The Stranger in the Lifeboat

Synopsis:

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.

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.

About the Author

Mitch Albom is an internationally renowned and best-selling author, journalist, screenwriter, playwright, radio and television broadcaster and musician. His books have collectively sold 42 million copies worldwide; have been published in 51 territories and in 48 languages around the world; and have been made into Emmy Award-winning and critically-acclaimed television movies. In 2006, he founded the nonprofit SAY Detroit, which provides pathways to success for Detroiters in need through major health, housing and education initiatives. He also founded a dessert shop and a gourmet popcorn line to help fund it. Albom operates Have Faith Haiti, a home and school for impoverished children and orphans in Port-au-Prince, which he visits monthly. He lives with his wife, Janine, in Michigan.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

The Stranger in the Lifeboat by Mitch Albom is a phenomenally written book that takes the reader on twists and turns from the beginning. Each character intertwining with each other as they navigate each passing day. Benji is the main character and the narrator. We journey through the book from his perspective and the perspective of a detective and present day news. Throughout the reading of the book you wrestle with what is reality and what is in his head the same way the main character does. In the end you question if Benji was on the boat alone the entire time or not.

I cried at the end of this book. The author is a talented writer who has the capability to capture the reader at every page. Albom left me hanging on every word he wrote, anticipating what would happen next. I love the overall premise and plot of the book. I also, loved how we got a chance to get to know Benji’s past and understand why Benji was on the yacht. Throughout his journey on the boat Benji wrestles with God, physically and spiritually. Is God really the stranger in the lifeboat and is anyone on the boat with him? Read the book to find out. Highly recommend this quick read!

Romans 8:33 says “If God is for us, who can be against us?”