Rating: Summary: Poignant Review: Inspiration for almost any reader. This book provides sometimes subtle, sometimes powerful insight into what it means to be living, and what it is to be dying. What many of us can take home from this book is the process by which the author learns from Morrie lessons on life. This may prove a strong analogy for us--Mitch's Tuesdays are the moving lessons each of us reach in our life; Morrie is every teacher, parent, or event that has given us meaning.
Rating: Summary: Insightful Review: This is one of the best books I have read about death. In it's simple but accurate style, the author took me through different stages reflecting how simple things are what really matter when we come to the end. Beautiful and insightful.
Rating: Summary: My favorite book Review: "When you learn to die, you learn to live." Read this book for it will change your life.
Rating: Summary: what's important Review: I read this book based on the fact it was on the best-seller list. Due to the fact my father died so close to the time I read this book, it stirred up a lot of thoughts and emotions. Honestly, the same thoughts and emotions Morrie and Mitch go through are shared by anyone who has lost a loved one close to them in their life. The only difference is, Mitch wrote it down and had it published. My family put off a lot of things to do it someday only to realize now it is a missed opportunity. When my father was deathly sick he said all the same things Morrie told Mitch... don't wait for tomorrow, do it today... having loved ones present in your time of need means more then bundles of money... being remembered for who you are is more important then what you did... having the desire to feel free rather then tied down to illness... and so on and so on.Although I found nothing new in this book that enlightened me in any way regarding the process of death and life, I will give the author credit for not dwelling on the death process. Too many books are too descriptive about the physical aspects of death it becomes too clinical to continue reading. This is where an author's description is not needed. Okay, the guy is dying, we get the point.
Rating: Summary: A reminder Review: This man with a brief time to live managed to accomplish more in that period of time than some people do after several decades. The book served as a reminder that life is quite short and can be cut off without warning. Regardless of whatever time remains even if brief can be productive, meaningful and fulfilling. A little repetitive at times and somestimes boarded on preachy but conveyed an important message.
Rating: Summary: moving and beautifully expressed Review: This amazing book, a true story, is about a wonderfully unique relationship between a young man and an old teacher. Mitch, (younger man + author) writes of the lessons he learned long after his favorite teacher had retired. Not only does he learn about himself as well as his teacher and friend, Morrie, but he learns some of life's most important lessons. This book personally helped me come to grips with my fear of death-- Morrie beautifully tells that once you learn how to die, you learn how to live. So true... and this wonderful story is a must read. Although a little dull at times, the message is absolutely one that you must learn at some point in life.
Rating: Summary: Simple Is as Simple Says Review: This book is enormously popular. It is also, I'm afraid, close to being completely worthless. But how can a book be worthless if it's such an acclaimed best-seller you ask? That's like asking how Millie Vanilli could be talentless if they sold 7 million albums. Alas, mass popularity does not determine the value of any intellctual enedeavor, and often is a measure of its emptiness. To see why this book isn't very rewarding, consider the following scenario. You find out that a book was written about a philosphy professor who spouts simple platitudes about the need for love, the beauty of the world, etc. Would you be interested in reading the book? Probably not, because the "ideas" espoused by the "philosopher" are banal and simplistic, however well-intended they may be. But now, imagine that you find out that in addition to the "philosopher" dispensing simplistic arguments, he also dies and call his adherence to his ideals "life's greatest lesson." Now, all of a sudden, you have a hugely popular best-seller on your hands. Now, suddenly, you have "Tuesdays with Morrie." Mind you, I'm not belittling Morrie. I'm sure he was a fine and kind man, and put forward his ideas with the very best of intentions. It's also sad that he died. But the mere event of his death alone cannot elevate his teachings to the level of philosophical profundity. His ideas can only be evaluated on their own merits, not in the light of his unfortunate death. Some people, nonetheless, will maintain that this book has great originality in framing the death of Morrie, a philosophy teacher by profession, as his last and greatest lesson. Actually, that's been done before, about 2,350 years ago, to be reasonably precise. The Greek philosopher Socrates also maintained that his death, an execution by the Greek state, was the greatest expression of his philosophy. A certain fellow named Jesus who lived about 400 years later also seemed to think of his own death (at the hands of the Roman state this time) as the supreme example his teachings to mankind. In both of these cases, the lesson is all the more potent because the teachings themselves were so much more potent. The ideas of both Socrates and Jesus posed enormous provacative challenges to the entire culture and ideology of their time, so much so that many people were shocked by the implications of their ideas. It's hard to imagine anyone being similarly shocked by the bland, trite teachings of Morrie. In the final analysis, it seems that much of the popularity of this book is based on a human emotional need to cry over the loss of a "loved one," even one like Morrie whom we never actually knew. But those of you who want genuine spiritual or philosophical insights will be better served by spending your time reading Plato, the Bible, the Bhagvad Gita, the Tao or some of the other true classics of human thought.
Rating: Summary: Learning Life Lessons Review: Mitch Albom recognizes his old professor on a late night television program. His professor is ill. Mitch wants to reconnect with him and does. Mitch Albom learns a lot of lessons, life lessons, each Tuesday that he visits his college professor, Morrie Schwartz. Though Morrie becomes increasingly disabled he dispenses a lot of information each week to his pupil. A lot of the lessons Morrie learns are truisms that may seem trite. The relationship that develops between the teacher / mentor and his student is memorable and touching.
Rating: Summary: when you start to live Review: A friend recommended this book when I was feeling low. This book is a rebel against the norms of life as we know it, and reminds us there is a world bigger than our own. This is the book of life - to cast our fears and live our lives to the fullest. A book so simple, yet so memorable.
Rating: Summary: Touching Review: This is a great little book to sit down and read in a sitting or two. More than anything, it is a testament to the profound way teachers and professors can affect their students and a reminder of the wisdom that can be attained from our elders--a concept the youth-oriented culture of the United States has difficulty grasping. To the more learned and literate individual, none of the lessons here are new, but the book is still touching.
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