Re: Dear Mitch Albom,

Dear Mitch Albom,
Your novel “Tuesdays with Morrie” grabbed my favorite organ, the one I call the heart, from my chest and held it captive as I eagerly flipped through the pages of your story. This love affair with your novels all started years ago, after I read your other heart-wrenching story, “The Five People you Meet in Heaven”. I was probably twelve or so, and to be honest, I only read it because my mentor, otherwise known as my older sister Chloe, was reading it in one of her English classes. She droned on and on about how sad it was, and how it completely changed her sixteen-year-old perspective on life. Being the tag-a-long I was, I decided to crack open the tiny book and read a few pages myself. After the first chapter I was lost, and not in a bad way. Everything from the perspective of writing to the descriptive detail captivated me. Probably, as no surprise to you, as I flipped through the final pages I was crying like a running faucet with a broken handle. As my sister glared at me, thinking I was too naïve to be reading the works of her favorite author, I put up an invisible force field, and waited hungrily for your next book to pop up on the shelves of our local library. “Tuesdays”, though published before “The Five People You Meet in Heaven”, suddenly appeared in my life as a new book. My sister quickly read through it, and then passed it down to me, now thirteen and ravenous for more life lessons. I skimmed through the first chapter, grew tired and set it aside, not realizing I wouldn’t get back to the book until I was sixteen and a junior in high school.
As years passed quickly and my guru went off to pursue higher education, she sent me a book or two every now and then, claiming it would forever change my life. Some I read, some I scanned, some I devoured, and others, I cast aside, insisting it would have to wait for a rainy day. The rainy day finally came as I sat down and attempted to read your brilliant “For One More Day”. I got to the fifth or so chapter, put it down, mind wandering elsewhere, and promised my psyche that I would eventually pick it back up, if only I could find a day where my mind wanted to interpret the information you were trying to feed me. The sands of time slipped through my fingers again, and I found myself a little older, a little wiser, and a little more ready to comprehend.
My yearbook advisor, Mrs. Emily Randolph, assigned your book “Tuesdays”, as the first book we would read together in the new book club she was starting at my school. I immediately sprinted to my sister’s enormous bookshelf, tore through it, and called her twice, both times to complain about her horrendous attempt at the Dewey Decimal System. Finally, there it was, resting on the top shelf. I could have sworn a single ray of light shone down upon it and I heard angels sing as I reached for my Holy Grail. I swiftly finished my homework, got into my comfiest pajamas, and sat down with my treasure, as if it were a long lost friend. I spent that night and most of the following day reading through it, taking my time to mark the quotes that moved me, and the tidbits of information that were slowly morphing my outlook on my existence.
One evening, as my journey with “Tuesdays” was coming to an end, I cried harder than I had in almost a year. Morrie was nearing the end, and your writing was beginning to paint an identical portrait of my grandfather in my mind. He, unlike Morrie, didn’t have time to say his final farewells. He was never diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, but we all knew he possessed it. My grandfather had forgotten me, and when I left his nursing home bed one day, silent tears falling off my cheeks, I realized the grandfather I had known my whole life was gone.
The aphorisms in the book took on a life of their own. They grabbed hold of my seemingly mediocre existence, and changed my teenage-drama-queen perspective on life. Don’t hold back on life; give it your all, for you will never know when your days will end. Always say what you need to before it’s too late, and never forget or lose the ones who shaped and molded your life even in the simplest of ways. Whether they were a teacher who suggested a life changing novel, a friend who told you to be strong even in the face of adversity, or a grandfather who, though never had the chance to let you know the important things in life, was always there to provide a helpful smile or a good laugh, and constantly around to play one great game of cards.

Thanks for the Words of Wisdom,
Margeaux Perkins

Do I have a story for you...

I am a "adult child of an alcoholic" and have been writing down things I have faced in life as I read the book. Fatherless, foster homes, 7 step dads, blood, sweat & tears, house fire, poverty, abuse, panic attacks, are SOME of the things I've faced but what didn't kill me, made me stronger! I'm wanting to write a book, I have a story worth telling, if you have the time.

