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The First Phone Call from Heaven
The First Phone Call from Heaven tells the story of a small town on Lake Michigan that gets worldwide attention when its citizens start receiving phone calls from the afterlife. Is it the greatest miracle ever or a massive hoax? Sully Harding, a grief-stricken single father, is determined to find out. An allegory about the power of belief--and a page-turner that will touch your soul--Albom's masterful storytelling has never been so moving and unexpected.
Readers of The Five People You Meet in Heaven will recognize the warmth and emotion so redolent of Albom's writing, and those who haven't yet enjoyed the power of his storytelling, will thrill at the discovery of one of the best-loved writers of our time.
Readers of The Five People You Meet in Heaven will recognize the warmth and emotion so redolent of Albom's writing, and those who haven't yet enjoyed the power of his storytelling, will thrill at the discovery of one of the best-loved writers of our time.
323 pages, Hardcover
First published November 11, 2013
About the author
Mitch Albom
92 books113k followersAuthor, screenwriter, philanthropist, journalist, and broadcaster Mitch Albom is an inspiration around the world. Albom is the author of numerous books of fiction and nonfiction, which have collectively sold more than forty million copies in forty-eight languages worldwide. He has written eight number-one New York Times bestsellers — including Tuesdays with Morrie, the bestselling memoir of all time, which topped the list for four straight years and celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2022. He has also written award-winning TV films, stage plays, screenplays, a nationally syndicated newspaper column, and a musical. He appeared for more than 20 years on ESPN, and was a fixture on The Sports Reporters. Through his work at the Detroit Free Press, he was inducted into both the National Sports Media Association and Michigan Sports halls of fame and was the recipient of the Red Smith Award for lifetime achievement.
Following his bestselling memoir Finding Chika, and Human Touch, a weekly serial written and published online which raised nearly $1 million for pandemic relief, he returned to fiction with The Stranger in the Lifeboat, which debuted at #1 on the New York Times Bestsellers List after being #1 on Amazon. His much-anticipated new novel, set during the Holocaust, is coming in the fall of 2023.
Albom now spends the majority of his time in philanthropic work. Since 2006, he has operated nine charitable programs in southeast Michigan under his SAY Detroit umbrella, including the nation's first medical clinic for homeless children. He also created a dessert shop and popcorn line to fund programs for Detroit’s most underserved citizens. Since 2010, Albom has operated Have Faith Haiti in Port-au-Prince, a home and school to more than 60 children, which he visits every month without exception.
Following his bestselling memoir Finding Chika, and Human Touch, a weekly serial written and published online which raised nearly $1 million for pandemic relief, he returned to fiction with The Stranger in the Lifeboat, which debuted at #1 on the New York Times Bestsellers List after being #1 on Amazon. His much-anticipated new novel, set during the Holocaust, is coming in the fall of 2023.
Albom now spends the majority of his time in philanthropic work. Since 2006, he has operated nine charitable programs in southeast Michigan under his SAY Detroit umbrella, including the nation's first medical clinic for homeless children. He also created a dessert shop and popcorn line to fund programs for Detroit’s most underserved citizens. Since 2010, Albom has operated Have Faith Haiti in Port-au-Prince, a home and school to more than 60 children, which he visits every month without exception.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 6,253 reviews
December 7, 2013
"No soul remembered is ever truly gone."
P.S. Mom, I'm still waiting for the phone to ring!
March 23, 2021
What I want to know is if you don't hear the call, do you get a text saying you have a missed call from God?
I know that to some people religion is the basis of life and why they are 'here'. I think religion is indeed 'the opiate of the masses', it exists so people don't have to face up to the consequences of their own actions. They can blame it on fate, some old guy up in the sky, or lots of people up in the sky, or the one down below in the pit, or the ones with lots of arms or blue heads or two faces or or or... there are so many gods to choose from and everyone who believes in one or more of them is convinced that they are right and everyone else's gods just plain don't even exist.
This is not to say I disrespect religious people. I don't in any way. I don't disrespect my family who are (variously) committed Methodists, Seventh Day Adventists, Catholics, Jews, Hindus and Buddhists.
But when we start saying that the Christian God actually gets on the telephone.... well, I'm sorry my credibility has been stretched wayyyyy too far. But I'm laughing.
I do rather fancy being a Mormon though, especially if I could be a man. Then if I was really really good and had at least 7 wives and something like 49 children I could get to be a god of my own planet. As 'only' a woman, I'm totally dependent on single husband deciding to elevate me to being a goddess. Imagine having to be no. 7 for all eternity?
In five thousand years, if we are still here on Earth, people will look back to these religions we presently have as we do to the ones of Egypt and Greece. Wonderful, strange, exotic, not based in a present reality... I'm just in advance of the times!
