Mitch Albom

THE INSTANT NO.1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER The stunning new novel from the bestselling author of global phenomenon Tuesdays with Morrie 'Mitch Albom sees the magical in the ordinary' Cecelia Ahern ____________ Adrift in a raft after a terrible shipwreck, ten strangers try to survive while they wait for rescue. After three days, short on water, food and hope, they spot a man floating in the waves. They pull him on board - and the survivor claims he can save them. But should they put their trust in him? Will any of them see home again? And why did the ship really sink? The Stranger in the Lifeboat is not only a deeply moving novel about the power of love and hope in the face of danger, but also a mystery that will keep you guessing to the very end.

The Uplifting New Novel from the Bestselling Author of Tuesdays with Morrie

The Stranger in the Lifeboat

#1 New York Times Bestseller What would happen if we called on God for help and God actually appeared? In Mitch Albom's profound new novel of hope and faith, a group of shipwrecked passengers pull a strange man from the sea. He claims to be "the Lord." And he says he can only save them if they all believe in him. Adrift in a raft after a deadly ship explosion, ten 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. "Thank the Lord we found you," a passenger says. "I am the Lord," the man whispers. So begins Mitch Albom's most beguiling and inspiring novel yet. Albom has written of heaven in the celebrated number one bestsellers The Five People You Meet in Heaven and The First Phone Call from Heaven. Now, for the first time in his fiction, he ponders what we would do if, after crying out for divine help, God actually appeared before us? What might the Lord look, sound and act like? In The Stranger in the Lifeboat, Albom keeps us guessing until the end: Is this strange and quiet man really who he claims to be? What actually happened to cause the explosion? Are the survivors already in heaven, or are they in hell? The story is narrated by Benji, one of the passengers, who recounts the events in a notebook that is later discovered-a year later-when the empty life raft washes up on the island of Montserrat. It falls to the island's chief inspector, Jarty LeFleur, a man battling his own demons, to solve the mystery of what really happened. A fast-paced, compelling novel that makes you ponder your deepest beliefs, The Stranger in the Lifeboat suggests that answers to our prayers may be found where we least expect them.

A Novel

Cassandra Tang

This was the story he told himself, and the stories we tell ourselves long enough become our truths.

But being quiet and being invisible are not the same thing.

We secretly think there will be a late reprieve, a medical advance, a new drug that staves off our mortality. It’s an illusion, of course, something to shield us from our fear of the unknown. But it only works until death presents itself so plainly that you cannot ignore it.

Haleigh Marshall

When someone passed, Benjamin, people always ask, ‘Why did 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? Didn't you have such mnoments with Annabelle?" “Every day," I rasped.

"Can't you do something?" Nina pleaded. "I know you want everyone to believe in you first. But don't you see how worried we are?" He squinted against the sun. "Worry is something you create." Why would we create worry?" "To fll a void." "A void of what?" "Faith."

It didn't seem right, laughing, but it felt better than weeping. Maybe laughter after someone dies is the way we tell ourselves that they are still alive in some way. Or that we are.

Were we at home, she'd be in a hospital for sure. But out here, adrift, you realize how often we take our placement on this Earth for granted.

"Let me get this straight," Yannis said. "God decided to drop from the sky, swim to this raft, and start talking to us?" "I talk to you all the time," he said. "I came here to listen »

Starts on land, sea and in the news - skeptical at first but comes together for a surprising ending

What would happen if we called on God for help and God actually appeared? In Mitch Albom's profound new novel of hope and faith, a group of shipwrecked passengers pull a strange man from the sea. He claims to be "the Lord." And he says he can only save them if they all believe in him. 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. "Thank the Lord we found you," a passenger says. "I am the Lord," the man whispers. So begins Mitch Albom's most beguiling and inspiring novel yet. Albom has written of heaven in the celebrated number one bestsellers The Five People You Meet in Heaven and The First Phone Call from Heaven. Now, for the first time in his fiction, he ponders what we would do if, after crying out for divine help, God actually appeared before us? What might the Lord look, sound and act like? In The Stranger in the Lifeboat, Albom keeps us guessing until the end: Is this strange and quiet man really who he claims to be? What actually happened to cause the explosion? Are the survivors already in heaven, or are they in hell? The story is narrated by Benji, one of the passengers, who recounts the events in a notebook that is later discovered--a year later--when the empty life raft washes up on the island of Montserrat. It falls to the island's chief inspector, Jarty LeFleur, a man battling his own demons, to solve the mystery of what really happened. A fast-paced, compelling novel that makes you ponder your deepest beliefs, The Stranger in the Lifeboat suggests that answers to our prayers may be found where we least expect them.