Thank You,
Tracey

Sometimes God gives us too much

I am a stage IV metastatic breast cancer patient. I have had this disease for 11 years now. It spread to my spine, ribs and pelvis. I am hanging in there. I have a wonderful family, a husband of 26 years (who is my rock) and 3 children, 21 yrs, 18 yrs, and 16 yrs old.
And if cancer wasn't enough, the mother of my son's 11 month old daughter has fled Michigan to New Zealand. This is of course a very long story but I will try to keep it short.
My son got a girl pregnant he had just dated a few times. He decided to do the right thing with the pregnancy and try to make it with her. Her parents threw her out of their home. She moved in with him. Then her father called me and asked if she could live with us, because she did not get along with her mother. She and my son decided to move in, because he worked alot and she needed someone to take car of her. Her father called her and visited, I met her mother the day Sydney, was born. And have not seen her since.
She painted her homelife of one with a controlling father and an abusive mother. We truely felt sorry for her. We soon learned that she herself lied alot and was depressed. She forged US Treasury checks and money orders and is under investigation by the US Treasury Dept. and Comerica Bank for fraud. They separated when Sydney was 6 weeks. About 8 weeks after the baby was born, she tried to commit suicide and was admitted to Uof M Hospital. Then she kept disappearing, wouldn't let my son see his daughter, ignored court ordered custody. Her father then created as much havoc as her.
April 1st, 2010, my son was given full custody of Sydney and a warrant was issued for her arrest. She emailed my son over the weekend and said she was in New Zealand, where she is a citizen, and to leave her alone.
Our lawyer and the Friend of the Court mediator suggested to my son to take it to the media. The police filed a Parental Kidnapping charge against her and is at the prosecuting attorny's office at the Washtenaw County Court House right now, waiting for approval.
The Friend of the Court mediator in Wastenaw, has said he will help in anyway he can , even with the media.
So, I was lying in bed last night, unable to sleep, wondering what I've done that God feels I can handle more in my life. For some reason, your name popped into my head and I remembered your travels to New Zealand and Australia, where she has many relatives and friends. And thought that maybe, you had connections to get the word out or whatever to bring my Grandaughter home. And asking for any help you can give.

All of this and cancer. Sometimes God gives us a little too much

Thank you and God Bless,
Kathy Thomas

Tuesdays With Morrie.

Dear Mr. Mitch Albom,
I am a freshman at Sulphur High 9th grade campus, and I just finished your book, Tuesdays With Morrie last Tuesday. This book had me hooked until the very last page. It made me think about life in a whole new way. I have such a profound love for Morrie and I would've loved to meet him. Everything he said made me stop and think, then I would write it down and keep reading because I never wanted to forget anything from this book. I even had a plan to see if i could keep the library's copy, but my mom told me not to. Morrie gave me a new perspective on life and how to fully live it and now I know if he could be strong and live so could anyone else. One quote that will always stick with me through life is, " So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even when they're busy doing things they think are important. This is because they're chasing the wrong things. The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning." I have a teacher that has touched me the way I think Morrie touched you, She was my middle school French teacher. At first I never liked her, I thought she was old and bitter but as the years went on she taught me things that I now know can't be taught in a class. Thank you for getting Tuesdays With Morrie published, and thank you for sharing your story and Morrie's. Since I've been done reading this book I've gotten almost all of my friends to read it and they've been moved by this book as I have. I plan to continue to spread the word of Morrie, and hopefully touch peoples lives just like Morrie has done.
As you may realize I wrote this on Tuesday, You are as Morrie would say, A Tuesday Person.
Thank you and God bless your family and I hope your bother is now cancer free,
Madison DeJean

I am a high school student

Dear, Mr. Mitch.... i am writing this comment as a eleventh grade english assignment. As i understand you are a sports reporter in Detroit, Michigan and i do have a question to ask you. If you wouldn't mind telling me, could you reply and let me know what percentage does Cedric Peerman have at starting or playing alot for the Detroit Lions. He is a town local and we all would be enthusiastic to hear about his chances at being a premeir runningback in the NFL. Your kindness is thanked in advance.
Sincerly,
Antonio J. Reid

Dear Mitch, I am an eleventh

Dear Mitch,
I am an eleventh grade student and we are reading your book Tuesdays with Morrie. Our teacher wanted us to write to you as one of our assignments. I am really enjoying this book and I believe that Morrie was a very inspiring person. From your book i can tell that Morrie was very important to you. Was it hard to see him get so sick? Was he an inspiration to you? If you would answer these questions whenever you get the chance it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for your time, Paige Singleton.

"The Lost Art of Building With Your Hands" article

Mr. Albom,
I read with delight your article in Parade magazine about the lost art of building things. I too have realized that people no longer know how to, or even know that they can, create with their hands.

I'm a custom cowboy bootmaker--that means I build cowboy boots from flat pieces of leather and the customer's measurements. I often speak and demonstrate on bootmaking and I find that before I can demonstrate what I do I have to explain that yes, it is possible for a person to make shoes or boots. The general public has come to believe that everything is spat out of factories, wrapped in plastic and placed on store shelves. Over Christmas break I taught a 2 day shoemaking course for my 12 year old daughter, and she finished the course with a pair of shoes she made herself. This past weekend we were at the mall and she was wearing her shoes, which, since she built them herself, are unique and not endlessly repeated in every single shoe store. A group of young girls stopped her to compliment her shoes and my daughter proudly announced that she'd made them herself. The looks on their faces were priceless--any admiration was completely buried under bewilderment and disbelief.

It appalls me that we've lost the joy and satisfaction that come from creating not just art but functional objects. Two hundred years ago, if you owned a pot or a shirt or a knife or whatever, chances were you either made it or you knew the person who had. It gave a connection and a value to your possesions that's entirely lacking today. I believe this connection and the feeling of accomplishment that comes from creating something useful is a vital component to happiness and one that's abandoned and forgotten.

