This month I read: Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom. My granddaughter just read this book for a English Class in High School and I decided to see what they were having students read.
This is a true story told by Mitch Albom about his professor. Once I started reading this book I did not want to put it down. While in college these two men develop a relationship that meant a lot to both with a promise of keeping in contact. But life happens and things get in the way of reuniting until 20 years later when Mitch learns that Morrie is dying of ALS. Mitch makes a trip every Tuesday to visit Morrie who knows he is dying and what his ending will be like. Morrie attempts to hold on to his dignity while his body is failing him. Morrie has great wisdom to pass on about life to his former college student and these weekly meetings are exchanges of conversations that may not be what everyone wants to hear. I know some people would say what Morrie told Mitch was sappy information that everyone knows about life but do not practice because we live in a busy world. Most people are in the fast lane trying to get to the top, make the most money and step on whoever is in the way. This is not the life Morrie talks about.
So while I give this book a high rating, I realize it is not for everyone. It deals with life and death and some of the ugly things that happens to your body when you have a disease. This book may not be your cup of tea.
My artwork is again another collage. I decided to use an old calendar to make my collage. I wanted to stress that these men met only on Tuesdays and made Tuesdays my main focus of the collage. I marked Tuesdays with a red star to set that day apart from the others. I finished with a numbers stencil.
My Collage:
I enjoyed your well-written review - I love good writing. It's great that you read the same book as your granddaughter, makes a strong link between the two of you. Seems a very strong book to ask children to read, I wonder how she related to it. As someone who not long ago had a cancer op I think it is clearly a book I would avoid just now, though I've just had encouraging news from my latest scan.
ReplyDeleteYour artwork is inspired, so simple, but it gets the idea and feeling of the book across. I enjoyed your post.
This sounds like a very moving book, and as Jez said, it's nice that you and your grandaughter read the same book, it must have been interesting sharing your impressions of it with her
ReplyDeleteYour collage is great, I like the idea with the stars on the Tuesdays
I think the art is a great way to highlight an important plot element of this book. Thank you for the review.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful that you read the same book as your grandaughter, I hope you had some good discussions with her about the book. it seems a very thoughtprovoking read, i can only imagine the questions that would be set in the literature class at school. Love your map collage, great layering and subtle shading.
ReplyDeleteOh, calenders should look just like this! Oh, maybe for my chaotic brain it already looks something like this... :) Love it!
ReplyDeleteI think this is a wonderful book! It would be great to think about what we really want from life before it's too late...
I think this sounds a lovely book. What greater gift can we give the younger generations than to pass on knowledge and die with dignity. Your collage is very poignant ...marking the special moments in 2 different lives :D XXX
ReplyDeleteI love it when my 13 year old grandaughter and I read the same book, we then spend time discussing our own ideas of what the book says to us. Great to see we are not the only ones who do this. The book sounds like it is a good read and tells us how life really is warts and all. Your artwork marking out Tuesday's works so well with those being the book important days.
ReplyDeleteGreat piece of artwork, starring the Tuesdays is such a neat idea. Not sure I will read the book but have written it down.
ReplyDeleteJen x
Just realised this is the author of 5 people you meet in Heaven. A book I have read and found to be very interesting and thought provking.
ReplyDeleteJen x
Thoughtful review. I read this book when it was first published...I remember the impact that little book had on me. I still keep a copy in my library and glance at some passages for time to time...your collage is so superb for this inspirational story. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteReally cool piece...I was very curious how you would interpret this one...the calendar page, all focused in on the Tuesdays...made me laugh :)
ReplyDeleteThis was a great and thorough review of a thought provoking book. I really felt like I had joined you in reading it. I also found your collage quite interesting. It was one of those collages you don't have to explain, either.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I hope your granddaughter enjoyed the book as much as I can tell you did!
I heard a serialized radio version of this book some while ago and found it compulsive listening. Your collage is inspired - great way to visualize the book.
ReplyDeleteJanet xx
This is a great book and I think your collage reflects it beautifully... thanks for the reminder... think it would be a good book to revisit...xx
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful collage. So textural!
ReplyDeleteNot sure the book would be for me but sounds good.
Catherine
I don't think I could read this one at the moment - having lost quite a few people in recent years and seeing their bodies failing them while they tried to cling on to dignity... but I think it's marvellous that you read it as well as your granddaughter. I bet that sparked some interesting and meaningful conversations between the two of you.
ReplyDeleteYour collage is lovely - really love the overlay of numbers on top.
Loving your collage.
ReplyDeleteI think sometimes reading a book like this makes us appreciate what we have in life.