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Proof of Heaven: A Novel [Paperback]

Mary Curran Hackett
4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (42 customer reviews)

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Book Description

November 1, 2011

Proof of Heaven belongs on any keeper shelf. It’s beautifully written, mesmerizing and tragic, thought-provoking, and a reaffirmation of faith….I loved this book.”
—Shelley Shepard Gray

Proof of Heaven by Mary Curran Hackett is an astonishing debut—a moving, inspiring, and wise first novel that explores beautifully the meaning of family, faith, and love. The story of a mother’s unshakable belief, a child’s bravery, and a doctor’s dedication to healing, this is extraordinarily compelling contemporary fiction certain to appeal to fans of the acclaimed works of Alice McDermott, Mary Karr, Ann Lamott, and Jodi Picoult; to readers who made the inspirational novel The Shack a phenomenal success; and to all of us with questions of life, death, God, and the afterlife at the forefront of our minds.


Frequently Bought Together

Proof of Heaven: A Novel + Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon's Journey into the Afterlife + To Heaven and Back: A Doctor's Extraordinary Account of Her Death, Heaven, Angels, and Life Again: A True Story
Price for all three: $31.85

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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Proof of Heaven belongs on any keeper shelf...beautifully written, mesmerizing and tragic, thought-provoking, and a reaffirmation of faith. The story of a mother’s love for her son was touching...it was the tale of one boy’s search for heaven that brought me to tears. I loved this book.” (Shelley Shepard Gray )

“Proof of Heaven is a remarkable first novel that explores the intersections of science and religion, medicine and faith….Reminiscent of Carol Cassella’s recent work, this is an emotionally fulfilling, spiritually inviting, thought-provoking novel.” (Booklist )

“A stirring and remarkable, life-affirming debut…Kudos to Hackett for presenting a real world, gritty yet soaring tale in which humans must make personal choices between hope and hopelessness...And rest assured that once you’ve finished...you may well look at life and its inevitable conclusion in a new way. (New York Journal of Books )

“Colm’s journey will move and charm readers who are also searching for answers to their own questions of faith. Hackett’s lovely debut is a good choice for Melody Carlson devotees.” (Library Journal )

From the Back Cover

A mother’s faith, a child’s courage, a doctor’s dedication—a moving and thought-provoking tale of hope, love, and family

He might be young, but Colm already recognizes the truth: that he’s sick and not getting better. His mother, Cathleen, fiercely believes her faith will protect her ailing son, but Colm is not so sure. With a wisdom far beyond his years, Colm has come to terms with his probable fate, but he does have one special wish. He wants to meet his father who abandoned his beloved mother before Colm was born.

But the quest to find the dying boy’s missing parent soon becomes a powerful journey of emotional discovery—a test of belief and an anxious search for proof of heaven.

A magnificent debut novel, Mary Curran Hackett’s Proof of Heaven is a beautiful and unforgettable exploration of the power of love and the monumental questions of life, death, and the afterlife.


Product Details

  • Paperback: 336 pages
  • Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks; Original edition (November 1, 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0062079980
  • ISBN-13: 978-0062079985
  • Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (42 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #664,252 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Mary Curran Hackett is the mother of two children, Brigid Claire and Colm Francis, and is married to Greg Hackett. She received an MA in English Literature from the University of Nebraska and a BA from the University Honors Program at Catholic University in Washington, DC. Born and raised in Danbury, CT, she has traveled extensively and lived in various places throughout the U.S., but her favorite place in the world is home with her kids, husband, and her stacks of books. Like her character Colm Magee, Mary suffers various heart and neurological disorders, but thanks in part to her brother, a physician, as well as her own doctors, she now has a pacemaker and a heart that beats on its own at least most of the time.



Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Proof of Heaven? August 5, 2011
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)
This book is a terrific read. I suppose the central theme is belief in God. Different characters in the book have different beliefs. At some time or another, they all pray. Are their prayers answered? That's hard to say.

Why do they pray? Many of their prayers are for Colm, a little boy who is deathly ill. Colm doesn't believe in God. He believes that at death, there is nothing more than black nothingness. That's what he experiences when his heart stops, which it has done several times. I won't spoil it for you--read the book, and you will find a satisfying ending.

The book is wonderfully written. The author bases the characters and events on things very familiar to her. I hope she will write more novels!
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiration in the form of a Little Boy July 29, 2011
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)
This was an outstanding first novel by Mary Curran Hackett. I can't say enough about how wonderful it was to read. I really read through it quickly and was sorry when it ended.