Lisa Sorrell
Sorrell Custom Boots

My Mother Met One of Her Five

Hi, Mitch,
My mom's been gone 2 years now. For 2 years I've resisted the nagging urge to write you. She read and shared your book 'the five people you meet in heaven' in 2003. In January of 2008 she went into the hospital. She regained consciousness in late March, and unable to speak, she scribbled notes to me. One of the most clear writings she made among many unreadable letters and words was ... 'one of the five I meet in heaven'. I am looking at that writing now. Masses of pages of words I can't make out, and this is so clear. I have it in my Mom Album. I don't know who she met, how, why... I only have this clear message that gives me great comfort.
Thank you for that. Lala

Tuesdays With Morrie

A friend gave me the book "Tuesdays With Morrie" Wednesday Eve. I finished it Thursday. I could barely put it down. Thank you for this wonderful gift; sharing your coach with us.

have a little faith

Hello Mitch. Just finished your newest book, have a little faith. I wanted to drop you a note to tell you how wonderful this book is. Although crying isn't my favorite thing to do, that good kind of crying occurred throughout the book. Thank you. I am inspired and moved. This book was EXACTLY what I needed to read right now! Do I hear "movie script"???? Thank you for a wonderful read.

I need your help

Hello Mitch. I'm a fan of your books. Recently I heard that NYS and NYC want to cut the budget of the Queens Library. Over 400 people will be laid off (including me) and 14 libraries will close totally. Can you post a tweet that says you support the Queens Library and to sign the petition at savequeenslibrary.org? thanks.

Michelle

I need your help

Hello Mitch. I'm a fan of your books. Recently I heard that NYS and NYC want to cut the budget of the Queens Library. Over 400 people will be laid off (including me) and 14 libraries will close totally. Can you post a tweet that says you support the Queens Library and to sign the petition at savequeenslibrary.org? thanks.

Michelle

I need your help

Hello Mitch. I'm a fan of your books. Recently I heard that NYS and NYC want to cut the budget of the Queens Library. Over 400 people will be laid off (including me) and 14 libraries will close totally. Can you post a tweet that says you support the Queens Library and to sign the petition at savequeenslibrary.org? thanks.

Michelle

I need your help

Hello Mitch. I'm a fan of your books. Recently I heard that NYS and NYC want to cut the budget of the Queens Library. Over 400 people will be laid off (including me) and 14 libraries will close totally. Can you post a tweet that says you support the Queens Library and to sign the petition at savequeenslibrary.org? thanks.

Michelle

Laguna Beach ALS Fundraiser

Hi Mitch,

I tried to contact you're office in Detroit and email you concerning a Laguna Beach resident you met at you're book signing in town, Jeremy Megroz. Jeremy was diagnosed with ALS in 2008, we have witnessed his health diminish very quickly and have instituted a fundraiser/golf tournament this coming June 3rd. I'm extending an invitation to you, and in the event that you can't attend, respectfully ask if you would be willing to call or write Jeremy to boost his morale. My email contact is lagunashadow@yahoo.com.

http://www.megzpals.org/

Kind Regards.

John Shad

hi sir,

im karen from philippines, i started reading your works, when my prof. lend me her book 'for one more day'.. i got inspired, thank you for sharing it with us.. im one of your fan here in the philippines, aside from my teacher..

thank you sir! more power and godbless you and your family.

Your prediction for your work in Haiti

Dear Mitch, I have been reading with great interest your stories about the Detroit Muscle Crew's work at the Caring and Sharing Mission and Orphanage.

But don't you fear that, once the work has been completed and the orphanage is left to "fend  for itself," it will be seized by some of Haiti's criminal elements, or even just large groups of homeless who have banded together? A mission and orphanage would appear to be a ripe and easy target, and the fact that it has been so thoroughly modernized makes it even more desirable. Will there be some sort of security system in place? I don't think that anything short of armed guards will be able to protect the place, and even those can be unreliable.

On a completely different note: I remember when you first came to Detroit, and have loved your writing ever since. Please don't ever leave us!

-- Lynn (an ex-pat stuck in DC)

estate tax

Hi Mitch,

I'm an admirer of yours, but I don't admire your views on the estate tax. How many of us are in Steinbrunner's situation? My husband's father was a corporate attorney all his life. He lived well at the end, well enough to buy a nice retirement home in North Carolina that morphed into round the clock care at an onsite hospital when it was necessary. He did not leave a fortune, about 10,000 dollars for each of the children. This is probably typical. Very few of us will leave a fortune. I hear all the crazies on the WJR talk shows screaming about the estate tax. For what? They act as if they have a stake in how the rich live. They don't. Your complaint about the estate tax is fine for that 1%. For the rest of us, we'd better wake up and realize that our government needs these taxes to make a better life for us all not just a few.

