“The truth is once you learn how to die, you learn how to live.”
The 1997 memoir Tuesdays with Morrie follows Mitch Albom, a successful but unfulfilled sports journalist, as he reconnects with his former sociology professor, Morrie Schwartz, who is facing a terminal diagnosis of ALS. Each Tuesday, Mitch visits Morrie, and together they explore life’s deepest questions on topics like love, work, family, and death. Morrie’s reflections, shaped by his acceptance of mortality, challenge Mitch—and readers—to rethink the way they live. As a book that explores morality, life’s meaning, family, and various other topics, Tuesdays with Morrie is a book related to humanity in every aspect.
After discovering Morrie’s condition (through a Nightline interview with Morrie and Ted Koppel), Mitch calls him on the phone, and they start meeting every Tuesday. Albom referred to these meeting as “the last class of my old professor’s life” and this book his own “final thesis.” In between Tuesdays, we learn about Morrie’s childhood and his time spent teaching, Mitch’s personal life, and Mitch’s time learning under Morrie at Brandeis. The book also includes recounts of the two other follow-up interviews with Ted Koppel.
Each Tuesday, the men meet to discuss a different topic related to life—topics like regrets, death, family, emotions, the fear of aging, and even “the perfect day.” Ultimately, on the fourteenth Tuesday, Morrie and Mitch say goodbye to each other. Morrie dies, or, as the book refers to it, “graduates,” four days after their final conversation, surrounded by his family. The private funeral is held on a damp, gray Tuesday morning
The use of Tuesdays as a narrative device gives the story structure, rhythm, and a sense of ritual that enhances its emotional depth. It mirrors the consistent nature of an actual college class and emphasizes the passage of time and Morrie’s declining health, making each meeting feel more urgent and therefore, more meaningful. The story is primarily driven by dialogue between Mitch and Morrie, using intimate and candid language that creates a vulnerable, personal, and ultimately relatable story. Simple language throughout Tuesdays with Morrie allows the reader to understand even the most profound psychological ideas, making them accessible to everyone. As a narrator, Mitch Albom excels. His “average man” nature helps readers to relate, and his personal connection to Morrie allows the reader to feel like they’ve known him for years.
What Morrie means by “once you learn how to die, you learn how to live” is probably something only fully understood when you are facing death. Essentially, though, he is saying that death shifts your perspective and causes you to notice the more important parts of life, i.e. family or spiritualism. Morrie says “most of us walk around as if we’re sleepwalking,” but when faced with impending morality, we wake up. The fact that we are mortal—that all humans will die at some point—is a terrifying thought for most people. Morrie embraces it. He believes that as long as you have found meaning in your life, death is not something to be afraid of. According to Morrie, “The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to something that gives you purpose and meaning.” While this may seem like a monumental task, it is not one that really needs to be completed. As long as you strive to devote yourself to love, community, and your passions, you will live a good life.
Throughout their many conversations, Mitch and Morrie have created somewhat of a guide on how to die and a manifesto on how to live. I believe we, as humans, all need something like that.
I wrote this book report about Tuesdays with Morrie for English class for my senior year. I am proud of this work and thought I would post it here.