Wednesday 23 October 2013

Book Review - Tuesdays with Morrie

Tuesday’s with Morrie tells the familiar story of a young man who became very busy with his life after finishing university and falls out of touch with the one man who had a profound influence on his life - his sociology professor, Morrie. After seeing a story about how Morrie is terminally ill, Mitch returns to visit him and Morrie imparts some word’s of wisdom about the meaning of life and some of it’s very challenges including money, love, family, forgiveness, regret and dying.
Mitch Albom has a great writing style; he is able to paint beautiful and emotional scenes with vivid characters. The book has a very personal vibe to it; it’s told in first person, and as a reader I felt I was able to make a connection with the characters, especially Morrie. I balled my eyes out when he died at the end of the book.

This is a book that struck a cord with me when I first read it back in 2008, I was in my final year of high school and I had a grandparent who was very sick – some of the situations in this book were hitting very close to home (the scene where Morrie was losing control of his body was very scary for me) and although my grandfather has recovered, this book helped me understand that everyday is a precious gift and that we should never take our health or our loved ones for granted.

1 comment:

  1. I read this book in year 11 and found it inspirational. Morrie's calm and unrelenting positivity, as well as his wisdom for how to live a fulfilling life were what resonated with me. I remember a section near the start of the book where Mitch describes Morrie as being the guy whom, even in his old age, hit the dance floor when Nine Inch Nails was on. The man was out to have fun in all aspects of life, and that's one of the best things you could want.

    Mitch Albom's pared back honest writing fit the book perfectly. Tuesdays with Morrie walked the line between memoir and self-help for all the lessons Morrie taught Mitch, but the book never strays too far into either territory.

    I've heard Mitch Albom's next book, The Five People You Meet in Heaven, is great too. I haven't gotten around to reading it yet.

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