I know that to some people religion is the basis of life and why they are 'here'. I think religion is indeed 'the opiate of the masses', it exists so people don't have to face up to the consequences of their own actions. They can blame it on fate, some old guy up in the sky, or lots of people up in the sky, or the one down below in the pit, or the ones with lots of arms or blue heads or two faces or or or... there are so many gods to choose from and everyone who believes in one or more of them is convinced that they are right and everyone else's gods just plain don't even exist.
This is not to say I disrespect religious people. I don't in any way. I don't disrespect my family who are (variously) committed Methodists, Seventh Day Adventists, Catholics, Jews, Hindus and Buddhists.
But when we start saying that the Christian God actually gets on the telephone.... well, I'm sorry my credibility has been stretched wayyyyy too far. But I'm laughing.
I do rather fancy being a Mormon though, especially if I could be a man. Then if I was really really good and had at least 7 wives and something like 49 children I could get to be a god of my own planet. As 'only' a woman, I'm totally dependent on single husband deciding to elevate me to being a goddess. Imagine having to be no. 7 for all eternity?
In five thousand years, if we are still here on Earth, people will look back to these religions we presently have as we do to the ones of Egypt and Greece. Wonderful, strange, exotic, not based in a present reality... I'm just in advance of the times!
December 9, 2013
Interesting premise but was let down by the lack of emotional connection I typically feel when reading a Mitch Albom book. Was more of a mystery book then an emotional/inspirational book.
September 16, 2022
I love Mitch Albom's writing style and had high hopes for this one, but overall, I felt let down.
December 14, 2013
So ready to love this! Mitch Albom's books truly are life-changing and incredibly inspiring; I love each and every one of them.
Just realized the release date reads: eleven / twelve / thirteen.
edit on Dec 12th, 2013
I am truly, madly, deeply sorry, but this book landed itself onto my list of disappointing books of 2013. In addition to this year's Towering, Splintered, and The Ocean at the End of the Lane, know that it is with a heavy heart that I sadly rank The First Phone Call From Heaven among them. I'm giving it a 3-star because while Sully's story was a 4-star, everybody else's was only a 2.
The biggest problem I had with this book was the nearly-overwhelming number of characters and POVs it had. Usually I welcome multiple character POVs with a huge bear hug, but that wasn't the case with this book. I understand that with a plot such as this, you kinda NEED to include multiple POVs, but when the POVs expanded to minor characters like Phil and Amy, it became too much for me. One: I couldn't care less about what went through their heads, and two: reading their parts wasted my time in quickly getting to Sully's part.
I quite enjoyed reading about Sully, and Mitch's style of unraveling Sully's mysterious past was pretty much the only motivation I had for finishing the book.
I was disappointed to find out that
This book just didn't work out for me. I love, love, love Mitch Albom and his books, (haven't read The Time Keeper yet), but this book just didn't have the same fictional, magical storytelling as did The Five People You Meet in Heaven and For One More Day.
I hope y'all enjoy it more than I did.
Just realized the release date reads: eleven / twelve / thirteen.
edit on Dec 12th, 2013
I am truly, madly, deeply sorry, but this book landed itself onto my list of disappointing books of 2013. In addition to this year's Towering, Splintered, and The Ocean at the End of the Lane, know that it is with a heavy heart that I sadly rank The First Phone Call From Heaven among them. I'm giving it a 3-star because while Sully's story was a 4-star, everybody else's was only a 2.
The biggest problem I had with this book was the nearly-overwhelming number of characters and POVs it had. Usually I welcome multiple character POVs with a huge bear hug, but that wasn't the case with this book. I understand that with a plot such as this, you kinda NEED to include multiple POVs, but when the POVs expanded to minor characters like Phil and Amy, it became too much for me. One: I couldn't care less about what went through their heads, and two: reading their parts wasted my time in quickly getting to Sully's part.
I quite enjoyed reading about Sully, and Mitch's style of unraveling Sully's mysterious past was pretty much the only motivation I had for finishing the book.
I was disappointed to find out that
This book just didn't work out for me. I love, love, love Mitch Albom and his books, (haven't read The Time Keeper yet), but this book just didn't have the same fictional, magical storytelling as did The Five People You Meet in Heaven and For One More Day.
I hope y'all enjoy it more than I did.
December 10, 2013
I loved the backstory of Alexander Graham Bell as it coincided with the current day story, it has given me the desire to read more about Bell's personal life. My favorite quotes "What is false about hope?" and Faith is believing without the need for proof. I would read this story again.
February 6, 2017
A nice, thought provoking little story which is interesting whether you believe in Heaven or whether you do not. Not that the author provides any great solutions as you are left at the end with as many facts as you have at the beginning.
