The Stranger in the Lifeboat: A Novel

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It falls to the island’s chief inspector, Jarty LeFleur, a man battling his own demons, to solve the mystery of what really happened. Minor complaint: The name of the Indian character, Latha Laghari, is odd. The character is supposed to come from Bengal but neither the name nor the surname are Bengali in origin. The first name is Hindu, the last name is Muslim. I wish authors would research their character names better. I appreciate the idea of inclusivity and diverse representation, but this shouldn’t come at the cost of authenticity.) Hi, Carol. I just finished this book and found your review through Carla’s blog (she commented on my review on The Well Read Fish). I’d never read Mitch Albom before and am still pretty much in awe of his storytelling ability. I definitely think this is a novel to generate discussion. The tale remains long after you finish reading it.

Content considerations: grief, death, rememberance and refelections of a child death, suicide, dire conditions Stranger” is told in three parts; land (narrated by a police officer who, with the help of a passer-by, finds the abandoned lifeboat on shore), sea (the passengers story as told by Benji, a crewman from the sunken ship, through letters to his love) and news (news reports about the boat crash and its infamous passengers). Told this way, the reader gets to know all the details of the before, during and after, of both the event and each passenger.Jason Lambert- older Billionaire businessman, owns yacht. Obese, glutton, likes getting his way. Represents Benjis abhorrence for this type of person. I listened to the audiobook performed by the author. The narration performance was solid. Albom gives rhythm, emphasis, and heart to the story. Hearing the story in the author’s voice as intended is a beautiful gift. I read because books are a form of transportation, of teaching, and of connection! Books take us to places we’ve never been, they teach us about our world, and they help us to understand human experience.”

He writes like a literary Spielberg: with great impact and emotion, and without being afraid of pathos.”— Brigitte (Germany) Nine people have been adrift for three days in a lifeboat without food or water. The luxury yacht they had been on had exploded, and now they have lost all sense of hope. When they spot another man floating in the water, they pull him in. He says he is the Lord. But is he? What would we do if, after crying out for help, God appeared before us? What might the Lord look like, and how would he act?It’s not Albom’s most emotionally moving book, despite its lofty material, but it is a well-paced mystery that considers important theological questions. Albom cites a handful of people in his life for inspiring parts of the answers to these questions, including his late Detroit pastor. Nine people (unrelated to each other) are struggling for survival on a life raft after the yacht they were cruising in exploded. Three days later, they see a man floating on the waves and they drag him in. When asked his identity, he replies, “I am the Lord.” Is he actually the Lord answering their prayers or has he just gone kooky after three days in the water? That’s for you to find out. Reincarnation. Your soul's return to this earth to complete the cycle of learning that, hopefully, will eventually release your soul from its earthly chains. Such a compelling idea! The structure of the story was fantastic. It comes in three broad timelines with interesting titles: The point of the book is that "god" exists and is watching, and that there is a heaven. Pretty much the theme of his previous books.

The Land: where Inspector LeFleur tries to unravel the mysteries written in a notebook discovered on a beach in Montserrat. I believe that God does show up (how? through other people perhaps? through creation?) I’m fairly certain I heard God speak to me when my son had a tragic accident. It was a short phrase that I knew wasn’t from my own thoughts and I heard it (maybe not literally but I felt it) so strongly that I trusted/knew it was from God. On another occassion when I was driving along a deserted country road on the way to my father’s funeral, I felt the presence of God (or angels) so strongly that I’ll never forget the sensation. I have not read any books by Mitch Albom before but, I was intrigued by the blurb, so I requested it on NetGalley.

Adrift in a raft after a deadly ship explosion, nine people struggle for survival at sea. Three days pass. Short on water, food and hope, they spot a man floating in the waves. They pull him in. When someone passes ... people always ask, 'Why would God take them?' A better question would be 'Why did God give them to us?' What did we do to deserve their love, their joy, the sweet moments we shared? ... Those moments are a gift. But their end is not a punishment ... My plans for you are not defined by this world ... Beginnings and endings are earthly ideas. I go on. And because I go on, you go on with me. Feeling loss is part of why you are on Earth. Through it, you appreciate the brief gift of human existence, and you learn to cherish the world I created for you. But the human form is not permanent. It was never meant to be. That gift belongs to the soul.” Mitch Albom’s writing is simple, skillful, and captivating. His dialogue is even sprinkled with a touch of humor. I laughed when the passenger ask the Lord why he is there and he answered: “Haven’t you been calling me?” I also loved the structure and the labeling of the chapters: Sea, Land, and News.

The Stranger In The Lifeboat is a book written by Mitch Albom. Mitch is an American writer, a musician, and a journalist. He has been associated with many sports writing content in the early part of his career. A staggering 40 million copies of his work have been sold worldwide. He is most famous for writing on inspirational themes that have garnered many audiences. His music-related articles are still a portion of his earnings. Moreover, he is the most awarded sports journalist of his era. Ever since he turned into an author, a series of books came out, for example, Tuesdays With Morrie, The Five People You Meet In Heaven, For One More Day, The Time Keeper, and The Stranger In The Lifeboat. Think of Mitch Albom as the Babe Ruth of popular literature, hitting the ball out of the park every time he’s at bat.”— Time After a catastrophic ship explosion, a desperate group of individuals struggle to survive on a lifeboat. One of them claims to be “the Lord.” Will he help them? Save them? How will the individuals in the group react? Will they believe him? One of the passengers, Benji, keeps a journal documenting each day, reflecting on his guilt over the accident, and expressing his love for his wife. This journal is found a year later on the abandoned and empty lifeboat. This journal affects the man who found it in profound ways. My Thoughts:Benji is the only person on the raft who learns that kind of belief for himself throughout the course of their survival mission. He also heals from past tragedy and learns to forgive. Think of Mitch Albom as the Babe Ruth of popular literature, hitting the ball out of the park every time he’s at bat. Time Well…..this review is difficult to write! If you’ve read the book, you know! So….here’s my nonreview review! I enjoyed this book so much that I read it twice. It made me think. I like the feeling I got from the way each accepted his death and that when the man’s wife woke up to talk to him, she was not cured, but would be good. Hannah’s new novel is an homage to the extraordinary courage and endurance of Frenchwomen during World War II.