Tuesdays With Morrie: An Old Man, A Young Man and Life's Greatest Lesson by Mitch Albom

"When Mitch Albom sees a Dateline broadcast about an old professor of his, Morrie Schwartz, he's stunned. Morrie, who's been diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease) has decided that instead of despairing at his inevitable demise, he will embrace it and help others learn to live and love. Mitch, devastated that he's let so much time pass since seeing his Professor, reaches out and they reconnect, their visits becoming their last class together and teaching Mitch and the reader, the most important lessons in life. This was a genuine, heartfelt, emotional read and Morrie's lessons will stay with me forever." 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐

Pros: Morrie was a genuine and gentle, good soul, he was intelligent, passionate and caring. 

Cons: Though Morrie's overall conclusion that love, really is, the answer, he and Mitch's discussions became a little repetetive since, love was always the answer. 

Full Review: 

When Mitch Albom graduated from Brandeis University, his favorite professor, Morrie Schwartz, wished him well. And as life has a way of doing so, Mitch became busy with work. He established himself as a respected, if extremely busy, sports writer for newspapers, radio and television. Unbeknownst to him, Morrie, who at first thought the weakness in his legs and his impaired balance was due to age, has been diagnosed with ALS, Lou Gehrig's disease. 

Instead of cowering in fear and dreading his impending death, since there is no cure for ALS, Morrie decides that, he will embrace it. He sees this as the perfect opportunity to live. To right wrongs, forgive and forget and best of all, to reconnect with those he has fallen out of contact with. 

It isn't until Dateline does a story on Morrie's diagnosis and his embrace of the inevitable, that Mitch sees his old Professor again. He decides to give Morrie a call, remembering how much time they spent together at Brandeis. And so, they decide to meet, every week, on Tuesdays, since that was the day that they spent the most time together in College, and Mitch soon learns that this will be his and Morrie's last class together. 

This, of course, was an emotional read, since ALS is a terrible, degenerative disease. The patients mind is still sharp as a tack but the body begins to fail. And though Morrie admits to sometimes feeling despair, he only allows himself a moment. A moment to cry, to fear, to hate the disease and then, he simply decides that, that's enough now and goes on with his day. During their lessons, Mitch and Morrie discuss their fears, their failures and their triumphs. And even as Morrie's body begins to diminish, his spirit never truly does. 

Morrie Schwartz was a loving, gentle, genuine, funny, deep and heartfelt man and I wish I could have known him. He lived as well as he could, loved his family, loved to dance and even at the end, he would do his best to stay positive and remind all those close to him how much he loved them and how much he cherished their love in return.