The most interesting part to me was what happened to the world at large as people began to receive phone calls from loved ones who had passed on. At first it seems a good thing. Who wouldn't like to hear from a loved partner or child who has died, especially when the message is that there is a life after death. However people of course react the way people do with jealousy and unkindness - and then there is the media......
I enjoyed it all. There were some great characters like Sully and there were some life changing moments as a direct result of all the fuss. Not a major book, but a nice one and, for me, a very pleasant reading experience.
The most interesting part to me was what happened to the world at large as people began to receive phone calls from loved ones who had passed on. At first it seems a good thing. Who wouldn't like to hear from a loved partner or child who has died, especially when the message is that there is a life after death. However people of course react the way people do with jealousy and unkindness - and then there is the media......
I enjoyed it all. There were some great characters like Sully and there were some life changing moments as a direct result of all the fuss. Not a major book, but a nice one and, for me, a very pleasant reading experience.
October 12, 2020
حدود 5 سالی از خوندن این کتاب میگذره و از اون موقع هر از گاهی چشمم بهش میخوره و این کتاب هربار مزخرفتر به نظرم میاد :))
باقی کتابهای میچ هم اون فاز معنوی مذهبی رو دارن، یک روز بیشتر و پنج نفری که در بهشت ملاقات میکنید کتابهای معقولی بودن که دوستشون هم داشتم و دارم
ولی این یکی بد بود
اگه اشتباه نکنم اون مثلا پیچش داستانی آخرش خیلی مضحک بود و بیشتر بخاطر همون وقتی بهش فکر میکنم هی کتاب بد و بدتری میشه برام وگرنه روند بدی نداشت
باقی کتابهای میچ هم اون فاز معنوی مذهبی رو دارن، یک روز بیشتر و پنج نفری که در بهشت ملاقات میکنید کتابهای معقولی بودن که دوستشون هم داشتم و دارم
ولی این یکی بد بود
اگه اشتباه نکنم اون مثلا پیچش داستانی آخرش خیلی مضحک بود و بیشتر بخاطر همون وقتی بهش فکر میکنم هی کتاب بد و بدتری میشه برام وگرنه روند بدی نداشت
December 29, 2013
I was not impressed with this book. Having just read The Five People You Meet in Heaven a few days prior, and loved it, I was expecting more of the same from The First Phone Call From Heaven. Unfortunately, nothing I loved about TFPYMIH carried over into this book. While the theme of TFPYMIH centered on understanding your own life in relation to others, the theme of TFPCFH just seemed to be whether it was believable enough that Heaven existed or not. Since the start of the novel I found it difficult to believe that the short, vague conversations with the dead could be real. Although Albom left a twist at the end to insinuate that legitimate phone calls from heaven did occur, some split-second reasoning (ie. That Belfin had programmed the calls to take place after his death) made the twist rather flimsy.
Also, The writing was not fantastic. I found that for a 300 page novel, it should have been long enough to support some character development, had there been fewer characters to follow. The first 100 pages of the story seemed rather repetitive, since Albom basically took the reader through the same event (someone receives call from a loved one, debated whether or not to tell someone) with about six different characters.
Finally, Albom described the female characters by their presence or absence of makeup about six or seven times, which I found weird and unnecessary.
I also found the religious content to be too much in this book. I don't think I can necessarily critique this about the book, though, considering this seems to be Alboms niche, and it was a book about heaven, after all. I guess I was misled by only having read TFPYMIH, which was much lighter on the religious content.
Also, The writing was not fantastic. I found that for a 300 page novel, it should have been long enough to support some character development, had there been fewer characters to follow. The first 100 pages of the story seemed rather repetitive, since Albom basically took the reader through the same event (someone receives call from a loved one, debated whether or not to tell someone) with about six different characters.
Finally, Albom described the female characters by their presence or absence of makeup about six or seven times, which I found weird and unnecessary.
I also found the religious content to be too much in this book. I don't think I can necessarily critique this about the book, though, considering this seems to be Alboms niche, and it was a book about heaven, after all. I guess I was misled by only having read TFPYMIH, which was much lighter on the religious content.
May 13, 2017
Τρυφερό,συγκινητικό,ανθρώπινο,και παραδόξως ρεαλιστικό.
Όμορφη γραφή,γρήγορη πλοκή, επιστημονικές ανακαλύψεις και πλοκή προσώπων και γεγονότων δημιουργούν μια γλυκιά ατμόσφαιρα με έντονα συναισθήματα και αναπάντητα ερωτήματα που βασανίζουν ανέκαθεν το ανθρώπινο είδος!
