Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson

Of all the glorious books out there my school could have picked for ninth grade literature class...

In the words of Marcus Aurelius, "Despise not death, but welcome it, for nature wills it like all else." That’s one significant message Mitch Albom tries to convey to us readers in this emotional ride. ‘Tries’ not quite being the key word, but even so, eliciting only limited success. More on that later ahead. Tuesdays With Morrie depicts the moving relationship between the author and his former professor, Morrie Schwartz. It delves into the strong bond they begin to develop over time, as Mitch shares Morrie’s lasting gift with the universe…

(n  oooooohn)

The book circulates around various sentimental themes: love, family, friends, relationships, happiness and death, expressed through Morrie’s personal experience. In terms of language and style of writing, Mitch likes to keep it simplistic and casual, so to say, but maintains that sombre mood surrounding his teacher’s demise. We can see that he’s supportive of him and his ideals, curious to learn more. But it’s hard to forget about the tragedy that is bound to come, is it not? Some readers will become attached to Morrie and mourn over his departure, but the hopes he gives them from his teachings is enough to satisfy and not leave you in an emotional wreck. Notice how I say some and not all— now despite the generally morbid theme concerning Morrie’s impending death, the presence of aphorisms and anecdotes manage to make the situation more acceptable and less heartbreaking. Mr. Albom successfully lightens the mood throughout the book, but unfortunately ends up overdoing it a bit (okay, a lot). At least in my opinion. Now this is where the problems begin to sprout.

The way Morrie finds the best in his sufferings and shares his knowledge of the world should make us experience the urge to adapt that into our own lifestyle. Granted, that impulse might stay there for a couple days, but it utterly fails to leave a permanent mark upon me. The whole plotline is presented in such a drastically sappy manner that it makes you feel like you’re reading a compilation of those cheesy motivational wall decors everyone detests in the form of a 192-paged, overly hyped ‘bestseller.’ In his attempt to avoid a depressing atmosphere, Mitch overflows his novel with excessive words of wisdom imparted through a rare 79-year old; words that I’m sure all of us have heard one too many times, and presented in a rather unoriginal fashion. So why should this spontaneously change our views on living any differently?

I am well aware of the fact that this was published over a decade ago, and not having read many -or any- other similar non-fictional books along this vein, I wouldn’t really know if Tuesdays was a burst of something fresh back in its day. But even if it wasn’t a considered a cliché when it was first released, the fact that we are expected to finally understand the deep meanings of life and have it create an impact is far beyond unrealistic. What I did understand was that the criticality of this novel stems from Albom’s desire for his audience to think about and learn from the piece (like so many others). Alas, his intentions to bestow a load of inspiration upon us only resulted in making you eat it up, but not fully digest it.

In conclusion, I wouldn’t recommend this particular book for anyone facing troubles in their life (aka everyone), but who knows? Maybe I’m just an extremely pessimistic critic over the issue and this jumble of typical, wise quotes might end up inspiring you, if only just a tad bit. Being an avid reader of fantasy books, it is only once in a blue moon that I find myself indulging in a spiritual book such as this one, but it saddens me to say that Tuesdays With Morrie has turned out to be one of the least influential books I’ve read among others.

(Why yes, this is, in fact, my school essay because I'm too lazy to rant over it again Goodreads style :P)

چقد عجیب. چقد امتیازهای بالا.

خیلی هم زیاد دستم موند. بس که برام مسخره بود. من عادت دارم کتابی رو که دارم می‌خونم با خودم همه‌جا ببرم، حتی توی توالت. :)) اینم همه‌جا می‌بردم و با این قطر کمش باید زود هم تموم می‌شد. اما از بس سر هر قسمت حرص می‌خوردم یا میل نداشتم بخونمش، کشش دادم. حتی خواهربزرگمم یه روز بم گفت مثل اینکه این کتابه ازین الکی معروف‌هاست که یه هفته روی دستت مونده. گفتم آره، واقعاً هست!

