Have a Little Faith, by Mitch Albom

If anyone out there is actually following this blog, you might have noticed I have fallen behind a bit in my goal. Life has been a bit busy, but I don't see this as a problem, because if you know me, you know I read a lot, and if I am truly interested and enthralled in a book, I will finish it in a day or two. So here is my thoughts on the second book I have completed this year (not including my triathlon book!).

Have a Little Faith is a true story told by Mitch Albom, author of Tuesdays with Morrie. The story begins when Mitch's 82 year old rabbi, Albert Lewis, askes Mitch to eulogize him when he dies. Mitch agrees, as long as he can get to know Albert as a person, not just as a rabbi. Like Tuesdays with Morrie, Mitch visits his rabbi and asks him questions about life, God, the goodness of man, and Albert's life, among other things. He learns about how the rabbi continues the traditions of his ancestors, finds pleasure in the simple things, such as adding cereal to oatmeal, and is truly there for the people he serves. Albert always keeps such a positive attitude, and even sings to the nurses when he is in the hospital.

Simultaneously, Mitch tells the story of another man, Henry Covington, who is a christian pastor at a church in Detroit, who feeds and shelters homeless at his church. Without giving too much away, Henry's background is one that you would never expect from a religious person. The story highlights the similarities between Henry and Albert, it looks at faith and tradition, and overall shows the goodness that people have inside of them.

I thought that Have a Little Faith was a fantastic read. It discusses the topic of different religions without being preachy at all, and it left me with the feeling that even though I don't identify with a religion in particular, I could see why it was so important to these characters. More importantly, the book showed how some people in the world truly believe in helping others, even though they don't have an obligation to do anything. What resonated with me were the stories from the homeless people, and the true acts of kindness in this book. It gave me a little more faith in humanity. It was a remarkable account of two lives, and it was a great, fast read.

You might be able to tell that I really like memoirs and true stories, but next on the lineup are two fiction novels, so I do vary it up a little.