by Mitch Albom
A successful sports writer goes back and spends time with his
dying mentor.
Reviewed by: Michael J. Griffin
About Michael J. Griffin
Many people know of Mitch Albom solely through this book, which spent a
staggering amount of time on the bestseller list in its hardcover form before
it just recently had been released in paperback. I'd discovered him a while
before this slim volume thrust him into the national spotlight.
The first time I encountered Albom was when I was reading "The Best American
Sports Writing of 1993." He had a story in there about a young basketball
player from the inner-streets of Detroit who had been shot and now was
brain-damaged. It was so well written and resonated within me. Unfortunately
at the time I read it, I wasn't able to locate any more of his articles, as I
was in school in Boston and he wrote for the Detroit Free Press. The idea of
posting articles on the Internet was still a gleam in Al Gore's eye. Well, he
did claim to invent the Internet Highway, didn't he?
Albom percolated in my mind for the next few years, and I was disappointed to
see that he didn't have any articles in the subsequent editions of "Best
American Sports Writing." In fact, just after looking through my entire
collection, which runs from the inaugural 1991 edition to 2001, that 1993
article was Albom's only appearance, a grave disservice, in my opinion.
Then "Tuesdays With Morrie" came out. I was reluctant to buy it because it
was a hardcover book. I thought I'd wait and buy it in paperback. I waited,
and waited some more. What was holding it up was the fact that it was on the
bestseller list for so long, the publisher wanted to keep it out in hardcover
for as long as people were going to buy it. It didn't look like it was going
to be coming out in paperback anytime soon, so I caved and bought it. My
bookstore employee discount absorbed the cost anyways. Now I wonder why I
waited so long to buy it.
Albom's clear, concise style of writing without any pretense was present in
this book, about Albom, who had been living a hectic sportswriter's
lifestyle, going back to see his old writing mentor, Morrie Schwartz. Morrie
had developed ALS, otherwise known as Lou Gehrig's disease. His body would
gradually continue to betray him, but his mind never lost any of its
intellect and as Albom readapted the student role to Morrie's teacher role,
that intellect would pass wisdom to Albom. Albom would come and visit him
every Tuesday, hence the title.
While the book can get a little preachy, Albom's excellent writing overcomes
it, as there are heartfelt messages being passed along.
I've always been a very stoic sort, but when I finished this slender volume,
I have to admit that I wiped a tear away from my eye. I might have blamed the
dust and my allergies, but I knew better.
An addenum: I found the Detroit Free Press archives online, and went back to
read Albom's articles. They also are worth reading. Just do a Google search
on Mitch Albom and you'll find them.
"Tuesdays With Morrie" was also recently published in paperback, 5 years
after its hardcover release.
Click here to buy this book, or read more about it at Amazon.com: Tuesdays with Morrie
Copyright © by Michael J. Griffin, 2002
Reviewed by Michael J. Griffin:
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-- The Secret History - by Donna Tartt
-- Tuesdays with Morrie
- by Mitch Albom
-- The Lovely Bones
- by Alice Sebold
-- She's Come Undone
- by Wally Lamb
-- Rules of Prey
- by John Sandford
-- Once More Around The Park
- by Roger Angell
-- On Writing
- by Stephen King
-- Dave Barry's Greatest Hits
- by Dave Barry
-- The Christmas Train
- by David Baldacci
-- Artemis Fowl
- by Eoin Colfer
-- Prey
- by Michael Crichton
-- Shrink Rap
- by Robert B. Parker
-- Tricky Business
- by Dave Barry
-- Hit Man
- by Lawrence Block
-- Without Fail
- by Lee Child
-- A Drink Before the War
- by Dennis Lehane
-- The Day After Tomorrow
- by Allan Folsom
-- I.Asimov
- by Isaac Asimov
-- The Blue Nowhere
- by Jeffery Deaver
-- Cryptonomicon
- by Neal Stephenson
-- The Millionaires
- by Brad Meltzer
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