Small Miracles: Extraordinary Coincidences from Everyday Life

Small Miracles

by Yitta Halberstam, Judith Leventhal, Yitta Halberstam Mandelbaum

The story of a woman who is aided by a benefactress, only to find that it is really a "repayment" of a good deed performed more than thirty years ago, along with other coincidences and everyday miracles, is included in collection of true stories. 100,000 first printing. $100,000 ad/promo. IP.

Genres: Nonfiction, Inspirational, Spirituality, Religion, Anthologies, Jewish, Short Stories

226 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1997

Reviews

[Fergus, Weaver of Autistic Webs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever had a moment when something hits you out of the Blue - ‘WOW, isn't THAT weird? But it's so FANTASTIC!’

Yitta Halberstam did my baby boomer generation a Big Favour when she compiled this phenomenally best-selling assortment of real-life experiences.

EXACTLY as they happened to ordinary people just like you and me...

Out of the blue and utterly remarkable!

And now it's time for the younger generation to shake its noggins in amazement at these miraculous moments - IF it's still possible to chance upon a stray copy!

You know, humankind is a collection of Dreaming Beings as well as hyper-aggressive cube farmers.

Wise folks as well the Mad Men we loved to hate on the tube.

So who could help thinking - hmmm... what if the sudden sweet serendipity that Halberstam shows us in these remarkable short vignettes is a small part of an even larger, greater amazing grace?

It would be a clear sign that maybe Love IS in Charge, dontcha think?

And God, I guess, must sometimes wonder about us in the same way...

‘Wow. If engineering simply colossal coincidences out of a few odds and ends makes them just a little gentler towards their fellow humans - who SAYS they’re all such a barrel of bad apples AFTER ALL?’

So maybe we’re still in the running for a better world, in spite of ourselves!

If you DO believe simple goodness still stands a fighting chance in the midst of this screaming, growling slugfest we call Planet Earth, READ THIS FORGOTTEN MASTERPIECE!

I guarantee you won't be sorry if you do...

Are there Angels around us - real-life Della Reeses in our midst?

Even cynics will be flummoxed and flabbergasted by Halberstam's vast array of coincidences!

And more to the point: why do miracles like these RARELY make the network news???

They're ALL AROUND US.

An inexpensive audiobook is available!

[Natasha · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was excited to read uplifting stories about those random coincidences of circumstance that can only be chalked up to the Divine. Unfortunately, while those stories seem to be here, the storytelling is terrible and the added commentary by the authors is pointless and condescending. It is as if they don't trust their readers to draw their own conclusions about how amazing or remarkable a story is. Or, more likely, it's an opportunity to wax philosophical and come off as deep, when they really come off as non-committal as to whether they believe the driving factor behind these stories is God or The Universe in an attempt to appeal to a wider audience. Given that most of their stories are from those of Jewish descent if not religion, they should commit to God and stop being so wishy-washy. I guess this is a pet-peeve that may be unique to me, but how are you going to call something a miracle from God, but then thank the Universe, something that God would have created? It would be like thanking the cake for baking itself.

Divine origin aside, the stories are poorly told when there was a real opportunity to craft something special. Something that makes even the worst cynic in us believe in SOMETHING and smile.

In short, there are far better books that have the heartwarming story you're after so take a pass on this one.

[Kathy Manns055 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not what I expected. I really felt the authors were ‘reaching’ re these ‘small miracles.’ Coincidences? Yes. Extraordinary? Not so much.

[Alexa (Alexa Loves Books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Review originally posted on Alexa Loves Books)

This is a gem of a book that I borrowed from my friend, and I'm glad I did. The book focuses on highlighting some of the miracles that have happened in the everyday lives of various people. Many of the stories were about romantic, quite a few were about family and some were about people who were virtual strangers. When it comes right down to it though, the common theme of each of these miracles is the fact that they all revolved around love.

My favorite story is about the father and son who didn't see eye to eye, resulting in them not talking for years. It was only many, many years later that something (you probably thought I was going to mention what it was, huh?) happened to reconcile the two.

