Mitch Albom is a master at exploring humanity and the meaning of life using a little page-turner. He seems to enjoy the topic of heaven, but in tackling the afterlife, he actually ends up saying way more about belief (and doubt, hope, and skepticism) here on earth. Coldwater, Michigan, normally a sleepy little town, has become a chaotic item in the news of the world because people are receiving phone calls from family members who have died. Miracles are a good thing right? But isn’t faith believing without proof? I enjoyed the ending, it was well crafted and satisfying. As a bonus, the book also includes some interesting history of Alexander Graham Bell and the creation of the telephone.
The memoir Tuesdays with Morrie, is still one of my all time favourite books. Album writes about how he faithfully visited an ill college professor every Tuesday when he was a young journalist. Although he went to comfort, he turned out being comforted. The book is an unsentimental simple tale about an old man, a young man, and some of life’s greatest lessons. I always seems to be scribbling down quotes from Albom’s books. I’ve included some at the end of this post.
There are three more of his books which I have read over the years and can tell you about since I still remember them, and the others you can discover on Albom’s website (Mitch Albom Website).
The Five People you Meet in Heaven is my second favourite, a stunning fiction which features an old war veteran who thought his life never amounted to anything much. How wrong he was. The five people in heaven tell stories that illuminate the good that he did, and comfort him by showing how meaningful and important his life really was.
For One More Day is a beautiful novel of a mother and son. Wouldn’t it be great to spend just one more day with someone who we have loved and lost? Albom puts a lot of himself even into his fiction, and this one is largely based on his mother’s story. Several incidents in the book are real ones from his childhood.
Have a Little Faith is a true story about an older suburban rabbi and a young inter-city pastor. Moving between worlds that are far apart, Albom highlights things like doubt and forgiveness, and how to carry on when things in life get difficult. Albom shares a view of disparate worlds while underscoring the importance of faith in hard times.
“Sometimes what you miss the most is the way a loved one made you feel about yourself.” –Mitch Albom, the first phone call from heaven
“Death ends a life, not a relationship.” –Mitch Albom, Tuesdays with Morrie
“All endings are also beginnings. We just don’t know it at the time.” –Mitch Albom, The Five People You Meet in Heaven
“You should be convinced of the authenticity of what you have, but you must also be humble enough to say that we don’t know everything. And since we don’t know everything, we must accept that another person may believe something else.” –Mitch Albom, Have a Little Faith
Joanne's Reading Blog 
Hi Joanne, you wrote this blog on Mitch Albom a number of years ago, but when we came up with our book list for this year, I had never read a Mitch Albom book, and suggested we each choose any of his books to read, briefly present and then discuss together. Sharon led a good discussion. It was a wonderful evening sitting around a campfire and we even ended up singing songs, kind of like Albert in Have a little faith! So appreciated your suggestion all these years later! A number of us have said we will read another of his books…Finding Chika is one we want to read!
Hi Margo! What a great idea to each choose a different book from the same author for a book club meeting! And Mitch Albom is a perfect one to do that with! Your comment made me curious which Albom books I had actually read and which I need to catch up on. There are a few I have missed out on so you have inspired me to catch up! His easy-to-read snappy little books are a delight because they carry some weighty wisdom nuggets in a seemingly light package!! Thanks so much for your comment and for the inspiration to read more Albom!