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

The book, Tuesdays with Morrie written by Mitch Albom, initially attracted me due to the lessons it promised. The cover page promised an old man, a young man, and life’s greatest lesson. This alone gave me good reason to read the book. The book indeed delivered on its promise concerning a young man, an old man, and on a great lesson. Throughout the novel, I enjoyed the lessons that Morrie bestowed upon Mitch. His wisdom, which was developed from a lifetime of experience, gives the readers and Mitch adequate information to consider. The life lessons and wisdom in this novel are to be cherished and completely understood. The wisdom that Morrie gives is applicable to many aspects of life and tries to teach people that we should not fear death. Mitch Albom views Morrie’s teachings as a guide to better understanding his own life and eventual death. The writing style, utilized by Mitch Albom, was also very articulate and clear. He clearly states Morrie’s teachings in order to convey what he perceives to be truth. One of Morrie’s teachings that Mitch conveys in a fantastic manner is his teaching about compassion. Compassion is not present in this world nearly to the extent that it should be. Mitch states “Be compassionate. And take responsibility for each other. If we only learned those
lessons, this world would be so much better a place (Albom 163).” It is best to have compassion on others for their sake as well as your own. Part of life’s purpose is to show love and compassion to others. The reasons I consider this book to be great is not because of the writing style or intricate plot, but rather because of the messages it brings. Life is to be contemplated, not simply survived. One of the best quotes in Tuesdays with Morrie is when Morrie says “Love wins. Love always wins (Albom 40).” This quote demonstrates the transcendence of love. Without love, one cannot truly live, as Morrie reveals.
The only dislike I have concerning this novel was the lack of emphasis it placed on God. Many of Morrie’s points of wisdom could have been enhanced with spiritual references from the Bible. However, most of the wisdom remained secular and uninspired. Since all wisdom comes from God, it seems that the book lacks realism by not including many references to the God of the Bible. Morrie seems to focus on death without fear, but has no logical reason to take this viewpoint without a sound faith in God. So, this viewpoint certainly puzzles me and I will never understand it. The only way that I can have peace with life is through knowledge of God and his eternal truths. I prefer to spend time learning the truth of God’s Word, which is found in the Bible. This is the only way to truly have peace with death because it exposes the fact that death does not have to be the end. Any philosophy that claims to not fear death, but has no evidence of God’s influence is simply false security.