isa
message in this book, indeed several messages. Before he canfind
peace Eddie must learn to listen and absorb what those chosento
welcome him have to teach. The lessons are sincere andcarefully
explained; they are illustrated like parables and arerepeatedly
summed up to make sure that they are understood. All thesentiments
fit into religious teaching; for example, the captain who diedin
the war just after saving Eddies's life explains that sacrificeis
a part of life, a good and necessary part. For the reader whofears
whimsy there are more down-to-earth pages, scenes fromEddie's
childhood and family life, passages which show how his death
affects those left to take over his repair shop. But it's fartoo
bland, a bit like a thought for the day aimed at those whobelieve
in God and life after death. If there were Sunday Schools for
adults this would be the prize. "
--Kirkus UK
