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First Phone Call from Heaven
First Phone Call from Heaven | Mitch Albom
A beautifully rendered tale of faith and redemption that makes us think, feel, and hope and then doubt and then believe, as only Mitch Albom can make us do. Garth Stein, author of The Art of Racing in the RainOne morning in the small town of Coldwater, Michigan, the phones start ringing. The voices say they are calling from heaven. Is it the greatest miracle ever? Or some cruel hoax? As news of these strange calls spreads, outsiders flock to Coldwater to be a part of it.At the same time, a disgraced pilot named Sully Harding returns to Coldwater from prison to discover his hometown gripped by miracle fever. Even his young son carries a toy phone, hoping to hear from his mother in heaven.As the calls increase, and proof of an afterlife begins to surface, the town and the world transforms. Only Sully, convinced there is nothing beyond this sad life, digs into the phenomenon, determined to disprove it for his child and his own broken heart.Moving seamlessly between the invention of the telephone in 1876 and a world obsessed with the next level of communication, Mitch Albom takes readers on a breathtaking ride of frenzied hope. Beautiful and smart. Perhaps the most stirring and transcendent heaven story since Field of Dreams. Matthew Quick, author of The Good Luck of Right Now"
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MonicaLoves2Read
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Mehso-so

Not really what I expected. A small town in Minnesota gets national attention when some of the residents start receiving calls from heaven. Not everyone is getting the calls, so some think it's a hoax.

I don't know really what I was expecting from this book, but what I got wasn't it. It is totally different from Tuesdays with Morrie. I loved Tuesdays with Morrie so much, but this one was just meh.

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monkeygirlsmama
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Mehso-so

3.5 stars

Meh... I was hoping for something different- something more, but I still enjoyed reading The First Phone Call From Heaven.

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monkeygirlsmama

"Sometimes, love brings you together even as life keeps you apart."

Yep, I feel this. It doesn't apply quite as much to my life now as it did a year ago thankfully, but definitely can still relate.

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monkeygirlsmama

"It's a quiet theft, how time lures people away." ??

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Texreader
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Crazeedi Wow, you've read a lot of books today! 5y
Krystle13 I listened to this on Audio book. Have the 2nd one to listen to yet. The author actually reads it. Has a great voice for it. 5y
63 likes2 comments
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BLeCompte
Pickpick

So good!! Have read more than a few of his books and they never disappoint!

megnews I‘ve enjoyed everything of his. 5y
Nute Welcome to Litsy! It‘s a warm and friendly community. I know that you will enjoy yourself here. I‘m looking forward to getting to know you!🙂 5y
5 likes2 comments
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S.meer
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"The pain you go through in life doesn't really touch you...not the real you... you are so much lighter than you think."

-The First Phone Call From Heaven by Mitch Albom.

??

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darklydreaming
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1. Oreos 😋
2. My new house! 🏡
3. Tagged. I started this one the other day but haven‘t had much time to get into it 📖

@Eggs #wondrouswednesday (it‘s still Tuesday here! 😊)

Eggs Thanks for playing 🤗📚👏🏻🎈 5y
AlaMich Double Stufs!❤️ 5y
BookmarkTavern Congrats on the house! 🎉🏠🎉 5y
35 likes5 comments
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zurazureen

“Sometimes, love brings you together even as life keeps you apart.”

1 like1 stack add
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BookmarkTavern
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Mehso-so

Several people in a small, American town begin receiving phone calls from the dead. It goes about how you'd expect.

An interesting examination of the grieving process and the importance of faith in people's lives. No one's grief was considered less valid, and I appreciated that.

But I'm disappointed in Albom with the twist ending. And I don't think I took the lesson from this book that he wanted. Spoilers in the comment below. 🌕🌕🌗🌑🌑

BookmarkTavern I walked away from this story thinking of how easy it was for a man with more knowledge/resources to play god and manipulate the grief of an entire town to absolve his own guilt. And the narrative treated it as a good thing in the end because it sent everybody racing back to church. I‘m sorry, but that was a shitty thing, no matter the results. (edited) 6y
15 likes1 comment
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JMEdwards
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"Besides, a glimpse of heaven is often held close for fear of losing it, like a butterfly cupped in a child's hands."

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erzascarletbookgasm
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I‘ve not read any Mitch Albom....In a small town, people who have lost loved ones begin receiving phone calls from the dead in heaven...
#musicalnewyear #telephonewire

Cinfhen Ha!! I thought of this one today ~ it was NOT my favorite Albom 🙄but excellent choice for the prompt❤️ 6y
vivastory Haven't read Albom, sounds interesting. 6y
Reviewsbylola 📞☎️📞☎️ 6y
88 likes1 stack add3 comments
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MicheleCroft
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Bad news has no limit. We often feel it should, like a rainstorm that can't possibly get any heavier. But a storm can always worsen, and the burdens of life can, too.
--The First Phone Call from Heaven

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MicheleCroft

There are two stories for every life; the one you live, and the one others tell.
--The First Phone Call from Heaven

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Cinfhen
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#HeatOfJuly #CallMeMaybe I admire Mitch Albom, he seems like a genuinely good guy, he‘s a local boy (my kids went to the same Jewish HS) and Tuesday‘s with Morrie is a fav. So, I wanted to like this book ~ the premise residents of a small Michigan town are receiving calls from their loved ones who have passed. Of course most believe it MUST be a hoax! But are there such things as miracles? Lots of interesting ideas but the structure was weak 😬

