Isa
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Post by Isa on Sept 28, 2006 16:11:39 GMT -5
I finished it yesterday, and I know that some of you have read it so I'm curious to hear what you thought of it. I must admit that I wasn't that impressed. I had read Tuesdays with Morrie and really liked that one; it was a very touching story and got me to think about life and the way I live it. But with this other one, I don't know, it felt as though Albom was trying really hard to convey some sort of spiritually positive message and instead of touching me, it annoyed me a bit. I still think it was well written and fun to read, but definitely not as good for me as Tuesdays wth Morrie.
What about you guys, what did you think?
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Post by Dominique on Sept 29, 2006 1:02:02 GMT -5
I haven't read either of those yet, I must add them to my list as they seem very talked about etc
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Bina
First novel published
Posts: 2,472
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Post by Bina on Sept 29, 2006 4:42:25 GMT -5
I liked this one better than tuesdays with morrie. Just the whole idea of meeting these 5 people and having your questions answered was a great idea. I agree that there were moments where he tried too hard but there were also more moments where I was truly touched.
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Paige
Collection of short stories bought by Random House
Posts: 1,787
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Post by Paige on Oct 2, 2006 17:42:24 GMT -5
I loved this book! It was just such a cool idea for a book and a lot of parts really touched me. It's one I'd prolly reread...especially since it's so short
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Isa
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Post by Isa on Oct 2, 2006 18:22:25 GMT -5
I guess I liked Tuesdays with Morrie better because it seemed more genuine... The one thing that helped me like The Five People... was the picture of Albom's uncle at the end, it made it seem more real. So I guess I'm not into books that are spiritual for the sake of being spiritual, I need some sort of anchor. Hum... never thought of myself like that before!
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phishhead42
First piece published in the school’s newspaper
Posts: 91
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Post by phishhead42 on Oct 12, 2006 14:49:11 GMT -5
I read the five people you meet in heaven and I thought it was worth the time. I think it accomplishes something very hard to do in a short novel and that is move the audience towards a new concept of thought. The concepts of spirituality in this book intrigued me to say the least and offered a fresh insight into thoughts of afterlife/karma. The idea of meeting five people who lead you to heaven was brilliant. I thought the main character was the humble hero who tried to do everything right and was develped stunningly well for a 100 or less page novel. I have to say I am a sucker for spiritual books too. I've never read tuesdays with morrie so I can't compare the two.
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Post by bookaddict on Oct 12, 2006 15:54:51 GMT -5
I read both of them. I read "The Five People you Meet in Heaven" first and really enjoyed it. However, I think "Tuesday's with Morrie" was more enjoyable. I liked it because death is a taboo sujbect in North American, and to have a book where the person accepts death was a great concept. It made you not fear death, and realize that it is inevitable.
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Isa
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Post by Isa on Oct 12, 2006 20:38:34 GMT -5
That's a really interesting view of the book, bookaddict, and I completely agree with it. I remember reading that a few centuries ago, death was not something people feared - it was rather romantic and that's why people hung out in cemetaries and young men joined the army. But too many harsh and senseless wars have changed the way people feel about dying, and so have many "modern" illnesses.
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Post by bookaddict on Oct 12, 2006 20:50:06 GMT -5
A professor I once had talked about how death in other cultures are openly talked about. People would prepare for their death. Even in the 1870's in New York rich people would erect these great tombstones (statues of themselves) and have picnic's at their tombstone, knowing that was their eventual reasting place. We just did a class on this in my 'Modernist New York Class'. People in New York and Chicago would hang out in cemetaries and have picnics, as if it was their park. New York was lacking public parks, and this was their substitute. In North American death is a taboo subject. There's an article called "As near to paradise as one can reach in Brooklyn, N.Y" by Charles Lockwood...it's interesting.
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Bina
First novel published
Posts: 2,472
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Post by Bina on Oct 13, 2006 5:55:52 GMT -5
I´d like to read that one. Of course wars have always been a rather brutal affair and I still can´t believe people thought the concept romantic. I hate how death is such a taboo. People who have lost someone rarely get the time to grief and most would like to ignore the matter. I think the concept of the five people you meet in heaven is an interesting and new idea and I really liked the book even if I believe that death is the end.
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Post by littlerhody9 on Oct 24, 2006 1:03:03 GMT -5
I've read both "Tuesdays with Morrie" and "The Five People you Meet in Heaven" and out of the two, I could much more easily relate to "Tuesdays". "Five People" really rubbed me the wrong way and I found that after each chapter I didn't much want to finish reading. I agree that it was an interesting idea but I just didn't like it.
But I did also just finish Albom's newest book "One More Day" and I loved it. It is about the relationship between a mother and son and how that relationship helps a suicidal man turn his life around. Very touching and very well done, I read it in just a few hours.
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Isa
Administrator
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Post by Isa on Oct 24, 2006 7:32:28 GMT -5
That's good to know, I'll try to see if my library has it!
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Post by bookaddict on Oct 24, 2006 9:51:53 GMT -5
Oh I ordered "One More Day." I'm glad you seem to like it, now I really can't wait for it to come!
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jen4219
First poem written for Mother’s Day
Posts: 31
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Post by jen4219 on Oct 24, 2006 13:27:21 GMT -5
I haven't read Tuesdays with Morrie yet, but I read The 5 Peope You Meet in Heaven and liked it. I read it almost a year ago, and I've read so much since then that I don't remember specifics, but I remember it really got me thinking about life and philosophy and such. What really happens when you die? I think he tackled that issue in a touching way without suggesting that his perception of Heaven was wholly accurate.
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dreamer112
First short story featured in regional newspaper
Posts: 103
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Post by dreamer112 on Dec 27, 2006 21:30:36 GMT -5
I loved this book. I think my favorite part is at the end when he finds that the little girl had taken his hand as he was dying. I was crying all the way through. I have never read Tuesdays with Morrie, but it is on my tbr list. I'm currently reading his new book though and I love it!
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