Tuesdays with Morris 相约星期二

Anyone who has benefited from the advice and experience of an older and wiser person is likely to immediately identify with the author of the American best seller Tuesdays with Morrie. A true story, it recounts the subject matter of a series of meetings the writer, Mitch Albom, had with his college professor of 20 years earlier. The old man taught Albom valuable lessons about life and death while at the same time fighting a losing battle with Lou Gehrig's disease.

Albom was already a successful sportswriter when he by chance saw a television interview with Morrie Schwartz, his spiritual mentor and advisor in his college days. The two men quickly resumed the regular discussion sessions they used to have, and with Schwartz's condition visibly worsening from one week to the next, Albom listened enraptured as the old man put him straight on what is important in life.

Tuesdays with Morrie has been praised for its accessible style. The writer presents Morrie's uplifting take on depressing topics such as death in a down-to-earth manner while managing to steer clear of tear-jerking sentimentality. There are no profound new insights to be discovered in this book, but perhaps its best achievement is its propensity for reminding readers of the basic truths they have always known, but may have forgotten or have simply chosen to ignore, in today's cynical world.

相信曾从长者和智者的经验和忠告中获益的人们，可能立即会和美国畅销书《相约星期二》的作者感同身受。一个真实故事，它主要详述作家米奇·阿尔博姆与他20年前的大学教授之间一连串的相会的主题。老教授在与鲁葛瑞格氏症（肌萎缩症）做临终搏斗的同时，传授阿尔博姆许多关于生死的有价值的训诫。

阿尔博姆偶然看到电视节目访问莫里·史瓦兹──他大学时代的精神导师和顾问，当时他已是一名成功的体育专栏作家，两人很快恢复了过去例行的讨论活动。眼看史瓦兹的病情一周周恶化，阿尔博姆专注的倾听老教授的教诲：生活中，什么是重要的。

《相约星期二》因其平易的风格获得了广泛的好评。作者笔下的莫里以积极的态度面对诸如死亡等如此沉重的问题，同时避免了惹人掉泪的伤感。书中并没有深刻的新见解，而或许它的成功之处，正是在今日愤世嫉俗思想横流的 世界，提醒读者一些耳熟能详，但可能已经遗忘，或故意视 而不见的基本真理。