Suet624 I feel the same way about several of his books. 6y
Cinfhen I‘m pretty sure if some unknown writer submitted this story it wouldn‘t have gotten published @Suet624 🙄 6y
GatheringBooks this title totally slipped my mind! gosh. well-played! 6y
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MicheleinPhilly I‘m way too cynical for his books. I really enjoyed Tuesdays with Morrie but everything else I‘ve tried to read has made me 🤮. 6y
Cinfhen Yeah, he‘s a total corn ball @MicheleinPhilly 6y
ValerieAndBooks I remember when we lived in Michigan that he wrote for our local paper— I think he still lives/works there? Still haven‘t read any of his books though. 6y
Bklover Agree 100% with @MicheleinPhilly ! 6y
117 likes8 comments
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thegirlwiththelibrarybag
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Accurate.

readordierachel 😂😂😂 7y
AmandaL Me too! 7y
See All 14 Comments
AmyG Exactly. 7y
cobwebmoth Yes. 7y
QuoteQueen Yassss! 7y
Eggs 😂😂 7y
teebe 🙌🏼👏🏼 7y
Mdargusch I thought I was the only one. I have been trying to make doctors appointment for a month and I just can‘t. 🤦🏼‍♀️ 7y
QuoteQueen Yes, and texting is a gift from the divine! 7y
Autumnscribe This needs to be a t-shirt. 7y
RohitSawant Same 😂 7y
85 likes14 comments
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KellyMuser
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Just teasing my hubby on his book handling habits 😁. He does have a nice cigar, coffee, and slippers going for him though.

BooksForYears As an avid spine-preserver, this makes me nervous 😳 7y
emilyhaldi Love his technique! 7y
14 likes2 comments
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jess_turtlebeanz
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Finished #TheFirstPhoneCallFromHeaven by #MitchAlbom for the #BuddyBuddyBookClub. I'm looking forward to our discussion next week to hear everyone's thoughts

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Myhometownandbeyond
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Whoot! I am so happy that I powered through and finished the first buddy buddy book club pick..(see above🔝). This is the sixth Mitch Albom book I have read. 📚📖Overall...the second half of the book got a lot better than the first half (more build up)...Overall rating: 3.5 out of 5. If I rated all six books...this would be number five. Can't wait for our discussion. #BuddyBuddybookclub #Discussionnowplease @jess_turtlebeanz

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jess_turtlebeanz
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June 24 at 3:32 pm was the first phone call with #BuddyBuddyBookClub! It was great to discuss #TheFirstPhoneCallFromHeaven with the club and get each other's perspective on it. On average the club rated the book 2.5 out of 5 stars, so far, but we are only half way through so there's still hope for this book!

Myhometownandbeyond I think for our first book club discussion it went very well. 💬 7y
1 like2 comments
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Myhometownandbeyond
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Icecream after a 15 mile bike ride 🚲 and a novel as the cherry on top. #smoresundae #firstphonecallfromheaven #BuddyBuddybookclub #wonderfulweather #wonderfulcompany

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Yum!!!! I can't wait to open my package!! Hurry July 15th 😊😊 7y
Myhometownandbeyond Hope you like everything I picked out. Still in anticipation for my beachinbookswap package📦 .... Wondering who I am matched with. @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks (edited) 7y
BraveNewBooks @Rachael5248 don't worry, it's coming 😊😊😊 7y
3 likes3 comments
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jess_turtlebeanz
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Completed the reading for the first two weeks of #BuddyBuddyBookClub. I am looking forward to our first discussion of the book on #Saturday to see what everyone else thinks of it so far! #MitchAlbom #FirstPhoneCallFromHeaven #HeavenCalling #ChristianFiction

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Myhometownandbeyond
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jess_turtlebeanz
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Myhometownandbeyond
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Started the buddy book club book today! #cousinsreadingtogether

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Myhometownandbeyond
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The book I'm buddy reading with my cousins and a local friend starting June 12th and I can't wait! #Buddyreading #Christianfiction

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Morgan7r
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Pickpick

It took me a while to get into this book but it did progressively get better. I liked the mystery as it gained momentum at the end, and the end in general. ✝️📚

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Morgan7r
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I just deleted all my audiobook holds from my wish list because I know I'll never listen to them. I get annoyed when the narrators speak slower than I know I can read! 🤓

redphoto3 Speed up the narration!!! 8y
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Clevercactus
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Panpan

What a lame story! Started off ok, quickly became predictable, stayed predictable, ended just as I predicted. Had a hard time finishing this turkey. This could have been a 20 page short story but it just kept droning on and on with flat characters that will not burn themselves into your memory, and that's okay too. Let's just say it's more probable that the calls were made by Lady Gaga than the dead. #litsyatoz

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IAmReading
Mehso-so

The concept was original, how people were grieving over their departed loved ones, longing for one last connection. Unresolved feelings, things need to be said, forgiveness to be asked, meant a lot to the people remaining.

However, the resolution fell short for me. I'm a little bit disappointed with the ending of the book.

Cinfhen Yea, this book was sort of lame 😒 8y
50 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Clevercactus

"The news of life is carried via telephone. A baby's birth, a couple engaged, a tragic accident in a late-night highway--most milestones of the human journey, good or bad, are foreshadowed by the sound of ringing."

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monkeygirlsmama
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@RealLifeReading Here's a small sampling of my current TBR. #feistyfeb Day 1

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IAmReading

"If you find one true friend in life, you're richer than most. If that one true friend is your husband, you're blessed."

Anyone here is rich and blessed? ??

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IAmReading
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I like town more than city. 🙌

TheBookAddict Me too! 💕 8y
59 likes1 comment
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IAmReading

"...Knowing heaven...is what heals us on earth."

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IAmReading

You have to start over. That's what they say. But life is not a board game, and losing a loved one is never really "starting over." More like "continuing without."

Libby1 Or creating a new normal. 8y
44 likes1 comment
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herdailyrecos
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My 2015 to be read list and it's still growing as of the moment. #StyleReaderLibrary

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wen4blu
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Pickpick

.

13 likes1 stack add