Hyperion -- hc
New York -- ©2003 -- 196pp
ISBN: 0-7868-6871-6
On his 83rd birthday, a maintenance man tries to save a young girl from a failing ride and meets his demise. He then goes on an afterlife journey, meeting five people in heaven who help him understand his life.
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I was in the library, looking for a 'quick read' and, starting in the 'A' section of the fiction shelves, came across this book. I'd heard about it, seen Albom on Letterman or Ferguson, and decided to give it a try.
First, it IS a quick read. Easy language; short, consecutive, predictable chapters. But these don't necessarily mean 'cheap' writing. Albom still manages to do a nice job getting a message across.
Second, the message. This IS a feel-good, message book. Part of me would sarcastically define this as 'chick-lit' because of the feel-good message, but it defies the label because the hero isn't a young, available, hero. He's an old, dead guy (and that's not a spoiler...if you're meeting people in heaven, as the book title suggests, you kind of have to assume that the person is dead).
So, what is this book? It's two hours of your time, after which you'll likely think "Aw, I hope it's like that."
But will the book stay with you? Will you think about it suddenly while driving in rush-hour traffic, or while cutting up celery to go with a Sunday dinner? Probably not.
Despite the accolades this book has received, it won't be a treasured book in your home or something that you insist everyone read. It will be a book you recommend to people at a party, but that you don't push.
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