Η αγάπη σε όλο της το μεγαλείο και σε πολλές εκφάνσεις πρωτοστατεί.
Ο πόνος μπροστά στο μη αναστρέψιμο ειναι κυρίαρχος δίνοντας προτεραιότητα στην ελπίδα για να τον γιατρέψει και σε δεύτερη μοίρα έρχονται η παρηγοριά η λήθη και ο χρόνος.
Κανεις δεν ξεχνάει τα άτομα που λάτρεψε.
Κανεις δεν αρνείται να ακούσει τον ήχο της φωνής που αγάπησε πολύ.
Κανεις δεν θέλει να δει την αλήθεια που πονάει αβάσταχτα όταν μπορεί να νιώσει απόλυτη ευτυχία έστω με ένα ψέμμα.
Όλοι ελπίζουν στο παράδοξο το αδύνατο το απραγματοποίητο της ζωής φτάνει να βρουν ένα ελάχιστο ίσως και ψεύτικο σημάδι που προμηνύει ένα σημείο επαφής με πρόσωπα χαμένα και λατρεμένα.
Ένα ονειρεμένο... τηλεφώνημα συνεπάγεται όλου του κόσμου την ευτυχία και τη χαρά.
Κανεις δεν πεθαίνει όταν τον αγαπούν και τον θυμούνται!!
Μήνυμα ψυχής!
Καλή ανάγνωση.
Πολλούς ασπασμούς.
Όμορφη γραφή,γρήγορη πλοκή, επιστημονικές ανακαλύψεις και πλοκή προσώπων και γεγονότων δημιουργούν μια γλυκιά ατμόσφαιρα με έντονα συναισθήματα και αναπάντητα ερωτήματα που βασανίζουν ανέκαθεν το ανθρώπινο είδος!
Η αγάπη σε όλο της το μεγαλείο και σε πολλές εκφάνσεις πρωτοστατεί.
Ο πόνος μπροστά στο μη αναστρέψιμο ειναι κυρίαρχος δίνοντας προτεραιότητα στην ελπίδα για να τον γιατρέψει και σε δεύτερη μοίρα έρχονται η παρηγοριά η λήθη και ο χρόνος.
Κανεις δεν ξεχνάει τα άτομα που λάτρεψε.
Κανεις δεν αρνείται να ακούσει τον ήχο της φωνής που αγάπησε πολύ.
Κανεις δεν θέλει να δει την αλήθεια που πονάει αβάσταχτα όταν μπορεί να νιώσει απόλυτη ευτυχία έστω με ένα ψέμμα.
Όλοι ελπίζουν στο παράδοξο το αδύνατο το απραγματοποίητο της ζωής φτάνει να βρουν ένα ελάχιστο ίσως και ψεύτικο σημάδι που προμηνύει ένα σημείο επαφής με πρόσωπα χαμένα και λατρεμένα.
Ένα ονειρεμένο... τηλεφώνημα συνεπάγεται όλου του κόσμου την ευτυχία και τη χαρά.
Κανεις δεν πεθαίνει όταν τον αγαπούν και τον θυμούνται!!
Μήνυμα ψυχής!
Καλή ανάγνωση.
Πολλούς ασπασμούς.
November 23, 2015
“Desire sets our compass, but real life steers our course.”
This was my second novel of Mitch Albom. The first one was The Time Keeper and I love that book, carrying a lot of life lessons. This one, too. Mitch Albom is really one of the master-of-life-lessons writers.
The book speaks the story of a small town on Lake Michigan that gets worldwide attention when the media broadcast to the world that its citizens start receiving phone calls from their loved ones in the afterlife. Is it really the greatest miracle ever or just a massive hoax? I won't tell you of course because that goes the most interesting part of the story.
I'm kind of confused at first because I assumed it was only written with one point of view but hell not. There are a lot yet I'm quite pleased I've got to sort them out. Point of views from people who received the phone calls that are willing to tell everyone; people who liked to keep it for themselves; and other who wanted to find if it is just a hoax. And I'm kind of engrossed hearing from their different point of views.
On top of that, the fact or history about the invention of the telephone was incorporated here. As an ECE, I have read those facts but this book gave to me the other facts that I didn't know about Alexander Graham Bell and his invention of the telephone and I was happy I've found it out.
Indeed, First Phone Call from Heaven was a story of almost everyone, if not everyone, who believes in miracles. A captivating story of faith, belief, trust and forgiveness with characters that I was surely attached to, reading their own happiness and grievances in life.
