ALMOST HEAVEN by Chris Fabry

From the very beginning, Billy Allman has a rough life.  On his 10th birthday, he and  his family are washed away in a dam break on Buffalo  Creek.  The only thing  saved was his father's mandolin, which Billy had learned to play.  It was a couple of days before they knew that his father had survived and was in a hospital in a nearby town.
Shortly afterward, they moved to the town of Dogwood and rented a house.  His father had developed black lung from working in the coal mines, and was unable to work anymore, so his mom, Arlene, went to work in a beauty salon, cleaning.  Billy sat with his dad after school, and sometimes played the mandolin for him.  His father committed suicide one day while Billy was at school.
Billy became interested in radio, worked for a couple of stations, then decided to build his own, from parts obtained in trades.  During this time, his mom developed Alzheimer's, and he has to care for her, though many of his neighbors pitch in to help him, with cooking, and watching her, while he works.
This particular part of the book had to have a lot of research or personal knowledge of how the mind of an Alzheimer's patient works.  The conversations are just too real!  And through all Billy goes through, his belief in God stands strong. 
This book is something special, I don't feel a review can fully do this book justice. The characters are very complex, and real, even Malachi, the Angel, who is sent to Billy, is a well developed character.

I recieved a copy of this book to read and review from Tyndale Publishing.  I received no other compensation for this review.  All opinions expressed are my own.