کتاب‌های میچ آلبوم درون‌مایه‌محورن، بنابراین خیلی توی گونه‌ای قرار نمی‌گیره که نقد تخصصی از نظر داستانی روشون انجام بشه. نیمه‌زردن به‌عبارتی. اما این کتاب برای من کاملاً زرد بود. یه زردِ مسخره و بی‌فایده. اگه موری یه آدم معمولی بود، باهاش مشکلی نداشتم. ولی طرف مثلاً استاد دانشگاه بوده، مثلاً میچ آلبوم ازش خیلی چیز یاد گرفته بوده. جز تیکه‌هایی که دربارۀ مرگ و زندگی و خونواده صحبت می‌کرد، بقیه جاهاش رو اصلاً دوست نداشتم. سوای اینکه ظرافت ادبی و داستانی هم نداشت و ازین نظر هم جذبم نمی‌کرد، خودِ بحث‌ها هم ابتدایی بودن. توی یکی از ریویوها خوندم که حتی به بحث وارد نمی‌شد و در حد مقدمه می‌موند، اینو که خوندم گفتم دقیقاً! نمدونم چطور وقتی خیلی شعاری و سطحی دربارۀ هر مبحث بحث می‌کرد، اینقدر روی همه تأثیر گذاشته. شاید درست به همین خاطر هم بوده؛ شاید مردم فقط یه چیزِ دل‌خوش‌کُنَکی می‌خوان. مثل قرص، سریع و راحت بخورن و سریع و راحت هم جواب بگیرن و تموم.

درحاشیه اینم بگم که من سه‌شنبه‌ها با موریِ نشر قطره رو خوندم و از نشر قطره تعجب کردم! اولاً ترجمه دو سه تا ایراد خیلی واضح داشت که کاش یادداشت می‌کردم اینجا می‌گفتم. بعدم انگار کتاب رو یک نفر هم قبل چاپ نخونده بوده! حرفم بی‌رحمانه‌ست. ولی انگار ویراستار نداشته. از بس پُر از مشکلات ویرایشی، اونم بعضاً مشکلات پیش‌پاافتاده بود.

سه‌شنبه‌ها با موری رو با امید این خوندم که حالم خوب شه. یه دوره‌ای سردماغ نبودم. حالمم بدتر کرد؛ کاش این‌قد سطحی نبود. هیچ‌جایی منو متأثر نکرد. یکی دو جمله ازش یادمه که برا حسن‌ختام می‌گم حالا که اینقد ازش بد گفتم. :))

عین جمله رو یادم نیست ولی می‌گفت ماها قبل اینکه بچه‌دار شیم همه‌ش فکر می‌کنیم بچه‌هامون رو به بهترین شکل تربیت کنیم و اشتباه‌های بقیه رو نکنیم، ولی وقتی بچه‌دار می‌شیم بدترین مادر و پدرهای دنیاییم.

honestly, i’ve been procrastinating finishing this book because i didn’t want it to end. it’ll stay with me forever.

this is a book better to take your time with to reflect on and sit with some of the feelings and emotions it brings out of you.

i’ve owned this book for a while and it took me a really long time to actually sit down and read it. i don’t regret that though because i think this book is one that will resonate with you regardless of what stage you’re at in life. you can continue to reread it and it will affect you differently each time. you’ll understand and see the book differently depending on what experiences and lessons you’ve learned over time.

everytime i opened this book and read a little bit, my eyes would start getting glassy. the writing is so beautiful. it has this ability to bring tears to your eyes from the very beginning even though you hardly know the characters in the book. i would read one chapter and get the urge to bawl my eyes out. i shamelessly cried throughout most of the read.

i feel like i mourned with him and i feel such deep pain even though we knew where this was going.

this book isn't just about death and dying. it’s a book about life, family, connection, culture, and above all else, love. i know you always hear the saying “live like its your last day” but morrie embodies that. he truly teaches you how to live like it’s your last day. this book made me sit back and reflect on all the time i waste with unimportant matters while neglecting the beautiful and important things in this life.

