| Booktalk
#1
Mitch is a sports writer in
Chicago who has lost touch with his favorite teacher, Morrie. One night,
Mitch is flipping through channels on television and is stunned when he
sees Morrie on "Nightline" with Ted Koppel. Mitch finds out Morrie has
ALS disease which paralyzes the body working up from the feet. He stops
to watch the program, hears Morrie talk. Morrie say (read p. 21). At that
point, Mitch decides not to miss the last days of Morrie's life. Mitch
flies to Massachusetts to visit Morrie on a Tuesday, just like he always
did in college. Morrie tells Mitch that they are Tuesday people. They decide
to meet every Tuesday. Through the story we see Mitch getting weaker and
weaker. To understand this story about life and death, read TUESDAYS WITH
MORRIE by Mitch Albom. (Mackswell D., 8th grade student, Rundlett Middle
School, Concord, New Hampshire)
Booktalk #2
Tuesdays with Morrie
is about a man stricken with Lou Gherig’s disease. When he finds out that
he has this fatal disease he decides that he will make the rest of the
little time alive memorable. When Morrie is seen on national television
with Ted Koppel, he receives many heart-warming letters, calls and visits.
The most significant visit to Morrie was one of his former students. This
student was very close with Morrie while he was in college. The student’s
name was Mitch. He was a student who graduated high school early and went
on to college where he enrolled in Morrie’s class. Mitch being younger
than most kids on campus wanted to be noticed but really the only person
who noticed this young man is his new professor, Morrie. Morrie accepted
Mitch as a friend and a teacher and over the four years that Mitch was
at the university they formed a special bond with each other. When
Mitch finds out that Morrie is very ill, he visits Morrie in his Massachusetts
suburban home. From that visit on Mitch visits his teacher every Tuesday.
That’s when they worked together and spent their time together when Mitch
was a student at Brandeis University. Now that Morrie is very ill they
spend every Tuesday conversing for hours about anything. These discussions
open up both of them but mostly Mitch. These discussions change Mitch a
great deal and strengthen Morrie. (Alex Y., 8th grade student, Rundlett
Middle School)
Booktalk #3
Tuesdays With Morrie is an
adventure in life about a man who is dying. (Read “The Curriculum.”)
Morrie Schwartz was Mitch Albom’s sociology professor at Brandeis University.
When Mitch graduated in 1979 he vowed to keep in touch with Professor Schwartz,
but didn't. He forgot all about his beloved professor until 1995
when, by chance, he caught Ted Koppel’s interview with Morrie on “Nightline.”
That’s how Mitch found out Morrie was dying from ALS, commonly known as
Lou Gehrig’s disease. (Read from bottom of p. 9 through “Morrie knew
it was useless.”) But this is a story of life, not death. Morrie
was determined to make his last days memorable. He allowed himself
a few minutes each day to be upset about his pending death, then went about
living the best he could. Mitch started visiting Morrie every Tuesday.
They talked of life and death. Morrie shared his philosophy of life.
To him, being with people was important. Listening and being listened
to. Loving and being loved. Saying good-bye. (Read italics
p. 43). Tuesdays With Morrie, Mitch’s final class with his professor,
the book his thesis. (Mary Huebscher, Librarian, Holy Cross of San
Antonio, San Antonio, TX marwood45@hotmail.com) |