Each story, no matter how short or random the incident, managed to touch my heart and make me feel happier and more optimistic about the world as a whole. I would definitely recommend this to anyone as something to read when you're feeling a little low - the hope that each miracle brings to fruition is sure to inspire you and strengthen your wavering faith!

[Doris Powell · Rating 3 out of 5]

The authors claim that coincidences in our lives are really small miracles. They give about 60 such examples. Faye Kellerman tells how she stopped a mugger when an off-duty policeman just happened to be close by to help her out. Triplets, all adopted by different families, find each other when they are in college. A Jewish person is saved by a German commander who he always made a point of speaking to before the Nazi takeover. Perhaps we can all point to coincidences in our lives that are really small miracles. I for one had a high school friend who I had lost touch with. One summer my husband and I visited her husband and her, I don't remember why. Since then we have been constant telephone friends, calling each other every night. She lives in Ohio, and I live in North Carolina. One short visit has turned into a gratifying friendship!

[Shani Chen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this little book in a Little Free Library. I'm quite picky with the books I choose to take home, because I know I have very little free time to read these days. However, the title, the nature of the book and the short chapters all seemed like a perfect fit for my life. I started reading a story here and there in my pockets of free time and was so comforted by the miraculous events which people shared within the pages. Some of the stories seemed downright impossible, they were so shockingly coincidental. But as a firm believer in miracles, I found the words to carry much significance and comfort. Halfway through the book, I needed to gift the book to someone who needed it more than I did at the moment. I would've gladly finished the book, but circumstances pressed me to pass it along. I would heartily recommend Small Miracles to anyone

[Ubie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Small Miracles, is a page turner filled with real life stories collected by the author that portray the amazing wonder of coincidences or rather, how life is just one miracle happening after another. This is a real simple book and none of these inspiring tales go over 7 pages. So if you are looking for something to be motivated by but don't have the time for a whole novel, Small Miracles is for you. The range of miracles moves from everyday cute to overwhelmingly beautiful, so by the time you are done with all these new life understandings your sure to be ready to live with more colors then ever before...

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

What did I learn from this book? I may have to give it some thought...but the main lesson for me was that "miracles" aren't restricted to Biblical days, or to Jews, Christians, or Muslims...each and every story in the book is either told from the point-of-view of the person that experienced it, or by the authors, albeit somewhat embellished. In any case, I'd recommend this book for anyone who needs a little sunshine in their lives (as cliched as that sounds.)

[Lisa J Shultz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my second read of this book. The first time was about 15 or more years ago. I remember then that as I read the book I had a lot of coincidences as I read about them because I was more aware of coincidences. The same thing happened this time. It was fun to read and fun to see them pop up in my life!

[Priya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of the stories were amazing. the coincidences were crazy unbelievable, but there were a couple of stories that I felt were clichéd.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this sweet book full of extraordinary outcomes in common circumstances. Very inspiring. I read a few stories each day.

[Don Gubler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice stories. But is there really such a thing as coincidence?

[Kadejah Gamble · Rating 4 out of 5]

Small Miracles is a wonderful book. The book gives a lot of vivid details that help the reader set themselves in the scene. Not only that but the authors, Halberstam and Leventhal, really knows how to shock the reader. This book is made up of multiple stories in one book. In these short stories, something positive happens at the end. One of the stories that captured my eyes is a man named Greg was walking down the street late at night.When walking, Greg sees a woman about to get rape and sreaming for help. He debates on whether he should help her or just walk away so he does not become hurt. So instead, Greg goes over and tells the man to let her go, so the man did but ran when Greg approached him. So greg stood in the street light telling the young woman she is okay now and is safe to go home. Until the young girl came out from behind the bush and said to him,¨Dad is that you?¨, and so it was Greg's daughter who was going to get raped by a man. He thanked God that he helped her because

[Cindy (BKind2Books) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really hoping for something more. This small book of stories of coincidences from life had the potential to be special, but fell flat for me. Part of it was the commentary found at the end of most of the stories - it was not well-written, almost pointless - as if the reader could not be trusted to come to their own conclusion. I found myself skipping these comments. The stories were uneven as well. There were some that were very amazing while others were ho-hum and really should not have been included in this collection. Finally, the writing was uneven and amateurish - where were the editors? This was just okay for me.

