Morrie: In His Own Words - Softcover

Morrie Schwartz

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0385318790 ISBN 13: 9780385318792

Publisher: Delta Publishing, 1997

Synopsis

"Learn how to live and you'll know how to die; learn how to die, and you'll know how to live."

In these remarkable pages are the profound, life-affirming words of Morrie Schwartz as he faced his own imminent death.

In 1994, at the age of seventy-seven, Schwartz learned he had ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Undaunted, the former professor embraced his illness, choosing to live passionately and calmly until the end. He also embarked on his greatest teaching adventure: sharing his evolving knowledge of living while dying.

With warmth, wisdom, and humor, Morrie reveals how to:
-- live fully in the moment
-- tap into the powers of the mind to transcend physical limitations
-- grieve for your losses
-- reach out to family and friends
-- develop an inner space for meditation and spiritual connection.

It's never too late to become the kind of person you'd like to be. Morrie shows the way in his magnificent legacy of love, forgiveness, transcendence, and redemption, a guide to living fully to the end of your days.

Morrie's willingness to talk about his illness made him an inspiration. In 1995 Nightline ran three interviews in which Ted Koppel spoke to Morrie about life, death and the disease that was afflicting his body.

In Morrie: In His Own Words, Morrie combined inspiring lessons with practical advice to help those who have chronic or terminal sickness and to help those close to them maintain healthy emotions and loving relationships. As life-affirming as it is life-releasing, Morrie: In His Own Words will have a profound effect on generations of readers.

About this title

Review:

Preceding the phenomenal success of Mitch Albom's Tuesdays with Morrie, in which Albom discusses his weekly visits with his mentor, Morrie, as Morrie faces death from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Morrie Schwartz published his own book, Morrie: In His Own Words.

Schwartz intended his words to be read by people dying of terminal illnesses with passages titled ,"Living with Physical Limitations," "Grieving for Your Losses," and "Reviewing the Past." Yet, just as in the case in Tuesdays with Morrie, this collection of plainspoken reflections transcends the "death and dying" category and is more aptly shelved in one's inspiration and spirituality collection.

For example, Schwartz's simple thoughts on courage could speak to any seeker of enlightenment.

"Dealing bravely with physical pain or accidents takes one kind of courage," he writes. "Facing life as it is and accepting it requires another....I have found courage through seeking thoughtfulness, openheartedness, detachment, and other responses that make up a composed life and a calm response to illness....I hope that I can continue in this way to the end so that I die with inner peace.

As it was, on November 4, 1995, Morrie Schwartz died just as he hoped he would. --Gail Hudson

From the Publisher:

Four years ago, at the age of 75, former sociology professor Morrie Schwartz learned he had Lou Gehrig's Disease: incurable, and progressively disabling. Rather than withdrawing, Morrie chose to live as fully as possible in the time he had left, and embarked on his greatest teaching adventure sharing his evolving knowledge of living and dying.

Morrie's willingness to talk about his illness made him an inspiration. In 1995 Nightline ran three interviews in which Ted Koppel spoke to Morrie about life, death and the disease that was afflicting his body. In Letting Go, Morrie combined inspiring lessons with practical advice to help those who have chronic or terminal sickness and to help those close to them maintain healthy emotions and loving relationships. As life-affirming as it is life-releasing, Letting Go will have a profound effect on generations of readers.

About this edition

• Publisher: Delta Publishing
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 0385318790
• ISBN 13: 9780385318792
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 127