The First Phone Call from Heaven by Mitch Albom - Book Review

Every person, who has lost a loved one, longs to talk and hear their voice again. This is what occurs to eight individuals, living in the town of Coldwater, Michigan, who mysteriously receive phone calls from people they lost. Each person is sure that the person on the other end of the line is the person they lost.

Initially, the individuals keep their phone calls secret, lest they are labeled as crazy. Eventually, the news spreads and the small town receive world-wide attention. While, some people flock to the town in the hopes that they, too, can hear their deceased loved ones, others protest the ridiculousness of it all.  

Like similar books by Mitch Albom, a fictional story is turned into a story with deeper implications. It deals with death, guilt, faith and grief and how one’s life would be impacted if they were to be able to communicate with a dead person. We find the author weaving into the tale facts about the phone and its inventor, Graham Bell. 

Yet, despite our enjoyment of possibly hearing from a loved one, the question that arises is whether everyone is able to handle the consequences or not? Would we be willing to look back and see how we treated and dealt with that individual? Or is it best to just leave things in the past?

It’s natural that such a book would eventually divide people into two groups, those that believe one should use the phone to reach out to a loved one and non-believers. Given when this book was published, its ending is somewhat predictable. 

If you’re looking for a book that answers big, philosophical questions about death, belief, and religion, this isn’t it. But if you want something that taps into belief and how people are willing to cling on to hope, then this is a good read.