"Tuesdays With Morrie" by Mitch Albom: Book Review

by Stephanie Brail

Tuesdays With Morrie has become a classic in the "feel good" book category in the 10 years since it has been published. This tearjerker in print tells the true tale of Morrie Schwartz, a quirky college professor who is dying of Lou Gehrig's Disease. His former student, Mitch Albom, finds out about Morrie's illness on Nightline. He drives to see Morrie, and they decide to meet on Tuesdays until Morrie's death.

The main theme in this book is love, which Morrie shares in spades with his former student. Morrie is surprisingly peaceful and cheery about his deteriorating condition, and his bravery should be an inspiration to anyone undergoing a chronic or terminal illness.

The message of love is quite simple, and the book's spirit can be summed up in Morrie's words:

"So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half asleep, even when they are busy doing things they think are important. This is because they're chasing the wrong things. The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning."

Morrie definitely has his heart in the right place, and much of what he says is spot on. Still, at times Morrie's aphorisms get a little cliched and have the feeling of a Hallmark card, but you can forgive the man - after all, he's dying.

If I have one major nitpick, it's that dear Morrie, surrounded with a family and children, was pretty down on the idea of mere non-related friends really being there for you at times of crisis. (This, even though Mitch was there religiously for their Tuesday meetings.) If you happen to be single, divorced, childless, widowed, or otherwise not safely cocooned with your own nuclear family, you may feel a slight bit of despair as Morrie tells us:

"The fact is, there is no foundation, no secure ground, upon which people may stand today if it isn't the family. It's become quite clear to me as I've been sick. If you don't have the support and love and caring and concern that you get from a family, you don't have much at all. Love is so supremely important."

Dear Morrie (I'm speaking to you beyond the grave), love is important, and I think everyone wants to have a loving family around them. But sometimes that's not in the cards for whatever the reason. There are many other ways to express love, whether it's through spiritual devotion to God or immersion in the creative expression of the soul through music or art. And I think the very relationship expressed by Morrie and Mitch in this book belies the notion that you must be blood-related to be "family."

With that, I will recommend to my single friends out there reading the book: Do not feel pressured to run out and find a spouse and pop out a baby lest you suffer and die alone, but trust that the universe is offering you whatever experience is best and right for your soul's growth and evolution. You can cultivate an open heart no matter what your marital status.

As Morrie said: "Only an open heart will allow you to float equally between everyone."

I'm offering my hardcover copy of this book for free through Bookins.