mitch often found himself wondering why his professor loved him so much, and i think this is one of those beautiful things where you don’t need some grand reason to love someone or connect deeply with them. morrie just loved him unconditionally. he didn’t need mitch to give him anything in return. he had found a wonderful connection with his student, he reminded him of his younger self, and he cherished him a lot. i loved reading about how much morrie still adored mitch even after all those years with no contact. and i think if we could’ve gotten morrie’s perspective, he would tell us how much light mitch brought into his world.

morrie was such a sentimental, kind, loving man with so much wisdom he wanted to share with the world. i wish i had a morrie in my life that would cherish me and wanna meet with me every tuesday to teach me all the important things i should be focusing on. *sobs* everyone needs a morrie in their life.

there are so many things i want to take away from this book, but one of the ones that resonated with me a lot was about “detaching from your emotions.” it’s not exactly what it sounds like. but it’s essentially where you allow yourself to fully feel your emotions and then give yourself a moment to detach from those emotions afterwards, and that's how you let go. but you cannot fully detach, if you do not fully embrace the emotion.

there are many lessons in this book that i want nothing more than to come back to and reflect on. it was so incredibly difficult for me to finish this book because i did not want to say goodbye. i’m so happy i read this book. i think everybody should read it at least once in their lifetime. you don’t need to rush to read it, but pick it up when you feel it’s a good time for you. it’s touched me in so many ways i can't even do it justice.

i’ll leave you with some special quotes:

“Shouldn’t the world stop? Don’t they know what has happened to me? But the world did not stop, it took no notice at all.”

“The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love, and to let it come in.”

“Why are we embarrassed by silence? What comfort do we find in all the noise?”

“Once you learn how to die, you learn how to live.”

“Without love, we are birds with broken wings.”

“Don’t let go yet.”
“No. Not yet. We still have work to do.”

“We all yearn in some way to return to those days when we were completely taken care of—unconditional love, unconditional attention. Most of us didn’t get enough.”

“All younger people should know something. If you’re always battling against getting older, you’re always going to be unhappy, because it will happen anyhow.”

“The truth is, part of me is every age. I’m a three-year-old, I’m a five-year-old, I’m a thirty-seven-year-old, I’m a fifty-year-old. I’ve been through all of them, and I know what it’s like. I delight in being a child when it’s appropriate to be a child. I delight in being a wise old man when it’s appropriate to be a wise old man. Think of all I can be! I am every age, up to my own. Do you understand? How can I be envious of where you are—when I’ve been there myself?”

“Do the kinds of things that come from the heart. When you do, you won’t be dissatisfied, you won’t be envious, you won’t be longing for somebody else’s things. On the contrary, you’ll be overwhelmed with what comes back.”

“This disease is knocking at my spirit. But it will not get my spirit. It’ll get my body. It will not get my spirit.”

“Death ends a life, not a relationship.”

“Why don’t you just accept their sympathy?”
“Mitch, why would I take like that? Taking just makes me feel like I’m dying. Giving makes me feel like I’m living.”

Tuesdays with Morrie, Mitch Albom

First Publication date: 1997.

The story was later recreated by Thomas Rickman into a TV movie of the same name, directed by Mick Jackson, which aired on December 5, 1999 and starred Jack Lemmon and Hank Azaria.

Tuesday's With Morrie examines the interactions and phenomena between the human experience of living and dying.

A theme of personal transcendence appears for both characters: Morrie and Albom.

عنوانهای چاپ شده در ا��ران: «سه شنبه‌ ها با موری»؛ «سه شنبه‌ ها با موری»، «سه شنبه های به یاد ماندنی»؛ «سه شنبه‌ ها با موری، مرد پیر، مرد جوان و بزرگترین درس زندگی»؛ «سه شنبه‌ ها با موری، عاشقانه زیستن تا لحظه ی مرگ»؛ نویس��ده: میج آلبوم؛ تاریخ نخستین خوانش روز دوازدهم ماه جولای سال 2008میلادی

عنوان یک: سه شنبه‌ ها با موری؛ نویسنده: میج آلبوم؛ مترجم مهدی قراچه داغی؛ ویراستار: شهلا ارژنگ؛ تهران، البرز، 1379، در 176ص، شابک9644222554؛ موضوع سرگذشتنامه، روابط استاد با شاگرد، دانشگاه براندیس، از نویسندگان ایالات متحده آمریکا - سده 20م

