Tuesdays with Morrie -by Mitch Albom

Overview:

The book is centered on a series of heartfelt conversations between a retired, terminally ill professor and one of his former students, who also happens to be the author. Mitch, the author, stumbles upon a televised interview of his old professor, Morrie, who had once greatly impacted his undergraduate life. Struggling with unresolved confusions in his personal and professional life, Mitch decides to reconnect and visit Morrie.

That visit turns into a weekly ritual. Every Tuesday, Mitch meets Morrie, and their discussions span a wide range of life’s fundamental themes: death, family, emotions, money, marriage, love, culture, and forgiveness.

What makes this book powerful is Morrie’s wisdom, clarity, and deep acceptance of life even in his final days. Unlike the common image of someone being bitter or broken near death, Morrie exudes a rare calmness, self-awareness, and detachment.

The book is short, simple, and written in an intimate tone. It contains the essence of 14 Tuesday conversations, each chapter tackling a universal human theme.

Reflections:

After finishing the book, I searched to see how others received it and saw how deeply it resonated with people, especially in Western audiences. Many found comfort in the way it addresses some of life’s most difficult realities.

Then I started thinking: why did this book resonate with so many people? I was reminded of a verse from the Bhagavad Gita (13.9): जन्ममृत्युजराव्याधि (janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi), where Bhagavan Krishna mentions the four real problems of life; birth, death, disease, and old age. As this book deals with death, disease, and old age, it struck a chord with many readers.

Another incident I remembered while reading this book is from the Mahabharata, where Yudhishthira answers a question posed by a Yaksha:

“What is the most wonderful thing in the world?”

Yudhishthira replies:

“Hundreds and thousands of living entities meet death at every moment, but foolish living beings nonetheless think themselves deathless and do not prepare for it. This is the most wonderful thing in this world.” [Mahabharata, Vana-parva 313.116]

Perhaps this is why the book impacted readers so deeply, it made them reflect on the death or old age of their near and dear ones, or even on their own mortality.

Thanks to NM for recommending the book.

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