November 5, 2013
I have read all of Mitch's books: Tuesdays with Morrie, The Five People You Meet in Heaven, Have a Little Faith, For One More Day, and The Time Keeper. I've liked all of them, except The Time Keeper, a lot. The Time Keeper was just okay. This latest, The First Phone Call from Heaven, is definitely my favorite. Here is a very short synopsis from Goodreads:
The First Phone Call from Heaven tells the story of a small town on Lake Michigan that gets worldwide attention when its citizens start receiving phone calls from the afterlife. Is it the greatest miracle ever or a massive hoax? Sully Harding, a grief-stricken single father, is determined to find out.
Let me mention a couple of features of this book, without giving anything away, that stood out for me:
1. There is quite a bit of history surrounding Alexander Graham Bell and Elisha Gray (who?). I love history.
2. There is a scene a little over half way through in which one of the people receiving calls from heaven reacts in a very surprising way. My mouth dropped.
3. It's just flat-out well-written. I connected to the characters immediately which, as many (some? few? none?) of you know, is crucial to me.
This is a book that, I think, most everybody would enjoy.
The First Phone Call from Heaven tells the story of a small town on Lake Michigan that gets worldwide attention when its citizens start receiving phone calls from the afterlife. Is it the greatest miracle ever or a massive hoax? Sully Harding, a grief-stricken single father, is determined to find out.
Let me mention a couple of features of this book, without giving anything away, that stood out for me:
1. There is quite a bit of history surrounding Alexander Graham Bell and Elisha Gray (who?). I love history.
2. There is a scene a little over half way through in which one of the people receiving calls from heaven reacts in a very surprising way. My mouth dropped.
3. It's just flat-out well-written. I connected to the characters immediately which, as many (some? few? none?) of you know, is crucial to me.
This is a book that, I think, most everybody would enjoy.
October 5, 2017
در شهر کوچکی به نام کلدواتر در میشیگان، افرادی مدعی میشن که از بستگان و دوستان مرده شون تماس تلفنی دریافت کردن. تماس های تلفنی ای که در اون اظهار دارن بهشت وجود داره و اون افراد در بهشت ساکن هستن..
میچ آلبوم جز نویسنده های محبوبمه و این کتاب هم مثل همیشه واسم جذاب بود. میچ آلبوم همیشه ایده های جدید و خلاقانه داره و در عین حال قلمش هم فوق العادست. با تموم شدن این کتاب میتونم ادعا کنم که همه ی آثارش رو خوندم. کتاب هاش رو با این ترتیب توصیه میکنم:
تارهای جادویی فرانکی پرستو، پنج نفر در بهشت منتظر شما هستند، وقت نویس، اولین تماس تلفنی از بهشت، برای یک روز بیشتر، سه شنبه ها با موری، کمی ایمان داشته باش.
میچ آلبوم جز نویسنده های محبوبمه و این کتاب هم مثل همیشه واسم جذاب بود. میچ آلبوم همیشه ایده های جدید و خلاقانه داره و در عین حال قلمش هم فوق العادست. با تموم شدن این کتاب میتونم ادعا کنم که همه ی آثارش رو خوندم. کتاب هاش رو با این ترتیب توصیه میکنم:
تارهای جادویی فرانکی پرستو، پنج نفر در بهشت منتظر شما هستند، وقت نویس، اولین تماس تلفنی از بهشت، برای یک روز بیشتر، سه شنبه ها با موری، کمی ایمان داشته باش.
May 1, 2018
داستان از جایی شروع میشه که 6 نفر در شهر کوچکی در حومه ی کانادا تماس هایی رو از عزیزان از دست رفته شون دریافت می کنند .آن طرف خط کسانی هستند که میگویند از بهشت تماس گرفتهاند. وقتی اخبار این تماسهای عجیب پخش میشود، غریبهها دسته دسته به شهر سرازیر میشوند تا آنها هم بخشی از این معجزه باشند
سوال اینه که چند نفر از ما واقعا دوست داریم چنین تماسی باهامون گرفته بشه ؟! اینکه بتونیم دوباره صدای عزیزان از دست رفته مون رو بشنویم ، اما بدونیم که دیگه هرگز قرار نیست لمسشون کنیم، دیگه قرار نیست هیچ وقت از نزدیک ببینیمشون، اینکه با هر بار تماسشون یادت بیاد که دیگه کنارت نیستن که مرده ها مردن و هیچ وقت بر نمیگردن.هضم این موضوع برای خیلی ها نمی تونه آسون باشه ، اصلا نباید آسون باشه وگرنه که مرگ هم قسمت پوچی از زندگی ما آدم ها می شد
اگر فکر کنیم که یه داستان رو چطور میشه تموم کرد، احتمالا 100 تا راه به ذهنمون میرسه .تصورم اینه که احتمالا میشد داستان رو به روش دیگه ای هم خاتمه داد ، اما جدا از تمام این مسائل ، روش حل مسئله ی داستان رو دوست داشتم
July 12, 2017
Interesting as a general idea but a bit poor in its developement. It didn't keep my interest alive till the end.
