The Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom

Many thanks to Chen Chzan who lend me this book when she got to know that I have yet to read this.

The story is about Eddie, an 83 years old war veteran who passed away on his 83rd birthday. He died while trying to save a little girl.

He was lonely at the time of his death and there were some unresolved questions that he can't seems to understand and solve.

When he passed on, his spirit awaken supposedly in "heaven". Heaven was not a place which he had imagined. He was "meet" with a person that he got to know during his life time.

This person explained to him how their life was connected and how a single decision changed the path of each person life. Eddie was told that there will be 5 people which he will meet in heaven who will explain his life to him.

This is an interesting book. It's interesting to read as the story of Eddie's life unfold and to see that he gone from one stage to another stage of life.

I feel that there is something lacking in this book if I compared it with Tuesday With Morrie and For One More Day. However, I can't pin point what is lacking. If I have read this book before I read the other two, I would say this book is great.

Fragile Things ; Short Fictions & Wonders by Neil Gaiman

This is a collection of 31 short stories, some in the form of stories some in the form of poems.

This is the 2nd Neil Gaiman book which I have read and I can say that now I am a confirm fan of his writing.  It's extraordinary how he can come out with so many different stories...from Narnia type to Matrix type..to ancient Scottish type. I sense that he is impressive with Narnia as at least two of the story in this book makes reference to that.

Reading this books makes me feel that Neil Gaiman is playing and teasing the readers. Making the reader's brain work instead of following what's written down blindly. It's like duelling swords whereby words are his swords.

When I was reading "The Problem of Susan", I thought I caught what the plot of the story going to be at the beginning but  touché! he won again. The ending was not what I had expected.

Another story which I liked was "Goliath". It was something like the movie "Matrix" with a sinister plot.

As in most collection of short stories, there are certain stories which I won't claim that I caught on fully of it's meaning and wits. This is because my knowledge is not as wide as I would like it to be. Yes, I think for those who seldom read or those who stick to only on or two genre of books, they will not be able to understand what's written. Like what I have mentioned earlier, the stories here are linked to almost everything from Arabian nights, Sherlock Holmes, Narnia, Matrix, myth and legends to fairy tales.

Neil Gaiman is indeed a brilliant author and I look forward to reading more of his books.

Book Lover by Jennifer Kaufman & Karen Mack

Dora is a divorcee who is currently separated with her second husband. She is unemployed and tend to drown herself in books whenever she is unhappy.

The only time she leave the house is to refuel in bookstore. It was during one of these trips which she met Fred, a Tennyson qouting Adonis. He seems to be the perfect guy. That is till tragedy strikes. He was not what he seems to be.

It took me a week to finish this book. I keep hoping that this will get better. Unfortunately it did not.

I find that Dora is a tad too plain and pathetic. Her ex-husband and sister tried to help her out. Unfortunately Dora was too into feeling sorry for herself that she ignored their efforts.

No doubt the main character is Dora, but the whole books seems to be about Dora, Dora and more Dora. Dora the pathetic bookworm, Dora the financially unstable, Dora the loser, Dora the lover and etc.

First divorce she blames the first ex-husband who was too immature. Second divorce she blames the husband who is a society climber. And now Fred, the uncaring man. Makes me think what about herself? She is the one who choose them for all the wrong reason. Who is she to judge them?

She doesn't seems to know what she want out of this life. At first a macho husband. Then when that does not work, maybe a husband with an ambition. And when that doesn't work, she runs away again.

It is very tiring reading how she moan about everything...about how some people read their books, about her financial situation, about what some of her friends did and about how heartless of Fred. It was like she blame everyone except for herself for things that goes wrong in herself and her depression. It was not written directly in the book but that was the impression that I get when I was reading it.

This is my personal opinion only. I am sure there are others who love this book. Each person taste in books are different.