The Best Book I Have Ever Read

By: Rasselle Louise L. Mercado

Catherina Cittadini (St. Louis) School

I am the kind of person who caters to an array of reading materials. The book that I choose to read actually depends on my mood. I may feel romantic, though I don’t know why, I read a book that mainly focuses on the L word---LOVE! There are also times wherein I feel down and as if all the world’s problems are on my shoulders, then, I read an inspirational book, or maybe even, a self-help book and in a couple of minutes, it would be sure to ease all my worries. At most times, I may also feel reading books that are not really serious; books that are “teen-oriented” as I fondly call it. But, out of all the books that I have read in my whole life, a book really stands out from the rest; it’s a book that I wouldn’t normally read because as I said, I mostly read all these “teen-oriented” books, but I don’t know, it really just screams “WOW!”, and it’s a masterpiece of the world-renowned author, Mitch Albom----------- “THE FIVE PEOPLE YOU MEET IN HEAVEN”.

My journey with the book actually started, just weeks ago, during USSR sessions because one time, it was a Wednesday and we normally have this USSR and so, I was searching in my bag for something, then POOF!, that book was what I saw and I actually got a bit curious of what this book was about because people before (it had been out since 2003) keep telling me how beautiful and somewhat strange, the book was. As they have described it, beautiful and strange, at the same time. Now, I wouldn’t normally read books of that classification, but those 2 descriptions seduced me into reading it. So, my journey with “THE BOOK” started. Now, let me give you my own personal review on “THE BOOK”. This book is actually very interesting because unlike other books, it starts from the end. Yes, the end. Could there be more irony, injected in this book? I think not. But, anyways, it starts with the main character, Eddie, continuing his work in an amusement park called Ruby Pier. He dedicates his life to keeping the park safe for its hundreds of guests, using a cane to get around because when he was a soldier, his leg was wounded. It was actually Eddie’s 83rd birthday on that day that he died because of a ride called the Freddy’s Free Fall. With this, Eddie is transported to heaven, but he actually doesn’t know this. As though awakening from a dream, he finds himself alone in the deserted theme park and decides to explore. At that moment, he felt limited emotions for he felt that he was floating and that no feeling of agony, sadness or even fear was felt. Everything was silent around him. As he was touring around this place, he suddenly arrives at an old amusement park ride---the Ruby Pier of his childhood. He had no cane and he could run like a boy, he does not have any hurt in his back and his leg is not injured. Staying there, he meets the first person in heaven: The Blue Man.The Blue man explained to him that there were five people he will meet in heaven and each of them was in his life for a reason. Quoting his words, he said, “You may not have known the reason at the time, and that is what heaven is for. For understanding your life on earth”. As the Blue Man kept talking, Eddie learned that when he was a kid, the Blue Man died due to a “heart attack” after he had avoided injuring him with a car when Eddie was running to the road trying to reach a ball with which he was playing. The Blue Man felt dizzy and his head dropped momentarily, so he collided with the rear of a parked truck where he died. In the hands of the Blue Man, Eddie learned his first lesson that in Earth there should have a balance to all. “Birth and death are part of a whole”, he says. One person dies to give other person life such as The Blue Man died to give Eddie life. The Commander who was Eddie’s commanding officer in the war where Eddie served when he was young is the second person he meets in heaven. Eddie and the Commander met in a sort of a terrain, where, when they were still soldiers, were prisoners a long time ago. Exactly the same things occurred before---the same sounds he heard before, as well as, the same weapons he used when he was still a prisoner. They started exchanging stories to each other; their experiences and the things that had had happened during the war. They especially remembered a time when they burned down a supply hut. At that time, thinking that there was someone alive inside the supply hut; Eddie refused to leave, despite the building burning around him. This prompted the Commander to fire a shot at Eddie’s leg in order to disable him and get him out, believing that the wound would heal. Eddie never found out who had shot him and discovering that it was the Commander who had shot him, Eddie became furious! And started telling the Commander how damaging the effects were of the Commander shooting his leg were; how the shot had a lifetime effect on him but, suddenly, the Commander teaches Eddie the second lesson: Sacrifice. All people in Earth sacrifice for another person or for some reason. Eddie sacrificed his leg to gain life because he almost died in the war and it was not his time to die. The Commander did the same because he died trying to maintain to keep him alive and the other war partners. Now, it was time for Eddie’s third lesson. Eddie’s surroundings change again. He finds himself on a snow mountain, and he keeps walking until he sees his own father in a restaurant. Albom describes Eddie’s relationship with his father when he was still a child up to when he was already 83. During Eddie’s life, his father always insulted him. Later, he turned violent with Eddie and when Eddie returned from the war and decided to stop his mistreatments, Eddie’s father never spoke to him again. At the time of Eddie’s flashbacks, a woman suddenly appears in front of Eddie and introduces herself as Ruby. Eddie learns that Ruby is actually the owner of the Ruby Pier and during their conversation, their topic shifts to Eddie’s father and Eddie learns that he died trying to save a friend from drowning. With this, she tells Eddie that as humans, we should be considerable to those who have done well to us. She teaches him the third lesson: Forgiveness. Eddie must now forgive his father of all his’ faults and bury all his hurts toward his father.The fourth person Eddie meets in heaven is his wife: Marguerite. Eddie meets her as though they were still young when they got married. Eddie was very ecstatic to meet her for he was still madly and deeply in love with her and with this, they started exchanging stories and they forgave each other of not having been able to have children. Eddie told Marguerite all the events that occurred after she died of breast cancer. After exchanging stories, Eddie learns her fourth lesson, that love does not have an end. When people die, love takes a different form, that’s all. But, love still is love in death and she has been waiting for him in heaven to love him to. She teaches him that love is truly eternal and everlasting. The last person Eddie was to meet is the little girl who died in the barn that Eddie burned down during the war. She reveals that it was she who pulled Eddie to heaven- the small hands he felt just before he died were hers. He felt really sorry and started sobbing. He was so sorry he had left the girl and burned her.

So, an interesting story, eh? I too, agree. The message of this book explores the idea that we are all connected to one another so, an action done by one person is destined to have an unanticipated and drastic influence upon someone else’s. Along these same lines, the book reminds us of how easy it is to fail to express appreciation or gratitude to those we love until it is too late to do so. I really felt saddened by some of the stories, since most illustrate that Eddie lived his life completely unaware of just how much he was treasured by his family and friends. It’s actually very beautiful and somewhat unusual, as what they said it was. So, open that book that you really wouldn’t even consider reading, because who knows, it might just be your favorite book, as it is mine!

Ciao!