March 13, 2016
Silly, slow, and boring! Reading this turned out to be an utter chore. I’ve loved almost all of Mitch Albom’s books, most especially “Tuesdays with Morrie”. I’ve loved some of them so much, that we even own a few of the DVDs. Naturally, I was looking forward to reading this one, but it turned out to be quite disappointing to say the least. There were too many characters and I really didn’t care about any of them. The stories kept jumping around to the point of confusion and annoyance. I normally have a 10% rule – if a book doesn’t engage me in the first 10%, I usually give up on it and move on. I should have given up on this one, but because it was Mitch Albom and because I was curious to see what would happen, I stuck with it, unfortunately wasting precious hours of my reading time.
August 23, 2017
Another solid selection from Mitch Albom. Random people in Coldwater, Michigan, begin receiving calls on their cell phones from loved ones who have passed on and are in heaven. Sounds incredible, but they can't help but believe it's a true miracle -- the callers' voices are the voices of the deceased, and their comments are too personal for anyone to be faking it. Coldwater will never be the same again, and the people who flock there are given a lesson in what heaven might really be like. Very interesting story, if you're in the mood to ponder such things.
December 23, 2015
In life people either believe in Heaven and an afterlife or they do not. Reading this book, the characters are also split into two camps. There are those who believe they are receiving phone calls from loved ones who are dead and others who dismiss the whole thing as a hoax. But which is it? Sully Harding is determined to find out the truth. The story contains interesting characters from different backgrounds who receive these phone calls and so the reader gets several viewpoints throughout the story. I liked several of them but Sully was probably my favourite out of them all. I also liked finding out more about Alexander Graham Bell and his invention of the telephone, which is interspersed throughout the story.
It gives a good picture of the way people respond to anything that is out of the ordinary and also of how the media sensationalises things as it changes the quiet little town of Coldwater Michigan into a circus of journalists and TV cameras, believers, the curious and those who protest. Sounds pretty much the response you’d expect to some news like this. I enjoyed it, as did my husband when he read it. It was actually him borrowed it from the library and I read it after him. While entertaining and having a mystery to solve, it may just give a few things to think seriously about as well.
It gives a good picture of the way people respond to anything that is out of the ordinary and also of how the media sensationalises things as it changes the quiet little town of Coldwater Michigan into a circus of journalists and TV cameras, believers, the curious and those who protest. Sounds pretty much the response you’d expect to some news like this. I enjoyed it, as did my husband when he read it. It was actually him borrowed it from the library and I read it after him. While entertaining and having a mystery to solve, it may just give a few things to think seriously about as well.
July 27, 2016
داستان افرادی در یک شهر کوچک که تلفن هایی از عزیزان مرده شان دریافت می کنند.و شخصی که به این تماس ها شک دارد و به دنبال اصل قضیه می گردد.
نکته ی جالب قضیه اینجاست که افراد بی ایمانی هم که از اول قضیه رو کتمان می کردن،احتمالا زمانی که کاترین در برابر همه منتظر تماس بود، توجه شان به اون سمت بوده. روح آدمی همیشه براش سخته که باور کنه زندگی چیز پوچیه و ما بی هیچ هدفی زندگی می کنیم و در نهایت چیزی نیست.
کتاب جالبی بود. هرچند که من از یادداشت برداری جملات نغز کتاب ها بدم میاد، ولی دلم میخواست جملات این کتاب رو می نوشتم. شاید وقتی دیگر.
نکته ی جالب قضیه اینجاست که افراد بی ایمانی هم که از اول قضیه رو کتمان می کردن،احتمالا زمانی که کاترین در برابر همه منتظر تماس بود، توجه شان به اون سمت بوده. روح آدمی همیشه براش سخته که باور کنه زندگی چیز پوچیه و ما بی هیچ هدفی زندگی می کنیم و در نهایت چیزی نیست.
کتاب جالبی بود. هرچند که من از یادداشت برداری جملات نغز کتاب ها بدم میاد، ولی دلم میخواست جملات این کتاب رو می نوشتم. شاید وقتی دیگر.
October 3, 2015
Sometimes, love brings you together even as life keeps you apart.
Before you read the book, don't forget to ask yourself this: How much do you believe in the story?
The First Phone Call from Heaven is one of my favorite books written by my favorite author, Mitch Albom. His books are mostly about lessons of life and beliefs in God, and this one is no exception. The story began with some phone calls from the characters' late loved ones in a fictional Coldwater, Michigan. (Even though there's a real Coldwater town in Michigan, that wasn't where the story took place.) People tend to regret everything they should've but hadn't done before their beloved friends or family passed away, and most of them shared a common wish---they wish the could talk to the deceased once more.
