What do you do when you pick up a book to read and you already know that the main character is going to die? It is always the case when you read memoirs and biographies.

Well, you crack open the book and read on to see what golden nuggets can be imparted to you.

In tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom, the subtitle itself states that you will get "life's greatest lesson". Here, Albom chose to use the singular form of ‘lesson’ instead of plural. One would think that there would be an epiphany of some sort for the answer to life itself. Yet I think this was a misnomer for the "last class" since the author himself wrote down a list of topics to talk about with Morrie: death, fear, aging, greed, marriage, family, society, forgiveness, and a meaningful life during their 14 Tuesday classes together.

Tuesdays with Morrie is a very easy read. I read it in 3 hours while writing down several of Morrie's aphorisms - quotes - or reiterating my own epiphany moments. Most of what Albom recorded is nothing new other than wise thoughts of a dying man married with Buddhist teachings or meditation (or other religious teachings that tell you to let go and love everything).

It goes without saying that the backstory to the making of this book was more compelling to me than that actual book. The fact that Albom took the time out of his life to make the trek from Chicago, IL, to Waltham, MA, every week was a commitment that few people can make. Albom made the initial visit after learning from a Ted Koppel Nightline interview that his favorite college professor, Morrie Schwartz, was dying of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease. At the time, it was noted by Albom in the book that there was a writers' strike. Albom, being a sports writer, was technically out of job and had time on his hands. Life works in such mysterious ways sometimes. Somehow, a lighted path connected the two estranged professor and student at just the right time, to find one another, when they both needed each other.

In the book, Albom used simple words to convey Morrie's messages with some minor grammar issues here and there. These selected words were probably how Morrie talked since their meetings were videotaped. Simple and direct. The book, however, focused quite a bit on Morrie's dilapidating conditions and mentioned too much of his coughing, etc., without really touching on the humanistic side of Morrie’s mental status as his condition worsened. We do not truly get to see how Morrie’s mindset changes as his condition worsens. I do wonder if the disconnect is because Albom wrote the book as a sports writer - noting the highlights of what and when happened.

The only time that I felt that there was a glimpse into Morrie’s mental well-being was when he talked to Ted Koppel about wanting to die with dignity and his fear of eventually depending on someone to wipe his bottom. I think this is a real fear for just about everyone who is no longer a toddler and of sound mind. Morrie’s aphorism that stuck with me was: “When you are in bed, you are dead.” This was his inevitable ending that would come true.

After finishing the book, I was not satisfied. I wanted to know Morrie and what he had to say about how he lived with the knowledge of his impending death. He was a very well-liked sociology professor, so I felt he must have a lot to share. A quick Google search brought up several books by Morrie himself: Letting Go: Morrie’s Reflections on Living While Dying and Morrie in His Own Words. I found a pdf copy of the latter on archive.org. The book is only 127 pages. Easy enough. Check back for my thoughts.

Recommendation: Overall, tuesday with Morrie is a very easy read if you have a few hours with nothing else to do or read. Morrie’s aphorisms are there to take away to self-reflect on. So taking the time to read this book is not any lost of time.

Epiphanies and Quotes (aka Morrie’s Aphorisms):
“[A]ccept who you are and revel in that. … You have to find what’s good and true and beautiful in your life as it is now. Looking back makes you competitive. And, age is not a competitive issue.” [120]

“Only an open heart will allow you to float equally between everyone. … Do the kinds of things that come from the heart. When you do, you won’t be dissatisfied, you won’t be envious, you won’t be longing for somebody else’s things. On the contrary, you’ll be overwhelmed with what comes back.” [128]

“The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love, and to let it come in.” [52]

“Love is when you are as concerned about someone else’s situation as you are about your own.” [178] ( )

I read this book the summer going into my freshman year of AP English thinking it would be a wholesome book. My god was I wrong. This book broke me and put me together again. The books talks about a man going to visit his favorite professor and each week they just talk about life and boy did I wish I was sitting in a room with them listening to Morrie talk about his life. ( )

This wasn't bad, but I hated the format. The author's dialogue was without quotation marks 95% of the time and it was just confusing. Plus, this felt like it dragged on and had the same advice every book does. This did have a powerful message though.

I also think I would have gotten more out of this if I read it 5 or 10 years from now rather than for school. ( )

This wasn't bad, but I hated the format. The author's dialogue was without quotation marks 95% of the time and it was just confusing. Plus, this felt like it dragged on and had the same advice every book does. This did have a powerful message though.

I also think I would have gotten more out of this if I read it 5 or 10 years from now rather than for school. ( )

Tuesdays with Morrie: an old man, a young man, and life’s greatest lesson by Mitch Albom (1997) 192 pages.

I was about halfway through the book, page 80, the chapter called “The Fourth Tuesday: We Talk About Death”, when my mother died from throat cancer, at 9:20pm on November 27, 2022.

P. 15: when author’s uncle was doubled over in agony with pain from pancreatic cancer, and moaning, “Ahhhhh, God”, everyone averted their eyes. I find I do the same when my mom has her coughing spells. It was the most helpless the author has ever felt in his life. Me too!

Dying brings about humility. The thing Morrie dreaded the most was the fact that one day soon someone was going to have to wipe his ass, …”the ultimate sign of dependency”.

That day arrived for my mom only one day before she died. She refused to wear a diaper to bed and in the morning had peed and pooped in bed. She was too weak now to even make it out of bed with our help to the porta-potty next to her bed. Me and my sister cleaned her up, changed sheets, while giving her words of encouragement, “It’s alright, Momma! We got this!”…then put a diaper on her with no arguments.

The day had come. Hospice would be coming to give her bed baths three days a week. But, this never happened. Mom didn’t make it.

1. “The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love, and to let it come in. We think we don’t deserve love, we think if we let it in we’ll become too soft.” (p. 52)

2. Give your time, love and your concern to others. And when you are in the presence of someone, listen. Give them your undivided attention.

The dying seem to naturally separate themselves from the outside world. My father did, and my mother did. They didn’t even want to look out their window that overlooks the bayou. Blinds closed. Small circle of family to visit on regular basis. Contemplating death. Afraid of the the actual passing…how will they suffer. Looking at past regrets. Praying God forgives them. Finally, looking forward to seeing their loved ones on the other side because this side has left them mentally and physically miserable and depleted.

Shirley Ann LeBlanc
(July 24, 1945 - November 27, 2022)

Ted Koppel’s interview with Morrie Schwartz on Nightline (2005):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3M3QvKwRbjc ( )