The First Phone Call From Heaven by Mitch Albom

The First Phone Call From Heaven. A Novel by Mitch Albom

In a small, northern Michigan town a miracle has happened, people are receiving phone calls from Heaven.   Coldwater isn't used to crowds of people or publicity but when Katherine announces in church one Sunday, that her dead sister Diane has been calling her every Friday, the world pays attention.  People from all walks of life make a pilgrimage to Coldwater and camp out on Katherine's lawn hoping for their own miracle, the chance to talk to a loved one who has passed on to the other side.

Not everyone believes this is a miracle, some people believe it is a hoax and plan to prove it. Sully has recently lost his wife and his young son misses his mother so much that he desperately wants her to call.  Sully knows it won't happen and begins an investigation into what is really going on.

A gem within The First Phone Call From Heaven is the chronicle of Alexander Graham Bell and the invention of the telephone.  Album juxtaposes Bell's story with that of the characters.  The little historical tidbits were so interesting and added to the story.

The First Phone Call From Heaven is a gift to the reader.  What person hasn't wished to talk to a loved one who has died?  Album creates a believable story of faith, miracles and love.  He also includes the mystery that surrounds miracles as there are always doubters.  Album does a great job of looking at all sides and angles of miracles.

Album is the type of writer that every reader would enjoy, even reluctant readers.  He gives the reader a lot to think about and his books are typically fast, enjoyable reads that aren't overly complicated.  They tend to be just right.  Album's characters are soul searching and interesting and they leave you feeling inspired to live a better life.

So who are you waiting to hear from?  Do you have an important phone call to make?

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