عنوان دو: سه شنبه‌ ها با موری، سه شنبه های به یاد ماندنی؛ نویسنده: میج آلبوم؛ مترجم محمود دانایی؛ تهران، جیحون، 1379، در 191ص؛ شابک9646534228؛

عنوان سه: سه شنبه‌ ها با موری، مرد پیر، مرد جوان و بزرگترین درس زندگی؛ نویسنده میج آلبوم؛ مترجم طاهره صدیقیان؛ تهران، نقطه، 1380، در176ص، شابک 9645548810؛

عنوان چهار: سه شنبه‌ ها با موری، عاشقانه زیستن تا لحظه ی مرگ؛ نویسنده میج آلبوم؛ مترجم لیلی نوربخش؛ تهران، آیه مهر، 1382، در 207ص، شابک 9649375848؛

عنوان پنج: سه شنبه‌ ها با موری، مرد پیر، مرد جوان و بزرگترین درس زندگی؛ نویسنده میج آلبوم؛ مترجم ماندانا قهرمانلو؛ تهران، قطره، 1383، در262ص

عنوان شش: سه شنبه‌ها با موری، مرد پیر، مرد جوان و بزرگترین درس زندگی؛ نویسنده میج آلبوم؛ مترجم بهروز زارع؛ تهران، دانشگران محمود، سال1387، در 173ص، شابک 9789647992305؛

عنوان هفت: سه شنبه‌ها با موری، عاشقانه زیستن تا لحظه ی مرگ؛ نویسنده میج آلبوم؛ مترجم لیلی نوربخش؛ تهران، تالیا، 1389، در 207ص، شابک9786009036073؛

عنوان هشت: سه شنبه‌ها با موری؛ نویسنده میج آلبوم؛ مترجم ندا برزویی؛ تهران، نشرگستر، 1389، در 132ص، شابک 9789645544957؛

عنوان نهم: سه شنبه‌ها با موری؛ نویسنده: میج آلبوم؛ مترجم محمود دانایی؛ قم، صبح صادق، 1392، در 191ص؛ شابک 9789648403992؛

عنوان دهم: سه شنبه‌ها با موری؛ نویسنده: میج آلبوم؛ مترجم علیرضا نوری؛ تهران، آوای مکتوب، 1393، در 160ص؛ شابک 9786009402069؛

یک استاد پیر دانشگاه پروفسور «موری شوارتس»، در انتظار پیک مرگ، از شاگرد پیشین خویش (نویسنده ی کتاب) میخواهند سه شنبه ها به دیدار استاد خویش برود، و گفتگوی دو نفره را یادداشت کند، داستان کتاب واقعی است؛ قهرمان اصلی داستان «موری» بیمار است، بیماری او بتدریج اعضای بدنش را از کار میاندازد، و باعث مرگ سلولی بافت‌ها، و ماهیچه‌ های بدن می‌گردد، «موری» مرگ را پذیرفته؛ او خواهد مرد، اما در واپسین روزهای زندگی می‌خواهد به کمال برسد

جملات برگزیده نقل از متن: درسته، من مربی تو میشم و تو میتونی بازیکن من باشی؛ تو میتونی تمام قسمتهای دلپذیر زندگی رو که من واسه انجام دادنش پیر هستم رو بازی کنی
وقتی مردن را می‌آموزی، زندگی کردن را یاد می‌گیری
تنها راه معنی دادن به زندگی این است که خودت را وقف دوست داشتن دیگران بکنی
مرگ زندگی را به پایان میرساند نه یک رابطه را
تو موج نیستی بلکه قسمتی از دریا هستی
اگر می‌خواهی برای آدم‌های طبقه بالا پز بدهی زحمت نکش؛ آن‌ها همیشه به نظر حقارت نگاهت می‌کنند؛ اگر هم می‌خواهی برای زیر دست‌هایت پز بدهی باز هم زحمت نکش چون فقط حسودیشان را تحریک می‌کنی؛ این نوع شخصیت کاذب تو را به جایی نمی‌رساند؛ فقط قلب باز است که به تو اجازه می‌دهد در چشم همه یکجور باشی
بعضی وقتها آدم نمی‌تواند به چشمهایش نیز اعتماد کند؛ باید به احساساتش اعتماد داشته باشد؛ اگر می‌خواهی دیگران به تو اعتماد داشته باشند باید تو هم به آنها اعتماد داشته باشی؛ حتی در تاریکی مطلق؛ حتی وقتی داری می‌افتی
بسیاری از چیزها کشف شده‌ اند بجز چگونه زیستن
پایان نقل

تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 24/05/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ 07/05/1400هجری هورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی

Review inspired by Eddie Greenwell

Wisdom grows with age. But the development of wisdom also accelerates when mortality becomes clear. Mortality shined down on Morrie Schwartz, a happy not-quite-old man through a quick diagnosis of ALS – or Lou Gehrig’s disease. Morrie was a professor of sociology at Brandeis University; he dedicated his life to the study of individuals’ actions in their respective societies and together he and Mitch Albom wrote his final paper: a study of his life in his society.

The framework for Albom and Morrie’s message of love and returning to what’s important is archetypal in world literature. The Bible, Koran and other religious books trumpet the theme that the relationships of familial love end up giving you ultimate joy in the end.

Literary fiction is a wonderful genre, but literary fiction shouldn’t tell the reader outright there is some lesson to be learned. It should be the same with non-fiction as well. In this story, the message is one of those direct, sappy ones: surround yourself with loved ones and know what is important, and don't get caught with money and business. We have heard that a million times! Worse, he doesn’t write it in a more creative way that we have heard it in the past.

The problem is that Tuesdays with Morrie seems like some kind of self help book. Albom needs to learn to give only the story and let the reader make of it what she wants. He shouldn’t preach to the reader, "I traded lots of dreams for a bigger paycheck" (p. 33). That is why his work comes across so sappy – one liners creep into the pages all over.

In comparing Tuesdays to Five People you Meet in Heaven, they make Albom look like a one-trick pony. Much of the content is the same. A character (Eddie in "Five People..." and Mitch in "Teusdays...") has a lesson he needs spelled out for them...and they cry...a lot. They don't just live the story, they take on the empty-headed-learning perspective. His characters don't bring much to the table, but seem naive and ignorant, without common sense. Along these lines, no character in good literature can just be told a lesson and then live it. For example, would A Christmas Carol really have been much of a story if the ghosts would have just sat down and talked to Ebenezer Scrooge—who is highly comparable to Mitch in this novel—and said "Hey, you work too much and you don't really enjoy life," and then Ebenezer just did it. No, Ebenezer had to live through the consequences of his lifestyle and then choose for himself. The best part of a great and lasting character, and the part that Albom severely misses out on, is the growing. A good character doesn't just get told and then accept. Albom's characters are spoon-fed quotes and lessons like children and the reader is supposed to buy it! Well, I don't. I need to learn human development, not be told how to develop.
To jazz Tuesdays up, give us more of Mitch's life as a reporter. Not just glimpses of and a complete summary (a literary no-no) of his life as a business man. Albom needs to take the time out to develop the friction between Mitch's life in Detroit and his life at Brandeis. The true beauty about this inherent conflict that most readers can identify with is that there is an allure to making all that money and living it up as a great sports writer as opposed to living with less money but happier. It is a more dynamic and relevant story and teaches more than Albom’s classroom environment.

Some of Morries lessons are inconsistent, and the reader must forget what Albom heralded at the beginning of the encounter. For example, Morrie was adamant at the beginning of the novel that he was not embarrassed about his humanity; he lived his own life without thinking about his stature, power or wealth. He claimed that one should never worry about what other people thought about him. Later in the book, after his ALS progressed, he complained about being embarrassed about how degenerate his body had become. He stopped letting visitors be with him much and identified that his biggest thorn was that the nurse had to help him with his intimate needs in the bathroom. These inconsistencies make the reader confused as to whether Morrie progressed and realized his humanity or truly lived out of the rat race.

