Tuesdays With Morrie
An old man, a young man, and life's greatest lesson.
Tuesdays with Morrie was written by Mitch Albom. It is the true story of the author's relationship with his favorite professor from college, Morrie Schwartz.
When Morrie was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, he did not despair over it. "Instead, he would make death his final project, the center point of his days...Morrie would walk that final bridge between life and death, and narrate the trip."
For years Mitch Albom had nearly forgotten his college days and his favorite college professor. Then one night, while he was flipping through the channels on TV, he saw Morrie being interviewed on "Nightline." Mitch Albom decided to visit his old professor, and he and Morrie began meeting regularly, on Tuesdays, to talk about many topics,including:
- Regrets
- Death
- Family
- Emotions
- The Fear of Aging
- Money
- Love
- Marriage
- Forgiveness
Throughout the book are flashbacks to Mitch and Morrie's relationship while Mitch was a college student. There are also autobiographical elements as Mitch talks about his life, and biographical elements as Morrie's life and past are talked about.
Tropes used in this book include:
- An Aesop: A hallmark of Albom's books.
- But for Me It Was Tuesday: Discussed somewhat. When Morrie walks out of the office of the doctor who diagnoses him with ALS, he ponders about how while he received this tragic news the world just keeps going about business as usual.
- Deadpan Snarker: Morrie, at some points. When interviewed on TV and asked about his biggest worry about his disease, for example, he rather bluntly states that it's that someday "somebody is going to have to wipe my ass."
- Funny Aneurysm Moment: Morrie's comment about someone eventually having to wipe his ass.
- Politically-Motivated Teacher: Morrie was said to have been very much an activist, even giving his students all A grades during the Vietnam War to prevent them from being drafted.