SioxCitySue

Have a Little Faith

I have read the book twice and have it on CD.   I listen to the CD reading of the book several times a week when I go to bed.  It definitely gave my faith a boost.  I wish I had known the Rabbi when I lived on 4th Avenue in Haddon Heights.  I love all your books, but this one captured my heart.  I am not Jewish, but wish I were.  I get something new out of the book everytime I hear it.  Hurry and write another.

God Bless you, that is G-D Bless you.

An Agnostic’s confession...

Dear Mitch,

After reading two of your books in three days I almost feel like we have been having some drinks together and I have the honor of calling you Mitch, I hope it won’t offend you.

I am a 28 years old journalist, social activist and agnostic woman. Being born in a country where the Catholic Church stood up next to the Militaries that ended a democratic elected government, I have always considered myself a fully aware agnostic, in some phases of my life, even an atheist.

Now, I confess, for the first time in my life, that I see why religion is crucial to so many people. And I’d like to thank you for helping me broaden my ideas, and my tolerance.

Ironically, last night when I started reading “For one more day” my mom was missing. She was disappeared for the most desperate 24 hours of my whole life. Even though it was an extremely scary experience, I smiled because I am proud to say that I wouldn’t need another day with her. She knows.

Pleae keep writing, you’re an inspiration.

Lidia

About your last book!!

Dear Mitch,

Recently, I've finished reading your latest book "have a little faith". I first came to know you from "Tuesdays with Morrie", which I read last year, touched with your style, "the five people you meet in heaven" followed. However, your last work captured me more than any, maybe more than any non-fiction I've ever laid eyes on throughout all my 28 years. Reading "have a little faith" was something like an adventure an experience hard to find around the corner of daily life, sharing it with us is an act of loyalty. Despite being from a "different faith", I guess you can realize from my name, I was greatly touched by the notion that all faiths at the end point to one and only one destination and rules of life. But they only differ in which bus you're taking. I want to thank you for giving me/us the opportunity to gather around your cozy pages and experience all the love that is in life.

On last think, since I am non-native English speaker and more involved in science, I apologize form my humbled writing!!

Ahmed.   

Who Strikes the Reader More? Mitch Albom Or Death

Dear Mithch, 

Ever since I read Tuesdays with Morrie I've been spell bound  by the impact of the book.  The book is almost A Guide to Face Death- a mental preparationfor all who fear death. The lines are so intense that on your visits each tuesday I felt as though I was also there with you peering over your shoulder at Morrie. I intend publishing an article on this 'very special book' of yours Tuesdays With Morrie to introduce you from the perspective mentioned in the subject title of this message to Literature students and book lovers across India and would like to know if I could send you a couple of questions related to the book which could be included in the article. 

 Thank God for you and for that wonderful book! Best Regards- Vishaka

A story that must be shared

Mitch,

I am the Head Golf Professional at one of the finer clubs in Long Island, New York. I don't come by this post easily, in fact I am only on your website now, for the first time because of the unreal events that took place at our club this past weekend. The events to which I am referring began nearly 3 years ago, when the 24 year old 3 time club champion of our club took his own life on the same night that he accepted the trophy at an awards dinner. The young man, (Mitch ironically) was a member of a golfing family, a father, mother and a two year older brother all of whom played golf at an above average level. They had taken numerous trips around top notch venues to play golf together as a family. That night however, changed everything. The following 2 and a half years that ensued were filled with all sorts of pain and struggle, the likes of which I cannot remotely comprehend. The older brother, Jeff struggled with drugs, and many worse things which I won't divulge in this forum. Ultimately, after a rehab stint, Jeff came back to the game of golf, vowing to his father and mother that he would win the 2010 club championship to honor his brother. To give you an idea of the reverence the club held for Mitch, they had since had an annual trohy for the championship in Mitchell's name. Between Jeff starting with a 9 on the first hole of qualifying, and then finally making a 20 foot downhill birdie putt on the 37th hole of a 36 hole final to win the match, it was electrifying, bittersweet and heartwarming all at once. I will close by saying that I am not one for fairytale stories, but this one compelled me to reach out to you. Thank you for your time in reading this.

Jim

Please reply

Dear Mitch,

I'am wating to hear from you regarding the questions I had posted to you in Teacher's Corner. I do understand that you are a busy person and may not have much time  to write to all your fans. But, I do really hope to hear from you soon as the article I've written on Tuesdays With Morrie is almost over and I just need to add your replies to make it complete. Please do let me know if you would find time for me and whether I need to send my questions once more and if your answer is "Yes" to which id should I post them. Please find time to send me your reply to shivujas17@gmail.com. Thank You.         

Five People You Meet in Heaven

Dear Mitch,

Tam passed away on 24th Jan 2008 after a 3 month battle with a rare brain stem tumor.  He was 28 years old and a special gift to those that shared his life.