If Albom has grown as an author, it is simply to write in such a sappy dramatic way that the general public eats it up, but does not digest. As he says in Tuesdays: "Yet they gave up days and weeks of their lives, addicted to someone else's drama" (42). Perhaps he should spend some time reading Hemmingway before his next novel, and really dig into the characters and conflicts.

The criticality of this novel stems from Albom’s desire that his audience think about and learn from the piece. It was too sappy to be taken seriously and truly learn from.

Amazing read the first time. Amazing read the billionth time. I love to read this every year and for good reason. Morries “lessons” are how you should live life.

A billion/5

This book changed me as a person, I literally wish everyone could read it at least once

‘A wrestling match.’
He laughs, ‘Yes, you could describe life that way.’
So which side wins, I ask?
Morrie smiles at me, the crinkled eyes, the crooked teeth.
‘Love wins. Love always wins.’
***

So who’s winning the wrestling match in YOUR life right now? Is it Love? Or is it his dark twin half-brothers, Anxiety and Hopelessness?

This wrestling match is REAL. I’m not making this up! Ordinary evil wants our soul. But so does LOVE.

As long as we live, our devils will try with all their might to show us love is an illusion.

But it’s not. It’s real as sliced bread!

And the love of life is so palpable in Morris’s soul he’s determined not to give up an INCH of ground in Love’s fair land to the devils’ threats.

There’s a Spanish Train that runs to old Seville...
That train is right on time
Many souls are on the line -
Oh, Lord - DON’T let him win!

But Morrie says love ALWAYS wins, unlike old Chris de Burgh - though the singer’s got a point - but whatever way you slice it, the Struggle’s Real!

Morrie knows the goodness of love and he’s not going to sacrifice it to empty and vain promises of material gain.

His Faith is that love always wins - but everyday life is chock-a-block FULL of challenges that can set us right back to Square One of this Snakes ‘n Ladders game called Life!

Love always wins but its detours are always painful. You can never go back home right away once you’ve started one.

His life is thus inordinately VALUABLE to him. He KNOWS what a rare and wonderful chance he’s been given!

So he can’t flub his chance...

Have you read Kevin Kuhn’s WONDERFUL new feel-good fantasy Do You Realize?

You must get it!

In it, the urban seer Shiloh - inventor of a Time Machine that PROVES this point - tells the desolate hero George why life is so valuable:

“Have you heard of the Rare Earth hypothesis? ...what you learn is that the conditions of life are so precise that it’s almost impossible. You need the right kind of galaxy, in the right location, with the right orbit in that galaxy...

“...personally, I think we’re lucky to have ONE day here! And for those of us that have a lifetime, it’s like we hit the cosmic LOTTO.”

Kevin, that’s exactly the way Morrie sees it!

Even without Shiloh’s amazing Apple Watch Time Machine...

You know, it’s too bad they don’t make books like Morrie and Do You Realize into movies that’re every bit as good. Just too bad.

Books like this are soft and human. The Films, though, when they come out, are hard and edgy. Thank goodness we have our books!

Morrie is a guy you can wrap your imagination around, with the BOOK in your hand. It’s just like hugging the old guy.

He’s a beautiful old-timer, and our imagination can turn him into our own sentimental grandfather, if we like.

Or Uncle Billy in It’s A Wonderful Life (Frank Capra had no time for angst and edginess, either)!

Why does the modern world think it’s cool to be edgy?

Back in the war years, people were more concerned about being close to loved ones than with looking cool.

And Morrie knew that.

He grew up in those years. Love and decency were the hallmark of that time.

Young Mitch Albom - in his rôle in this novel - was right to give Morrie a slice of his life, and Morrie enjoyed it too. Because ALL old guys like talking to young kids who’ll listen.

Oh sure, my older friends love to tell their stories to me as well - but kids like Mitch can REALLY inspire us old guys, if we see they’re already making the right choices in life.

In spite of all those traps and snares around us!

And if we older readers have also successfully learned - like these kids - that life’s not a game, but a continual battle against malicious intent, then our life will be worthwhile too.

Just as MORRIE’s life was for him -

Because there was such real LOVE in it!

FIVE SURE STARS.