Mitch Albom, who has sold over 40 million copies of his books, is one of my favorite authors. He's won many awards for his journalism and novels but I also think he should probably win some sort of award for making so many readers cry! You probably know him from his bestseller Tuesdays with Morrie, but he's written many others that I've enjoyed.
No matter where you've heard his name, Mitch Albom's raw writing style and powerful stories have captured millions of readers. Today, I'm going to share with you my top five books by him. They'll make you laugh, think, and probably even cry.
When he was in college, Mitch Albom was mentored by a man named Morrie Schwartz. He was older and patient, helping guide Mitch. They always met on Tuesdays, to discuss life, decisions, and to eat egg salad sandwiches. Mitch promised to keep in touch with Morrie when he graduated from college. But life got in the way and Mitch spent his days constantly busy and forgot to call Morrie. One day, Mitch saw a TV special on Morrie and realized that Morrie was dying from ALS. He traveled to talk with Morrie again and they began to meet every Tuesday. Those last Tuesdays with Morrie shaped Mitch's path and taught him lessons he never forgot.
Serving in an orphanage in Haiti, Mitch Albom and his wife were surrounded by children. One little girl had no trouble sticking out of the crowd. Chika was born just days after a devastating earthquake and made her way to the orphanage after a tragic childhood. She was loud, sometimes bossy, funny, and full of life. When she started getting very sick at age five, they took her to a doctor, who told them that no one in Haiti could help Chika. Desperate to save the child's life, Mitch Albom and his wife took Chika to the United States, where they search for a cure. This book tells of Chika's light, joy, and perseverance that made a lasting mark on the couple and how the three formed an unlikely family.
From a stranger's perspective, Eddie's life is nothing ground-breaking. A wounded war veteran who now spends his days working at an amusement park and pushing people away, he's tired of his days. When he jumps in to save a little girl's life during a freak accident at the amusement park, he dies. The story follows him to heaven, where he meets five people that he shaped, or were shaped by him, in some way. These five people bring up memories from the past that help Eddie figure out what his purpose was and finally bring him peace.
In the sequel to The Five People You Meet in Heaven, The Next Person You Meet in Heaven follows the story of Annie, the little girl whose life Eddie saved many years ago at an amusement park. Annie spent most of her childhood trying to figure out where she belonged. She never fit in at school and her mother, switching between abandoning and controlling, didn't make things easier. She had found her happiness with Paulo, but when her wedding night ended in a horrible accident, she too goes to heaven to meet her five people. Annie's journey through heaven brings understanding, through meeting the ghosts she's scared to face and seeing why her own life meant so much.
Charley spent his childhood trying to be like his father. He didn't know that his father would leave them, occasionally coming back to scramble Charley's life again and leave Charley with the broken pieces. Now, both of Charley's parents are dead and he's hit rock bottom. He's an alcoholic, doesn't have a job, and even his only daughter is shutting him out. Charley returns to the small town where he grew up to kill himself. But when his attempt goes wrong, he stumbles home to find his deceased mother, now standing in his kitchen. Charley gets to spend one more day with his mother, who gently guides him through his questions of past and present. Charley's eyes are opened to everything his mother did for him and want his future needs to be.
Thanks for reading! Do you have any books that always make you cry? Let me know in the comments. Ciao, Zoe.
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