i just finished the stranger in the lifeboat by mitch albom in less than a day, and honestly, it really made me question my beliefs. the story revolves around the powerful idea of whether or not you believe in god, and it pushes you to reflect deeply on faith, hope, and how people respond in moments of desperation. it's powerful and emotional, especially for those who have ever struggled with doubt or looked for meaning in difficult times. i would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys spiritual themes or finds strength in their faith.

One of the most engaging books I’ve ever read. Truly hard to put down. 

Kolby Denke

Very unique and addicting read. Love books that make you stop and think.

Sasha

Caroline

Do you believe in the existence of God and how often do you question his very existence?

What can I say, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I was gripped onto it from the very beginning. Though, when I start off, I found the book to be quite funny and was laughing, but as I progressed further into the chapters, it turned into this emotional rollercoaster, which got me pounding over a lot of things.

As for the plot, An Yacht named Galaxy owned by Jason Lambert has sunk. 10 stranger trying to survive are adrift on a raft, short on food, water and hope. When they spot a man floating in the water and pull him on board. This man claims he can save them but how? And who is he? Should they trust him? And how did the Yacht really sink? (Ok, I know I sound like the jacket of the book) but trust me, the more blind you go into this book, the more you are going to enjoy it. 

The book is not a mystery or thriller, but it kept me guessing till the very end. I also liked the way the author has classified the book into Sea, Land and News, where most of the story is told to us by Benji, one of the survivors on the raft. Apart from this, the book also focuses on hope, faith, love, death and spirituality which I guess is very much a part of every Mitch Albom books. The book also got me reflecting on minor things like the mere existence of fresh drinking water, which, when we have in abundance we tend to waste but when in shortage, a mere thought can get us craving or for that matter, the thought of death, which we try are best not to acknowledge and always brush aside.

Overall this book was an easy and quick one to read. If you are in a mood for some thought provoking and some soul searching or even if you are not and just looking for your next read, I highly recommend this one because like me you too will enjoy reading it.

A big Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing this ARC.

Madhuri Sridhara

I've been a fan of Mitch Albom's for more than a decade now and was incredibly excited to receive an advanced copy of this book. (Thanks to NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group, UK)

But unfortunately, whereas his previous works hinted at the concept of God and focused more on belief and hope, this book focuses more on God as a being/deity.

The story also felt off as though it didn't matter what was being told as long as the message was clear. It felt forced.

But the book can be easily read in one sitting and is uplifting and very quotable in certain places. I'm pretty sure that a lot of people will find hope and solace in this book too. 

2.5/5

Stefanie Sugia

"It had survived. And witnessing survival can make us believe in our own."

I fell in love with Mitch Albom's writing when I first read his book, Tuesdays with Morrie; since then, I've read every single book that he published afterwards because I just keep wanting for more. That's why when I found out that he has a new book coming out this year, I immediately put it on my to-read list and decided to read it right away when it's finally released. I went into this book not knowing what it's going to be about—I didn't even read the blurb beforehand; but somehow, I was instantly hooked right from the very first chapter, when the stranger who's pulled into the lifeboat claims that he is the Lord. I was very intrigued and I had a lot of questions in my mind—which urged me to quickly flip to the next page and read the rest of this thought-provoking story.

  "But out here, adrift, you realize how often we take our placement on this earth for granted."

