The Final Summit

The Final Summit by Andy Andrews is the continuing story of David Ponder, an average person who has had several experiences that are far from average. The reader first meets David in the book The Traveler's Gift, where David is given the Seven Decisions to help guide his life and the lives of others.
In The Final Summit, David's life has taken a turn he never expected, as he must cope with life as a widower. David has aged since the reader first meets him, and he is dealing with his grief and sudden new life. Once again, though, David is summoned to an extraordinary experience.
Along with many other "travelers," David is swept away by the archangel Gabriel to a summit, the final summit. David is put in charge of this summit, where he is given several rules and advisors to assist him as he tries to answer the question put forth by Gabriel. The questions is what does humanity need to do, individually and collectively, to restore itself to the pathway toward successful civilization. He is allowed to request aid from his advisors as well as five pre-chosen travelers. The group also has a limited time to complete the discussion and come up with the correct answer.
David and his fellow travelers contemplate many answers and discuss many items that are important in reaching success: hope, courage, self-discipline, and more. As they discuss options, the travelers also get to know one another and learn about their lives.
Andrews has a way of making an unbelievable story perfectly believable. I felt I know Churchill, Lincoln, and Dr. Carver as well as I knew David Ponder. He creates personalities about the characters that draw the reader into their stories and make one curious to know more about them.
The philosophical and religious debates about what humanity needs are also well-written and made me think deeply about my own personal convictions in many areas.
Andrews has written a thoughtful, timely story that I plan to share with my friends. His work is inspirational and practical at the same time. I would recommend this book to anyone.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”