BOOK REVIEW: The Two Doors of Heaven

The sticker on the front of the little book said, “ If you liked Five People You Meet in Heaven, you’ll like this book”. I enjoy Mitch Albom’s books and that is how I ended up with THE TWO DOORS OF HEAVEN by John Bolin.

Jack is in very boring business meeting, watching the seconds tick off until lunch break. As he leaves the meeting he receives a phone call from his wife. From the conversation, we learn that they are working on a separation and that their two children are not happy about it.

While sitting at a sidewalk table, drinking his coffee, he casually studies the other patrons sitting near-by. At that point an out of control truck hits the wall beside him and the next thing Jack is aware of is that he and the people that had been sitting near him are in a vast empty space able to look down on the crumbled wall and their own still bodies.

A tough, rather unpleasant man appears to guide them to a spot where each of them can watch past events from their lives. He promises that after they are done watching these scenes each must decide which door he or she will take because that is where eternity lies.

This is a very slim, small book and a fast read.  Although Jack and his companions were stereotypes, each story was interesting. I liked that several people had believable reasons for not wanting anything to do with God or this religion stuff. Learning the guide’s identity and about his previous life  was a nice touch.

THE TWO DOORS OF HEAVEN does not have quite the same message as Mitch Albom’s book. ( I felt that The Five People You Meet in Heaven carried the message of how we are touched and are touched by other people daily and as a result we never know how we may have changed a life).

The theme of not judging who will get to Heaven is much better handled by C. S. Lewis in his The Great Divorce. Lewis makes a strong point that we are not able to know who another person really is and that we might be very surprised who we meet in Heaven...or Hell for that matter.

As I said this is a fast read and in a way it is inspiring, but I also found it to be a little bit disappointing. C. S. Lewis is a better writer.