The story is told through three different kinds of chapters: the first one is the Sea, written from the perspective of our main character, Benji, one of nine people who managed to get in the lifeboat after the ship exploded. The second one is the Land, where Inspector LeFleur tries to unravel the mystery behind a notebook he discovered from a lifeboat washed ashore on the beach in Montserrat—one year after the explosion. The last one is the News, which make reports on the ship explosion and covered the identities and stories of the guests aboard that luxury yacht. I absolutely love the way this story is written because the chapters are short and each one always ends in a way that makes me want to know more. This book managed to keep me on the edge of my seat from start to finish and made me curious about all the mysteries regarding the characters and what really happened. The author revealed the mystery little by little, which increased the tension and intrigued me even further. There are also so many unexpected twists and turns in the plot that makes my jaw drop—which I obviously won't reveal in this review to avoid spoilers. The scenes when people in the lifeboat started dying one by one was extremely intense and gripping as well; it feels as if I was in the lifeboat with them witnessing all the horrific scenes that are happening at sea.
 
Now, let's talk about the characters. Among all of the survivors on the lifeboat, I think Geri is my favorite because she's so smart and resourceful. I truly admire her courage and skills which helped the others to survive longer. As for our main character, Benji, is a rather complex character because through his writing, he seems to have experienced a lot of hardships in life and struggles with something within himself. When the truth was finally revealed, it turns out Benji did a lot of things that came as a shock to me. Another main character in this book is Jarty LeFleur, the chief inspector of Montserrat where the lifeboat was found. Jarty decided not to believe in God anymore after his child drowned at sea—which is why finding Benji's notebook and reading his story about meeting the Lord fascinated him. I love how Benji's story managed to relieve Jarty from his emotional pain and enable him to let go of the past. And of course, the Lord's character is the most intriguing one among all. There are so many thought-provoking paragraphs that made me ponder and reflect. One of my favorite scenes is when the Lord challenged their beliefs; asking the survivors if they believe in Him when He gave them what they wanted. This part made me reflect There are also moments when the Lord's actions were questionable. It is left unexplained until the end, which is sometimes what we experience in real life when we don't fully understand why God allow certain things (bad things) to happen.

  "It is a unique suffering to be denied the thing your body most craves."


  "This was the story he told himself, and the stories we tell ourselves long enough become our truths."

This book totally gripped my attention from start to finish and definitely a page-turner! This is also a pretty quick read—especially with the short chapters, but they really pack a punch! I thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful writing, all the intense moments, and the mysteries behind the characters. Reading this book reminded me a little bit of Life of Pi—which is also one of my favorite books, because it involves the struggle of surviving at sea. Even though the story has a religious aspect to it, I think people will still be able to enjoy it whether they are a believer or not—especially those who love Mitch Albom's writing. Mitch Albom has been one of my auto-buy authors and I'm looking forward to read more of his works in the future! 😊

  "At that moment, I sensed my insignificance more than at any other moment in my life. It takes so much to make you feel big in this world. It only takes an ocean to make you feel tiny."

"In the end, there is the sea and the land and the news that happens between them. To spread that news, we tell each other stories. Sometimes the stories are about survival. And sometimes, those stories, like the presence of the Lord, are hard to believe. Unless believing is what makes them true."

Read my full review here:
http://www.thebookielooker.com/2021/1...

Tori Nelson

It would be a bit unfair to call myself a religious person. While I was a child, sure. But as an adult, not so much. I don't know if I believe in God, or the traditional idea of God anyway. Even with that, I still really enjoyed this book. 

What would you do if you were in a desperate, trying time, calling to God for help, and he appeared? 

Regardless of if you are religious, spiritual, or simply just looking for a good book, The Stranger in the Lifeboat makes for an entertaining and easy read. There are three points of view with this story, Benji (Sea), LeFleur (Land), and News (told from a reporter), with slightly different timelines. It is an easy story to immerse yourself into without feeling too overwhelmed or too uninterested in what's happening.

The Stranger in the Lifeboat The Uplifting New Novel from the Bestselling Author of Tuesdays with Morrie

Reviews

Highlights