Yellow Jacket Times - Jefferson County Public Schools

Book Review
Lanisha Porter
Tuesdays with Morrie, by Mitch Albom. Hypersion Books,1997. 217pgs
In this philosophical novel, Mitch Albom poignantly and
compassionately writes a story on how he rekindled a relationship with his old
professor, Morrie. Mitch is very successful and is greatly invested in his career
as a sports commentator, and a journalist. Mitch’s life revolves around a fast
pace schedule, and he barely takes the time, to cherish time. This book offers
every one advice on how to cherish life and how to appreciate time.
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Morrie is 82 years old and he is dying of ALS disease. Somehow, fate reconnects Morrie and
Mitch during the last months of Morrie’s life. “Morrie was in a wheelchair full-time now, getting used
to helpers lifting him like a heavy sack from the chair to the bed to the chair. He had begun to cough
while eating, and chewing was a chore. His legs were dead; he would never walk again.” Every
Tuesday they meet up at Morrie’s house; reminisce, share the stories that have taken place within their
distant sixteen years, and Mitch searches for answers through his old professor. In short, it’s safe to say
Morrie is schooling Mitch on how to enjoy life. Although Morrie is dying and his health is declining,
he declines to be depressed about life. He inspires others and motivates himself to cherish the time
that's left, and not to count it down in sorrow.
The central theme of this story is to cherish time. Time dictates and touches everything in life.
Big or small, high or low, past or in the future. Marriage is especially touched by time. Mitch and
Morrie talk about marriage and the significance of it. Mitch is always really busy like I mentioned
above, and he expresses that sometimes it's difficult to merge the two-- romance, and work. Morrie
responds, “Love each other or perish.” Morrie conveyed to the readers that there is no greater gift than
companionship that works as a team through both the good and bad. He told how important it was to
make time for love. Work will bring you money, but love will make the house you lay your head in a
home. With time; love prevails to be something beautiful. Next, forgiveness is talked about in the book.
Morrie shares his wisdom on how we waste much time on trivial things that we don't forgive others. “I
was prideful. I shrugged off him, and a few years ago....he.... died of cancer. I feel so sad. I never got to
forgive him. It pains me so much now. ” You can't go back in time, you can only make the best of what
hasn't elapsed of it.
Morrie offers Mitch the best advice on how to live life and enjoy it. Mitch uses intimate and
personal conversations that Morrie and him have had to write the book. The style is very sentimental.
Each conversation becomes like a class for Mitch and he cherishes them, just as ALS seems to shed
another day off of Morrie’s life.
I recommend this book to every human being. This book is refreshing to the way we look at
life, and allows us to look at time and morality in a new light. Like other urban literature this book is
authentic in all its ways and there is never a boring moment on any page. It talks about the same things
people go through in every-day life—work, romance, harboring resentment, friends, health, and so
much more.