[Lance Towers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Doris Lessing once said, "Coincidences are God's way of remaining anonymous," but the Jewish authors of this book boldly state their intentions to reveal the involvement of God in everyday life through these true stories. My favorite involves a woman, who loses her wedding ring in a lake near the Adirondack Mountains only to find it in the belly of a fish that her youngest son catches as the family visits the mountain range twenty years later! Yitta and Judith's writing is aimed at stripping away the facade of the Lord's anonymity. And well they do their job.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I needed something to read as I wait for my March book club book to arrive in the mail. I found this on my bookshelf and chose it for the fact that I could put it down at any time since they're all short stories. Well, I read 1/3 of it last night. I'm really enjoying it. This is what I needed to read right now.

I've put it back on my shelf about half-way through. This is definitely a book I can come back to and finish at any time.

[Gloria Maria Vazquez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Do you believe in the power of coincidences? If so, this book may strike your fancy. A collection of short stories that delve into seemingly random events, that somehow appear almost miraculous. I found the book interesting and quick read. I have had my own experiences with random events that appear to be coincidence, although I really don't believe in coincidence much. For the skeptic, they may think the stories are a bit dramatic or even made up.

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I upgraded this from a 3-to-4 star, because I picked it up when I was filling a bit down and it was a nice pick-me-upper. Although I was expecting something written in a bit more formal style, I did enjoy these stories from all sorts of people about "extraordinary coincidences from everyday life." I like to think there is someone in the universe who loves all of these strange creatures wandering earth.

[MKF · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoy reading about coincidences like many others so I was drawn to this book twice. The first time I enjoyed it I was a lot younger so it was a good read. Now that I am older I struggled to get through it and almost didn't finish it. The writing was somewhat decent though was flat and dry. My biggest problem is that I foundsone of the stories a bit unbelievable and others I have heard before. Also I doubt coincidences happen because of a divine power, angels, or anything supernatural.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a lovely read! Coincidences or signs you are where you were somehow meant to be, doing things you were somehow meant to do, with people to whom you are somehow connected. Small actions can ripple out, creating miracles in your life and the lives of others. What a heart warming, smile-inducing series of tales this is; highly recommend!

[Pat Collingwood-Ruppel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this little book and looked for its sequel, though it's an older publication. Reading accounts of the authors' little miracles in life is inspiring and, in some cases, downright incredible. Warms my heart to think how much the universe loves and conspires to bring the perfect circumstances together just for us.

[Nikita Gosavi]

Great insight on life's beautiful gifts, which we often forget to notice and thank that someone who mysteriously works to make it a coincidence. It leaves you with a feeling of being blessed to feel these coincidences happening in our day-to-day life. Teaches you to be more thankful to people and things happening around for the way they are.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this book of short stories read by the authors. I think I would have preferred to read it. It felt a little "cheesy", but was a quick and uplifting book which is what I was looking for. I have to admit that I didn't love the writing style though which I feel I have to apologize for since the intention of this book seems to be to put positivity out there.

[Martina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book about miracles in everyday life that people have witnessed. Some stories are better than others. It's similar to the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" books, but I enjoyed those a little more than this book.

[Donna LaValley · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars, if I could, which may seem low, but the reason is I've read other books by these authors and found them to be even better. This series of books lift the reader's spirits and often bring a smile and a happy sigh, and that's a small miracle by itself. I recommend them all.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome experiences are shared in this book, although I wouldn't recommend reading the interpretations at the end of each story. It's common sense.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! A series of short inspirational stories that never disappoint. I turn to this book whenever a need a boost!

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book full of the most inspirational stories.

[Tammy]

Great when you need to be inspired when your feeling down. This was a great gift that someone gave me when I was ill.

[Barb Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Small Miracles is about " Blessings" that are given to us by a higher power. A real pleasure and inspiration to read.