I don't hold a specific religious belief, but in my opinion, it's good to know that even as we die, there's a new life waiting for us--- a bright, hopeful, painless one.
So back to the very first question from the book, the answer is yes, I believe everything happened in the story, wholeheartedly and undoubtedly, and I hope you do as well.
Before you read the book, don't forget to ask yourself this: How much do you believe in the story?
The First Phone Call from Heaven is one of my favorite books written by my favorite author, Mitch Albom. His books are mostly about lessons of life and beliefs in God, and this one is no exception. The story began with some phone calls from the characters' late loved ones in a fictional Coldwater, Michigan. (Even though there's a real Coldwater town in Michigan, that wasn't where the story took place.) People tend to regret everything they should've but hadn't done before their beloved friends or family passed away, and most of them shared a common wish---they wish the could talk to the deceased once more.
The end is not the end.At first, the "chosen ones" received phone calls from heaven, when the shocking news spread all over the town, more and more visitors(worshipers) flooded in.
What in life can love not penetrate?Reporters wanted to collect the source firsthand; police officers were dealing with the crowd; vendors and markets were running out of supplies because this small town was facing an unprecedented prosperity; even the certain kind of cellphone, which was the one those chosen ones used, was out of stock in that others believed that was the only brand which could get a heaven call.
There is life after this life.I think the reason those deceased people "called" the living was to ensure them that they led a good life in heaven and it was another kind of forgiveness to them. Telling the living that there was no need to worry about them because God would take care of them in the heaven. Of course, how much you believe in this depends on yourself.
If it[the world] believes, it behaves better.Indeed, if everyone believes in the heaven call story, it means we still have a thread of hope and that's what keeps us moving on, moving forward. We don't need proof for what we choose to believe.
I don't hold a specific religious belief, but in my opinion, it's good to know that even as we die, there's a new life waiting for us--- a bright, hopeful, painless one.
Desire sets our compass, but real life steers our course.After reading this book, you'll know the importance of cherish what you have in presence. Not the past. Not the future. Sometimes hope isn't enough, you still need to seek forgiveness or to forgive others. The ending seems like the same situation in John Green's Looking for Alaska.
Instead, I end this as I began it, asking your forgiveness. Perhaps, soon, I will be able to seek the same from my son.Life is unpredictable and we are blessed to live another day in this beautiful world. I felt so much peaceful and blissful after finished the book and highly recommend to anyone who'd like to search the meaning of life. Although it sounds abstract and profound in those ideas, you'll learn a lot in the story. The words and thoughts in the book were far beyond the story itself.
Heaven is always and forever around us, and no soul remembered is ever really gone.
So back to the very first question from the book, the answer is yes, I believe everything happened in the story, wholeheartedly and undoubtedly, and I hope you do as well.
December 28, 2015
Αρκετά γλυκό βιβλίο που διαβάζεται ευχάριστα ξεκούραστα και γρήγορα. Βέβαια το περίμενα ένα "τσακ" καλύτερο. Ξεκινάει με την ιστορία να πλασάρεται ως φιλοσοφικού περιεχομένου, αλλά την βρήκα αρκετά αφελή, ώστε να μην το πεις βιβλίο φιλοσοφικού περιεχομένου. Σε αυτό το κομμάτι θα το έλεγα απλά… γλυκούλι! Στη συνέχεια μας το γυρίζει σε μυστηρίου… μπαααααααααα ούτε για πλάκα, ως προς αυτό το κομμάτι, θα το έλεγα απλώς… ενδιαφέρον.
Πρωτότυπη ιστορία, ενδιαφέρουσα που θα μπορούσε βεβαία να ειπωθεί και καλύτερα. Με κούρασαν λίγο όλα αυτά για την χάρη του Κυρίου, τον παράδεισο, την αγάπη κ.λ.π. Παρόλα αυτά μου άρεσε. 3,5 αστεράκια από εμένα.
Πρωτότυπη ιστορία, ενδιαφέρουσα που θα μπορούσε βεβαία να ειπωθεί και καλύτερα. Με κούρασαν λίγο όλα αυτά για την χάρη του Κυρίου, τον παράδεισο, την αγάπη κ.λ.π. Παρόλα αυτά μου άρεσε. 3,5 αστεράκια από εμένα.
