The First Phone Call From Heaven by Mitch Albom Also by this author: The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto
Published by HarperCollins on November 12, 2013
Genres/Lists: Fiction
Pages: 323
Read synopsis on Goodreads
I received this book for free from TLC Book Tours.
Buy the book: Amazon/Audible (this post includes affiliate links)
Do you believe in miracles? The people of Coldwater, Michigan certainly did when several people began receiving phone calls from the deceased claiming to be in heaven. But was it true? Was it possible? Or, was it a hoax? These questions, along with those of faith, family, and moving on are all explored in Mitch Albom’s new book, The First Phone Call From Heaven. Punctuated with the history of the invention of the telephone and a man seeking the truth behind the phone calls, Heaven is a quick and humbling read.
When I first started reading, I was a little bored. Not because the book was bad but because I recently read The Returned (review here), which was about the deceased physically returning home and the phone calls concept seemed rather benign in comparison. But as I continued reading, I became more invested in the stories of the various characters and the book got better and better. Riding a roller coaster of emotions from disbelief, anger, and understanding, I read this book in less than two days.
Not surprisingly, Heaven is predictably Albom’ish, with all the hallmarks of his other books, such as questioning one’s faith and one man’s spiritual journey (not to mention some fantastic quotes). But what struck me as the most endearing was where, in the acknowledgement section, he pays tribute to his wife as the reason he can write about love. Fans of Mitch Albom will adore this book. People like me, who enjoy them but don’t consider them life-changing, will find it to be a quick and enjoyable read.
Top 2 Favorite Quotes
- “There are two stories for every life; the one you live, and the one others tell.” (p. 165)
- “Desire sets our compass, but real life steers our course.” (p. 301)
To read the other reviews on the tour, click here.
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