The novel The Five People You Meet in Heaven, by Mitch Albom, is very similar to the movie, yet very different at the same time. They both discuss Eddie, a maintenance man at a local pier, his journey to Heaven, and the lessons he learns along the way. He lost his life trying to save a girl on a ride after a mishap and the ride broke down. He is navigating his way to and from old memories, meeting old friends, and learning life lessons they are there to teach him. Toward the beginning of the novel Eddie is celebrating his birthday before he is shipped off to war. In the movie, on the other hand, Eddie celebrates his birthday from a hospital room after he returns from war. Both the novel and the movie teach lessons of sacrifice to Eddie, that
