My thoughts on the book...

I thought that Tuesdays with Morrie was a great book. It is probably one of my favorites if not the favorite. As Mitch made clear at the end, it was solely to help pay for Morrie's medical bills. As this may be true, it is also a wonderful work of literature. It has been printed in 31 different languages and in many more countries after its first publishing over 10 years ago. It has helped raise ALS(Lou Gehrig's Disease) all over the world. It has also helped spread Morrie's wonderful views on life's difficult areas like death and relationships. I also thought it was excellent because Mitch actually took part in it. He wasn't getting the story second hand. He was getting it from the closest source with Morrie, and the next best thing, himself. I would recommend this book mainly to those who have questions about the topics covered by Morrie in this book. Also to those who are just looking for a good read. Almost anyone could pick up this book and enjoy it, because it is that fantastic. I would not recommend it though, to those who are stubborn and live life only for themselves. They will just be offended by the fact that someone thinks differently, and they will ignore it and get nothing out of the book but a feeling of anger. The book tells us that if we are given a second chance, like Mitch. We need to take it. Mitch's was to reconnect with an old friend. Someone else's may be to make amends with a long forgotten friendship ruined by a simple and stupid mistake. An other's may simply be to turn their life around. Mitch even took what Morrie taught him and reconnected to his brother in Spain that had left their family and got cancer while overseas. If Mitch had not of done this, he may very well have not gotten time to make up for his mistakes or say good-bye to his brother if his cancer turned for the worse. All in all this book was fantastic and I am so glad that I decided to read it. I'd give it an A+ and two thumbs way up!

Most Important Passage

In my mind the most important passage in the book is the section when Morrie and Mitch talk about death. This occurs on the fourth Tuesday that they meet. It starts out as Morrie tells Mitch that everyone knows they are going to die, but they try not to believe it. They keep telling themselves that something like what happened to Morrie could never happen to them. Morrie proposes that it would be better if people were prepared at all times to die. This way, while you are alive you do as much as you can because you don't want to die after living a dull, empty life. Morrie talks about how the Buddhists start every day asking themselves, "Is this the day that I am going to die? Am I being the person that I want to be?" One of the most important quotes in the whole book comes in this passage:"Once you learn how to die, you learn how to live." Morrie states that once you are faced with death, you look at everything very differently. You also make much more room for spiritual things when you are dying. You appreciate many things that no one else finds important at all. Morrie does this with the window in his house. Since he can't leave his house, he uses the window to see the beauty of the outdoors and to feel the breeze. He says that he is drawn to nature like he is seeing it for the first time. This is because he appreciates it more because he knows his time is near. Mitch also reminds Morrie of Lou Gehrig, the man his disease is named after. He tells him of Lou's speech announcing his retirement:"Today I feel like the luckiest man on the face of the earth." Morrie says that while Lou Gehrig may have felt this way he doesn't always look at in the same way. He does though try to find the bright side in everything that he is going through. In this section, Morrie receives letters from all those that he touched on his "Nightline" appearance. It is cool to see how many people that saw him were moved by it. There are many students, colleagues, etc. that go to see him. There are even people that have never met him that want to meet him because he was so inspiring. Throughout the whole book I couldn't find another passage as meaningful to me as this. Although, there were many close seconds.

Main Conflict

The main conflict in the book is that Morrie's time is near and he is going faster than Mitch would like. Mitch has so many questions about life, love, family, death, etc. to ask Morrie. He didn't stay in contact like he said he would, and when Mitch sees him on television he goes to visit. They catch up on things and Mitch realizes that Morrie won't be here much longer. I think it is just as internal as it is internal. It is internal because Mitch has so many different things he wants to know about things and he also loves Morrie very much. After catching up and meeting every Tuesday Morrie and Mitch become extremely connected. Mitch wants to do whatever he can to keep Morrie happy and healthy as possible so that they can still talk on Tuesdays. Although he does this, Morrie has Lou Gehrig's Disease and he is deteriorating whether Mitch likes it or not. He now has a breathing machine in case he starts to lose his breath. He is starting to depend on others for almost anything. It is external because of this. It is a disease with no cure or treatments. Mitch truthfully has nothing he can do but accompany Morrie and make him feel at ease.During the book Morrie even says that he doesn't know what he is going to do once he loses his voice and hands. He feels that he will be completely dependent then. Mitch also starts taking notes and video tapes the meetings. He realizes that Morrie is going to die and he wants something to remember him by. He also wants to learn all that he can from him before he goes. Mitch did not bring this conflict upon himself. It wasn't Morrie's fault either. It is a disease it could be linked to genetics, or it could just be bad luck. Morrie doesn't look at it as bad luck though. He thinks he actually is lucky because he has more time to say goodbye. In my conclusion I think that sometimes things that happen, happen for a reason. This disease brought two people together that otherwise may have never spoken. Also, Mitch learns a ton from Morrie and he also changes the way he lives. Morrie also touches the hearts of people from all over the world that heard his story from his appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live. He received letters from many different people like Nancy (no last name given) and even someone all the way from England. Morrie looks at the bright side to this conflict. He even says, "When you learn how to die, you learn how to Live." Mitch just has to accept what is going to happen. Morrie has, and he is the one with the disease.

Description of Morrie

One of the main characters in Tuesdays With Morrie is Morrie Schwartz. Morrie is an outgoing college professor at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. Although Morrie was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's Disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, he was determined to live his final days as if he was disease free. He even keeps his job at the university although he is plagued by this horrible, terminal disease. He even tells the students that he may not make it through the semester so there are no secrets between them. On one page Morrie even says "Dying, is only one thing to be sad over, Mitch. Living unhappily is something else." He basically tells Mitch that he knows he is dying, but he isn't going down without a fight. He wants to do everything he can while he still can. He isn't even embarrassed by the fact that he has to pee in a beaker and have close friends help him by holding the beaker.In another quote he says, "I asked myself, 'Am I going to withdraw from the world, like most people do, or am I going to live?' I decided I'm going to live-or at least try to live-the way I want, with dignity, with courage, with humor, with composure." This shows that he would not be held back by the fact that he could barely eat without help, but try to make the best of it. He even says about someone having to wipe his bottom that he feels like a baby again, in the way that it makes him more carefree. Morrie looks at the bright side to everything. Mitch, who is Morrie's old student sees Morrie on TV and decides to visit him. They catch up on thing and end up meeting every Tuesday. This is where the title comes from. Mitch is the author of the book. Morrie, although he hasn't seen him in years, hugs and greets Mitch with so much affection it was like Mitch had never left Morrie's side. Morrie teaches him about life, love, and happiness through his own experiences. Morrie says to Mitch, "Shall I tell you what it's like." (talking about dying). Mitch replies with a simple yes, but little does he know his final course with Morrie had just begun. Morrie takes nothing for granted, and ultimately lives life to the fullest in spite of his fatal disease. he's not afraid of death, but he embraces it. He even knows that he will die because his body will be so weak that his asthma will eventually kill him. He tells this to Mitch as if it were nothing. He knows his time is near, but not here.

Initial Blog Entry

I have selected the book Tuesdays With Morrie by: Mitch Albom. I picked it because friends have read it, and they have recommended it to me. I think the book will be about an old man, a young man, and life's greatest lesson. I think this because that is what is on the front cover of the book. The book is about Morrie, who is near death, and Mitch, who visits him every Tuesday. Together they build a great friendship, and Morrie teaches Mitch one special thing, lessons on how to live life. The books cover is very plain with just the title, author, and a quote. I think this is a way to draw the reader into the book. When I saw the plain cover I instantly wondered what the book was about. I read the front and back cover and knew that I wanted to read this book.