January 3, 2014
The concept of the book was original; grieving people receiving phone calls from their departed loved ones in Heaven. Comforting, reassuring and what grieving people are longing for…..one last connection. But the resolution and the why of it happening fell short for me. There could have been more in depth exploration of why Horace did it, what he was trying to accomplish, etc but it just kind of felt trivial and trite, making up for his son's weakness. I was disappointed. I liked the meaningful interactions that occurred when the departed "called" from Heaven. How their remaining loved one's felt. Even when Doreen chose to stop receiving the calls from her dead son. Her explanation that it just kept her in her grief, I could understand that. Also, how good the ones felt that had unresolved feelings about the dead people; maybe they hadn't said all they needed to, etc. and to get the chance to make sure the dead person had forgiven them or still loved them, meant a lot to the people remaining. It was interesting too how the world reacted. Everyone wanting to get to the place where it was happening, have the same phone that the calls were coming in on. As if, were this really real and happening, as if any of those things could matter.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 20, 2017
Ένα αρκετά συγκινητικό μυθιστόρημα που σε έβαζε να αναρωτηθείς αν είναι καλύτερο με τον θάνατο να τελειώνουν όλα ή αν μπορούσες να ξαναεπικοινωνήσεις με τους δικούς σου, θα το έκανες; Πολλές φορές μπήκα σε αυτό το τρυπάκι αφού έχω χάσει κι εγώ αγαπημένο μου πρόσωπο και σκέφτηκα πως θα ένιωθα αν είχα τη δυνατότητα να του ξαναμιλήσω. Είδα πολλές εκδοχές μέσα σε αυτό το βιβλίο. Άρνηση, δυσπιστία, ελπίδα και χαρά. Είδα ότι άλλοι παράτησαν τις ζωές τους και ζούσαν μόνο για αυτό το τηλεφώνημα, άλλοι ξήλωσαν τα τηλέφωνα για να προχωρήσουν και άλλοι ήθελαν να στρέψουν πάνω τους την προσοχή του κόσμου. Αρκετά έξυπνο βιβλίο που προσωπικά θα το θυμάμαι για αυτά τα συναισθήματα που μου έβγαλε.
September 8, 2021
دو سال پیش که بابام فوت کرد همیشه میگفتم ای کاش میشد یجوری باهاش در تماس میبودیم مثلا پنج شنبه که از سرخاکش برمیگشتیم خونه شب بهمون زنگ میزد و فقط میگفت سلام من خوبم.... فقط صداش رو بشنویم.
تا اینکه اسم این کتاب رو اینجا دیدم خیلی مشتاق شدم بخونمش و اینو بگم که منی که همچی پیش زمینه فکری داشتم خیلی از کتاب خوشم اومد و اون یک ستاره که ندادم احساس میکنم میتونست بهتر هم باشه.
اولین کتاب از این نویسنده بود خوندم
تا اینکه اسم این کتاب رو اینجا دیدم خیلی مشتاق شدم بخونمش و اینو بگم که منی که همچی پیش زمینه فکری داشتم خیلی از کتاب خوشم اومد و اون یک ستاره که ندادم احساس میکنم میتونست بهتر هم باشه.
اولین کتاب از این نویسنده بود خوندم
November 9, 2017
Three stars in general, but two stars in comparison to “The Five People you Meet in Heaven” and “Tuesdays with Morrie”..
November 3, 2024
As all of Mitch Albom books, this one had deep meanings and life lessons along the way. It was beautiful to watch the character developments. I was shocked by the twist at the end! Such a beautiful story!
October 18, 2015
چه چیزی در زندگی هست که عشق در آن نتواند رسوخ کند؟
و هیچ کس، اگر به یادش باشیم، از پیش ما نمی رود...
اعتراف می کنم که اگه هر پایان دیگه ای جز این داشت، واقعا ناامید میشدم. ولی حالا حس می کنم تمام صفحه هایی که ورق زدم معنی دارن...
و از زیبایی های دیگه این کتاب:
شاید خیال کنید باید آدمی که گواهِ حقیقی بودنِ بهشت را همراهش دارد در آغوش بگیرند و خوشامد بگویند. اما حتی در حضور معجزه هم قلب انسان می گوید چرا من نه؟
عجیبه نه؟
April 15, 2016
نگاه متفاوتی که نویسنده به ماجراهای بعد از مرگ و ادامه زندگی به گونه ایی خاص داره، برام جالب توجه بود. این کتاب میچ آلبوم هم با این که قراره از بهشت چیزی بگه در واقع به بازتاب زندگی ایی که آدما درهمین دنیای خودشون دارند تاکید کرده. از نوشته های این نویسنده خوشم میاد چون معمولا بافت روان و یکدستی دارند و ماجراهای به ظاهر خاص، بدون پیچیدگی و اضافه گویی پیش میرند.
December 10, 2016
توقعم از میچ آلبوم، کتابی قوی تر از این بود.
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