Book Report on Tuesdays with Morrie

Title: Tuesdays with Morrie
Author: Mitch Albom
Publisher: Anchor Books
Year: 1997

Volcabularies:

1. inexplicably: incapable of being accounted for or explained
2. insidious: operating or proceeding in an inconspicuous or seemingly harmless way but actually with grave effect
3. dab: to pat or tap gently, as with something soft or moist
4. aphorism: a terse saying embodying a general truth, or astute observation
5. congestion: an excessive or abnormal accumulation of blood or other fluid in a body part or blood vessel
6. replenish: to make full or complete again, as by supplying what is lacking, used up, etc.
7. audiovisual: of, pertaining to, involving, or directed at both hearing and sight


Comments:

Before the school made it mandatory for us to read this book, I had vaguely heard of its existence and had an abstact image of what it might be like. Well, my prediction had been correct; it was another one of those books about the true meaning of life, death, fame, money, friendship, love, and all the things considered to be lacking in today's society. But because I had not had the chance to actually encounter books like these(or, for that matter, any english book since I entered high school) I was eager to start turning the pages.

In the book, Mitch Albom, a successful sports journalist bumps into his old sociology proffessor(Morrie) on TV, who was dying from Lou Gehrig's disease. He realizes that he has not contacted Morrie for sixteen years and visits him. The two arrange to meet on Tuesdays, on which they will have oral lessons on the topics mentioned above. On each lesson they have Morrie expresses his views towards life as a dying man, and through this Mitch discovers he had changed into an adulterated work-a-holic. He rediscovers his proffessor and tries hard to take in his aphorisms. However, Morrie's disease eventually takes over and he dies towards the end. The book is based on a true story.

To my surprise, focusing deeply on the book was easy, regarding that the only time I could split up to spend reading it was between the long bus rides between home and hakwon. I at once felt content with Morrie, especially with his views toward emotions. This is because I consider myself quite an emotional person, and his lessons gave me tips on how to deal with my own problems. For instance, I read that it is important to 'detatch' oneself from emotions, and how we do that is by fully diving into it. A few days after reading this, I was feeling tremendous jealousy towards an aquaintance and decided to use this lesson to get over it. While I would have just held back and swallowed it before, I let it get me deeper and deeper. After I thought I had understood what jealousy feels like, I slowly was able to detach myself from the emotion. From that day on I have always used this detaching techique whenever I confronted an emotional problem. I felt that Morrie, in his shriveling body, contained knowledge that could be used among everybody.

Also, Morrie's lesson on marriage left me thinking for a while. The fact that it is not surprising to find people rush into marriage and get divorced some 6 months later perked up one short but strong question; What would my marriage be like? Would I be one of those people, or, like Morrie, get engaged in a true marriage where I would feel how important a loved one is?
I believe that what today's people lack the most is love. Not something that starts and ends quick and leaves nothing but a list that reads 'sum of money I wasted on him/her', but real love. Love that requires a lot of respect. Love that gives you a lesson. Love that one can depend on when he's on his dying bed. And, I profoundly felt that I want to have that when I myself get engaged in marriage years later.

All in all, reading Tuesdays with Morrie was an experience like no other. I found out that this was actually a document on a real happening, and searched on Youtube the Nightline show Morrie appeared on right away. After looking through all of the nine videos, I felt that I had learned a life-time lesson on everything. I recommend this book to anybody who feels he/she could use up some time to relax and think.