Special thanks to (the real) Ali Nesser for his keen reading and shipwreck salvation expertise. In addition, although not directly involved with this book, I’d like to acknowledge the many inspirational people of faith who influenced my thinking on the subject, including Albert Lewis, Henry Covington, David Wolpe, Steve Lindemann, and Yonel Ismael.

I have a team of people who help me work and allow me the space to go off and create imaginary life rafts, and I wish to acknowledge and thank them for that blessing: Rosey, Mendel, Kerri, Vince, Rick, and Trish.

As always, thanks to my editor, the wonderful Karen Rinaldi, who sparked to this idea right away (long before she knew who the stranger was), and to my friend and longtime agent, David Black, who makes me feel that any book I am writing is a special one.

Equal appreciation to all those at Harper who support my work, including Jonathan Burnham, Doug Jones, Leah Wasielewski, Tom Hopke, Haley Swanson, Rebecca Holland, Viviana Moreno, and Leslie Cohen, who works very hard to let the world know about my books. And once again, Milan Bozic, for designing another in a series of memorable covers.

Thanks to all the good people at Black Inc, including Ayla Zuraw Friedland, Rachel Ludwig, and the inimitable Susan Raihoffer, who brings my stories to the world and returns to tell me what the world thinks of them.

Special thanks to Antonella Iannarino, who keeps me connected to the digital universe. And to Ashley Sandberg, who finds new ways to share my stories with audiences everywhere.

The earliest readers of this book were teenagers at the Have Faith Haiti Orphanage in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and I thank them for their remarkable input. I marvel every day at their tireless faith.

And, since you are who you are thanks largely to your family, I wish to acknowledge my parents, Ira and Rhoda Albom, even though this, sadly, is my first novel neither one of them are here to read; my sister, Cara; my brother Peter; my many brothers and sisters-in-law; my beloved nieces, nephews, and cousins; and my parents-in-law, Tony and Maureen.

Finally, at the end of all your stories is the one you love, and at the end of mine is always Janine.

About the Author

MITCH ALBOM is an internationally renowned author, journalist, screenwriter, playwright, broadcaster, and musician. He is the author of seven number one New York Times bestsellers. His books have collectively sold more than forty million copies worldwide and have been published in forty-nine territories and in forty-seven languages. They have been made into Emmy Award–winning and critically acclaimed television movies. Albom oversees nine charities under his SAY Detroit umbrella. He also operates the Have Faith Haiti Orphanage in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, which he visits every month. He lives in Michigan with his wife, Janine.

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