Your books were some of the few that inspired him to write and I wanted to share these video's with you. In these video's he talks about "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" and "Tuesdays With Morrie".  His family read these books after his passing and it helped them immensely during a difficult time.

LINK:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6652753&fbid=455395195055&op=1&o=global&view=global&subj=687661069&id=552420055#!/video/?oid=21429372920

I hope your books continue to inspire those all over the world and remind us all that life is too short to live with regrets or take for granted.

Thank you for reading this.

Tam & Anh

poems about "Tuesdays with Morrie"

Greetings from Alabama! I recently read "Tuesdays with Morrie", and posted a bit about that book on my blog, hoping that others will also read it. I've also written 2 poems I based in part on that book. I had read "Five People You Meet in Heaven" some time ago, then recently bought large print copies of "For One More Day" and "Tuesdays with Morrie". I've enjoyed them all, but especially "Tuesdays with Morrie", maybe because it's true. I've had a lot of poems and some articles published, as well as the fact that for years, I edited a weekly church newsletter. I was encouraged to start a blog last November. I try to be an encourager, in part because I became high partial legally blind 7 years ago, and I have had so much encouragement.  You may read - and hopefully enjoy -  my poems on http://blindedbyinsight.blogspot.com  One based on TWM is "What's Important"; the other is "Love is How You Stay Alive". Even though I don't care for sports, I always enjoy your writings about them, I guess because of the human element. Thanks.

Questions

Dear Mitch,

My name is Lauren West, and I am a journalism student at the University of Southern Indiana. I am hoping to become either a magazine writer, news anchor, or author of my own novels! Since you began your career in journalism, I just had a few questions that I wnated to ask you. First of all, how exactly did you get started on your career? How did journalism become your first career choice? Also, what keeps you writing? What is your motivation to continue your career the way you have? Finally, what is your favorite thing about journalism? I hope you can get back to me on these questions soon! I have read "Tuesdays with Morrie," and I also plan on reading "Have a Little Faith." I am especially excited to read this book because I attended a lecture that you gave at USI my freshman year where you talked about this book. It was very inspiring, so I look forward to reading more of your work!

Sincerely,

Lauren West

Dear Mitch

Dear Mitch, I was assigned to read Tuesdays with Morrie for school. I just finished it tonight. I cried so hard I had to stop reading and calm down. The book deepy moved me.  I am still crying and it's been over half an hour. I can't put into words how your book made me feel. It made me want to go out and find my own Morrie.  Im trying to write a intense letter but all I can think about is Morrie. About how wise he was. About how funny he was, and about how much I wish I could meet him.  Also I am thinking about how great Morrie would feel if he knew kids from all over are inspired and moved by his words. His message reached so many. I proud to have read this book.

Thank you for writing Tuesdays With Morrie, Molly

Mr Smith flees Washington

Thank you for your article today about Congressman Bart Stupak’s reason for leaving Congress. As an independent voter and an Objective American I can empathize with him. Today it is extremely difficult to engage in a political discussion or expressing an idea without   it degenerating into personal attacks by those without substance to their arguments. I have observed that it is those people blindly committed to any ideology without objective reasoning or established principals that can be defended in honest discussion. Thus they revert to name calling and personal attacks to destroy the messenger because they cannot dispute the message.  

While I condemn verbal hate, malevolence, and death threats by itself this is more than good reason to not run again perhaps that he violated his principals in favor of an unrequited  political promise is his own unrecognized reason.  He had been an eighteen year honorable Congressional Representative faithful to his constituents but in the end violated their trust by putting Politics before his Principals.  I wish him peace and contentment with his family for what is past is prologue and perhaps one day when teaching his grandchildren about the Constitution he will change his mind about it being good for the country.  

Robert A. Scalise  rascalise@live.com

If America thinks its poison, what do you expect?

Mr. Stupak wasn't likely to win, after doing what he did.

What did he do?  He voted against the will of his people.

We had the President of the United States, and the majority of our representation "selling" us on National Health Care for almost a year, instead of worrying more about the economy, even after a year of explaining how good it was, the majority of America still perceived the "medicine" as poison.   Stupak, gained National Recognition for holding out, on his principals only to cave on a bogus stipulation, so not only did he betray all the people that didn't approve of the bill, he betrayed all the people that kept him in office because he was Pro-Life.

Stupak voted for poison, it was either quit or get fired.

Sparky Anderson

Dear Mitch, I enjoyed your parting shot about Sparky Anderson on 'The Sports Reporters' today.  I met Mr Anderson only once, but I never forgot meeting him.

