Author Albom to speak at Roslyn temple

The Island Now

Best-selling author Mitch Albom, who wrote “Tuesdays With Morrie” and “The Five People You Meet in Heaven,” will discuss the latter book’s long-awaited sequel, “The Next Person You Meet in Heaven,” at Temple Beth Sholom on Thursday, Nov. 8 at 8 p.m.

In “The Five People You Meet in Heaven,” published 15 years ago, the world fell in love with Eddie, a grizzled war veteran-turned-amusement park mechanic who died saving the life of a young girl named Annie. Eddie’s journey to heaven taught him that every life matters. Now, in “The Next Person You Meet in Heaven,” Albom reveals Annie’s story.

The accident that killed Eddie left an indelible mark on Annie. It took her left hand, which needed to be surgically reattached. Injured, scarred, and unable to remember why, Annie’s life is forever changed by a guilt-ravaged mother who whisks her away from the world she knew.

Bullied by her peers and haunted by something she cannot recall, Annie struggles to find acceptance as she grows. When, as a young woman, she reconnects with Paulo, her childhood love, she believes she has finally  found happiness.

As the new novel opens, Annie is marrying Paulo. But when her wedding day ends in an unimaginable accident, Annie finds herself on her own heavenly journey — and an inevitable reunion with Eddie, one of the five people who will show her how her life mattered in ways she could not have fathomed.

Already a No. 1 New York Times bestseller since its Oct. 9th publication, “The Next Person You Meet in Heaven” is filled with unexpected twists, reminding us that not only does every life matter, but every ending is also a beginning — we need only to open our eyes to see it.

Albom was an acclaimed sports broadcaster before becoming a novelist and non-fiction writer focusing on inspirational stories. The event at Temple Beth Sholom is co-sponsored by The Herbert Tarr Institute and The Arthur Goldberg Cultural Arts & Social Action Fund of Temple Beth Sholom.

General admission is $18, but students with a student I.D. will be admitted for free. Albom will be available to sign his new book at the event’s conclusion. Books may be pre-ordered for $19.99 or purchased at the event for $23.99.

To pay by PayPal, go to tbsroslyn.org and click on the event title in Upcoming Events in the center of the homepage. You may also make your check payable to Temple Beth Sholom (earmark for cultural programming) and mail to the synagogue office.

For further information, contact mitchalbom.tbs@gmail. Temple Beth Sholom is located at 401 Roslyn Road in Roslyn Heights. The temple office can be reached at 516-621-2288.

 

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