It is a story of hope and love. It is a story about four individuals, Cathleen, Colm, Sean and Dr. Basu. Cathleen, a single mother struggling to raise her young son Colm, who has an unusual illness that causes him to actually die and come back, a little less healthy each time. Sean is Cathleens younger fireman brother who has been the man in Colms life until they begin to see Dr. Basu. Dr. Basu finally puts a name to the boys problem and gives him a pacemaker and begins treatment to help Colm with what has been diagnosed as a terminal illness.

Cathleen and Sean were raised as strict Irish Catholics. Sean fell away from his beliefs after 9/11 but Cathleen is a fierce believer and believes with prayer there will be a miracle cure to save her son Colm. Dr. Basu brings to the family a close friendship and the voice of medical science and doubt in a "miracle" of any kind. The four become a family of sorts and depend on each other and love and care for each other fiercely.

Colm is a very special little boy, who does not believe in his mothers faith or her GOD but humors her and has worries for her after he is gone, for he is aware that he is dying. Colms only wish is to see the father he never knew and he will go to any length to see this father. This is the heart of the story that tugged at my heartstrings with an absolutely satisfying ending.

This book raises a lot of questions as to Proof of Heaven and a lot of opinions and the importance of family, love and hope. Fantastic!!
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars More Shadow Than Substance August 23, 2011
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)
This book deals with the age old question of whether there is some sort of existence beyond physical death. Unfortunately, it deals with it in a flat, muddled and less-than-inspiring way.

It centers around the life of a distressed single mother dealing with the mysterious illness of her young son. She fervently hopes for a miracle, even amidst the doubt of her family and friends. Her young son, Colm, on the other hand, does not believe in heaven, life after death,God or miracles. As he becomes ever more ill, he expresses to his mother his dying wish: to meet his father, who left before he was born. Much emotional drama ensues.

One of the things that was a "sticking point" for me throughout this book was the way in which the young son, Colm, speaks. Even giving him credit for being mature beyond his years, the dialogue stretched credulity, considering this character was five years old at the beginning of the novel and only seven years old at the end. I have taught children in that age group for over 20 years, and children just don't reason or speak like the young Colm does; even the really mature ones. So that tripped me up a bit.

I found the ending of this book to be really odd, but can't reveal why, because I don't want to spoil the ending. But among other things, it just stops. I wasn't prepared for that to be the end - so many things were unexplained. Not unresolved...unexplained. There is a difference in literature. One creates tension and lends itself to introspection. The other just confuses. This book did the latter.

All in all, it isn't a "bad" book. But it does feel more like shadow than substance. I think there was a lot of room here to have delved further into this topic and into the lives of these characters.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars Proof of Heaven
I really enjoyed it would have liked a different ending! I am hooked on story's about heaven. My favorite is 90 Min in Heaven.But proof of heaven was a good one also!
Published 25 days ago by Charlotte L Bridges
5.0 out of 5 stars Sweet and thoughtful
Mary Curran Hackett's first novel is lovely. It was a fast read and tells an endearing story of family, love, strength and hope.
Published 29 days ago by Gail Zaharek
5.0 out of 5 stars If this isn't "Proof of Heaven", then nothing is ...
I found myself feeling the love of a child and love for a child through Cathleen's eyes. Her strength, perseverance, independence, and unselfish ways filled my heart. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Peggy T.
4.0 out of 5 stars Different scenerio with religious and historical theme
An inspirational story of a mother and her sick child. Great book for book club discussion. I loved the promise it gives at closing.
Published 3 months ago by Jo
4.0 out of 5 stars Kindle book
Awesome book. HIghly recommend. Enjoy reading this as my first Kindle book. Easy read and very thought provoking story. A+
Published 4 months ago by Deborah A. Woy
4.0 out of 5 stars Thought provoking and moving tale of hope,love and family
A young boy, with an incurable disease,looking for his absent father. A plot in a lot of heart breaking stories, but Mary Curran Hackett was able to hold my attention long after I... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Barbara
5.0 out of 5 stars Proof of Heaven
It was very informative and her faith in God clearly kept her desire to go on living after many personal tragedies. One of the best books on spiritualism I have read to date.
Published 4 months ago by Jeanne Silver
4.0 out of 5 stars Great Journey
Loved her detailed explanations of everything, so I really felt like I was right there in her shoes, feeling everything.

One of my favorite NDE's.
Published 5 months ago by Trudy A. Porter
4.0 out of 5 stars Worth Some Thought
I enjoyed reading Proof of Heaven, with a few caveats. The real premise of the book is faith - do you believe in God, is there a heaven? Read more
Published 11 months ago by G. McCarthy
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting read; the end was not what I expected.
The author manages to develop a story with very few characters (4) and the reader gets to understand each one's personal story as the book unfolds. Cathleen, Colm, Sean, and Dr. Read more
Published 11 months ago by D. P. Taylor
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