Back in the mid '90's I was fortunate enough to be bumped up to first class on a flight from New York to Cincinnati and Mr Anderson was in the next seat. He entertained those of us around him with his stories of Baseball, and the players he managed in his three world series wins. It made a 2 hour flight seem like twenty minutes.  I am a devoted fan of Baseball, I will miss him too.

monster2dres

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monster beats headphones But which also echoes the love of Anne Darrow for that which protects her. Yet she must kill in order to ascend higher. beats over ear
www.monster2dre.com Jack Driscoll was quoting Oscar Wilde's "Ballad of Reading Jail"... monster beats in ear
"Yet each man kills the thing he loves, beats in ear
By each let this be heard, monster beats in ear
Some do it with a bitter look, beats in ear
Some with a flattering word, beats over ear
The coward does it with a kiss, www.monster2dre.com
The brave man with a sword! " beats over ear
beats in ear King Kong escapes with his Anne Darrow soul up the Empire state building which symbolizes the Rainbow Bridge, the pathway to heaven. monster beats studio
monster beats in ear The Hindu's have a name for this tower, "The Antahkarana" which is the psychic construction which ties all the chakras together as well as that which connects us above the head with the soul chakra and then with God. monster beats dre

Who Would You Meet In Heaven?

Dear Mr. Albom,

My name is Dana DeCarlo, and I am a junior from Manalapan High School in Manalapan, New Jersey. I am currently in an Advanced Placement English 3 Language and Composition course. Each unit we learn about takes on a different broad subject (community, education, gender, etc.). Since you are a writer who writes about many various topics, we were hoping to get in touch with you and ask you different types of questions that we were interested in.

A few years ago, I read your highly enjoyable novel The Five People You Meet In Heaven. It was one of the best books I have ever read. I laughed, I cried, and I learned to appreciate life as it comes. It gave me a wonderful positive view on the way one should live their life. Thank you for being the writer that you are.

On that note, I do have a question for you that has been lingering in my mind since I read the aforementioned novel. If you were to choose the five people you could meet in heaven, who would they be? I would love to hear straight from the author's mind.

Thank you very much for your time. My whole class admires you. I hope to one day be graced with the honor of meeting you.

Kindly, Dana DeCarlo

How to avoid the inner-critic.

Dear Mr. Mitch Albom,

I am a young miss Kathryn Donnelly, 16, of Manalapan, New Jersey.  My junior year in high school involves AP English Lit and Comp, a course for examining nonfiction and fiction alike, along with improving one's own writing abilities, quickly approaching the dreaded AP exam. Our class is struck deep with your writing, and we were hoping to contact you.

As yourself, I find myself caught in the life of a wordsmith. The difference here is you have made it a profession, whereas, I simply struggle with it as an aspiration. Ever since I can remember, I would write, and, unfortunately, I tend to find myself as my worst critic. Where others may take delight in the emotional journey my art impresses upon them, I see misused punctuation, abused word choice, poor meaning.

The problem with my inner critic is the fact that, as Virginia Woolfe put it in "Professions for Women", one must complete the wondrous feat of overcoming "the angel in the house", whereas, I cannot seem to do so.

I'm hoping you can impart upon me some wisdom; from professional to aspirational. Writing, in its most basic and primitive sense, is my whole-hearted passion and I could never imagine giving it up. Yet, I just can't figure out the solution to that which perplexes me. I come to you as someone who admires your work and can only dream of ever speaking with you to ask how do I not let society and my inner critic remove me from my natural passion, remove the ink from my paper, remove the writer from what needs to be written? How do I not simply accept defeat and move on?

If you would be so kind as to reply and indulge my passions, I would be greatly obliged. Although, if you have read this, no response is necessary, and I thank you greatly for your time.

Yours,
Kathryn Donnelly

Dear Mitch Albom,

Dear Mitch Albom,

My name is Jordan Chervin, and I am a junior at Manalapan High School in Englishtown, New Jersey. I am currently enrolled in an Advanced Placement English Language and Composition class, where the primary focus is to study rhetoric - "using language effectively" - and to study examples of different writers' styles of persuasion. We analyze various techniques to determine their effectiveness.

One element of rhetoric that seems to be the foundation of this course is the rhetorical triangle. Connected are the speaker or writer, the audience or reader, and the topic being addressed. Writing with a particular audience in mind surely affects how a speaker or writer goes about preparing the text. For a mature audience, the material should not be too simple, and vice versa.

In sixth grade, I read  The Five People You Meet In Heaven. It was a phenomenal read, and I have since read it numerous more times. As I've gotten older, I've read the novel with a different perspective each time. Looking back now, I'm wondering if twelve years old was a little young to read the book. It does deal with a serious, mature topic. When writing the book, what was your intended audience? Do you think middle-school aged students should be exposed to this material?

Thank you for your talents, and I appreciate your time.

Sincerely, Jordan Chervin

Writing Styles

Dear Mitch Albom,

My name is Malcolm Benn, I'm a student at Manalapan High School in New Jersey. Currently I am a student in an AP English class. We examine diverse types of rhetoric, and various writing techniques.  I have started to read my first book by you, For One Day. I find it to be quite enjoyable and has been my first good read in a long time. I know that some of the events within the novel stem from your childhood, and relationship with your mother. I have one question for you though Mr. Albom. Since some of For One Day is taking from experiences in your life, do you consider it to be the most personal of your writings? Also have you ever changed your writing style to establish a level of connection with your readers, and the characters in your novel? If so were some of your dramatic changes in your diction, syntax, or rhetoric?

Thank you for your time Mr. Albom. Hopefully, I will have a chance to meet you one day.

Sincerely, Malcolm Benn

Dear Mitch Albom,

Dear Mr. Albom,

My name is Shelby Starker and I am writing you from Manalapan, New Jersey. As a junior in high school, I have been enrolled in an Advanced Placement English Language and Composition class. By examining various types of rhetoric and grammatical techniques, the hope is to gain increased knowledge regarding their correct use, as well as pass the AP Exam successfully.

Throughout the year, the class has read many speeches, and before delving into the minute details my teacher always reminds us of something important. To keep in mind the context (where and who this was written for.) We, as the students are reading this in a different outlet and our perception may be different from the original intended audience. Although a novel, your wonderful work, The Five People You Meet In Heaven, can be compared to this because it was adapted into a screenplay. 

The question I would like to ask is, if you are happy with the outcome and perception of the movie in comparison to the book? I understand that you were involved in the writing of the movie too. I believe the movie is an exceptional depiction of the book. Did you agree? Did your vision for the movie come through as you had imagined?

Thank you for your time and consideration, and I would love to hear from you at your earliest convenience.  

Regards, Shelby Starker

Dear Mitch Albom,

Dear Mitch Albom,

 My name is Lauren Schwartz, and I am a junior at Manalapan High School in New Jersey. I am currently enrolled in an Advanced Placement English Language and Composition course, where the primary focus is to study rhetoric, to learn about using language effectively, and to study examples of different writers' styles of persuasion. We analyze various techniques to determine their effectiveness. Since you are a writer who writes about many various topics, I was hoping to get in touch with an author about a specific element of writing that is present in every topic.

 Throughout the course of the school year we have spent a lot of time analyzing the rhetorical triangle. As a growing writer, I have specifically found the relationship between the writer and its readers/audience intriguing. Writing with a particular audience in mind surely affects how a speaker or writer goes about preparing the text, but how much does it affect the writer? For you as an experienced, tremendous writer, how much focus do you put on the audience while preparing a text? Certainly too much focus can have potential damage to the piece as can too little focus so how much focus do you put in to your pieces?

Thank you for your time, consideration, and your talents.

 Sincerely, Lauren Schwartz

Dear Mitch Albom,

Dear Mr. Mitch Albom,

My name is Kajal Patel, I am a junior from Manalapan High School, New Jersey enrolled in AP English Lit and Composition. During our course we have been given the task to "enter the conversation."

In middle school I read your highly acclaimed and incredibly emotional novel The Five People You Meet In Heaven. I enjoyed reading this book thoroughly, and as an aspiring English teacher, and hopefully future novelist I would like to ask you a question. You deal with death very carefully and thoughtfully in your novel, and from different perspectives. Were there inherent challenges when you were working with this subject matter? As it is an often touchy subject for authors and readers alike, how did you work with the issue in a way that would allow readers to relate and sympathize with?

I thank you for taking your time to read this, and for creating such wonderful pieces of work that my classmates and I heartily enjoy. I hope to hear from you, and would love to be graced with the honor of meeting you one day; my English class and school alike admire your work! 

Sincerely,

Kajal Patel

Dear Mitch Albom

Dear Mitch Albom,

 My name is Alan Li, and I am a junior taking AP English Language and Composition. In this class, we learned how to become proficient at analyzing material, apply effective strategies and techniques in our essays, and create arguments based upon personal experience. 

 In freshman year, I read your book The Five People You Meet In Heaven, and I was fascinated by the emotion and the plot of the book. I have read that the story was based on your experiences with your uncle Eddie. Because I am currently working on integrating my own anecdotes into my essays and arguments, I am very curious about how you managed to incorporate your own experiences into your writing so effectively. Also, is there any reason you chose the specific five people that Eddie met? Who do you think will be the five people that you will meet in heaven?

Thank you for taking the time to read my questions. I greatly appreciate it.

Regards, Alan Li

Dear Mr. Albom,

My name is Paulo Costa and I am a high school junior currently enrolled in the AP Language and Composition course. This program is highly rigorous and requires extensive essay writing and analysis. We dissect passages down to their very core, singling out literary devices, persausive appeals, and organizational structures. Some of the works we studied were yours, and your particular writing style provoked my curiosity.

I was deeply intrigued by your novel For One More Day. The premise of being able to spend one more day with a deceased loved one seized my attention. I lost my last great-grandparent as a young boy. This was an especially saddening event for me as I only met her as an infant and never really got to know her. The loss of opportunity is always depressing. I was touched by how your novel depicted the rekindling of a mother and son relationship in such a heartfelt manner.What inspired you to pick a former baseball player to be the protagonist in your story? 

I would like to thank you in acknowledgement of your talents and success. I sincerely hope to have the chance to meet you in the near future.

Best Regards, Paulo Costa

Socratic philosophy

Dear Mitch Albom,

My name is Sragvi Tirumala and I am a junior at Manalapan High School taking an A.P. Language and Composition Course. I am very interested in how to use writing to express my ideals. Consequently, I have read many philosophical texts in order to become a better writer myself. 

Consistently, I am amazed by mankind's dynamism. This points to bright futures for the coming generations. Our penchant for change leads us to our ultimate goal to better ourselves as humans. So why is it that, on this glorious day of the ascended man, writers rarely discuss one of the major aspects of life? Specifically, the overall purpose of man is blown aside by contemporary philosophers. I truly understand the lack of practicality in such a topic when compared to political or social philosophy. Writers are not poets to express themselves without requiring attention. However, the philosopher's duty is to impose thought onto the minds of the public. And how can thought ever emerge without cause? It is therefore my belief that a philosopher must discuss the purpose of life before discussing what to do with this life. 

I greatly appreciate that you took the time to read my questions. Why do contemporary philosophers not address the looming question of purpose that puzzled Socrates for his entire life? Thank you, and have a nice day.

With regards, Sragvi Tirumala

By the way, this idea must be credited to my mother, who has never told me to do something "because [she] said so".

Dear Mr. Mitch Albom,     

Dear Mr. Mitch Albom,

     My name is Michael Maxham and I am a junior at Manalapan High School in New Jersey. I am currently enrolled in AP English Language and Composition and in this class we learn about rhetoric, how to use the english language correctly, whether it be in an essay or in a conversation with someone, and how to use the art of persuasion, synthesis, etc.

     I have recently started reading For One More Day and it is definitely one of my favorite novels that I have had the pleasure of reading. On the back flap of the book, I noticed that you have a picture of your mother and you dedicate it to her. I also have a very strong and loving connection with my mother. I realized when I read more about you, that this book is also inspired by your own childhood. I wanted to ask you a question about this novel. In the novel it mentions that Charley's father left him and that his mother had to raise him. I wanted to know if that was an experience of your childhood ? If so, how has it affected you and the writing of your other novels? I always find that when someone writes about their life, it helps make a strong connection with the reader and the writer. Also, one can possibly relate. In our class we are always taught when to use an anecdote and how to use it effectively. You are one of my favorite writers and I hope to have the pleasure of meeting you one day! Thank you so much for reading this and writing magnificent novels!

 Sincerely,

Michael Maxham

"We Have Good News! It's A Brand-new Baby...Something?"

Dear Mr. Albom,

            My name is Kathleen Fox and I am a junior at Manalapan High School currently enrolled in an AP Literature and Composition course. In this course we study rhetoric and the innumerable stylistic choices of authors. We have gone through the works on many authors this year to see if they were able to deliver their message properly.

            Recently in class we read one of your nonfiction works called “We Have Good News! It’s a Brand-new Baby…Something?”, which I found to be extremely amusing. I noticed your use of rhetorical questions to drive your point, and I was curious as to what other rhetorical devices you feel add the most tone to a piece?

            Thank you in advance for actually reading through this question, as I’m sure you receive an infinite amount of questions each day. It would truly be an honor to hear back from you.

                                                                                    Thank you,

                                                                                    Kathleen Fox

Dear Mitch Albom,

Dear Mitch Albom,

My name is James Zhang and I'm a junior at Manalapan High School. I am currently taking the AP Language and Composition course and we spend much of our time analyzing pieces of writing as well as taking information from other passages and synthesizing our own opionion on a topic. 

Some years ago, I read your excellent novel, The Five People You Meet in Heaven. I thoroughly enjoyed it and your ideas. On the website, it said that your inspiration came from your uncle. I often feel that people's strongest and best writing always shows when their true feelings are reflected in it. However, you cannot always write about things which you have extremely strong feelings about. What do you do then to ensure that your writing is still as strong as it is? In addition, you write in such a way that multiple people can understand what you are saying even if the topic is very complex. In your opinion, what part of your writing most effectively achieves that purpose? Thank you for your time.

Sincerely, 

James 

Dear Mitch Albom,

Hello! My name is Christina, and I am an eleventh grade student at Manalapan High School. This year I am taking AP Language and Composition, which is my first introduction to studying rhetoric and analyzing why a writer writes something in a particular way.

  As a writer, the way in which one’s ideas are presented is essential to the flow and reception of the piece. That being said, is it the writer’s responsibility to present his or her ideas in a manner that is easy to understand for the reader, or is it the reader’s responsibility to interpret the writing according to his or her own perception? On one hand, style and other artistic trademarks could be sacrificed if the writing has to be changed for a more direct conveying of the message; on the other hand, the author’s purpose can be lost if the writing is too obscure. At what point should art and personal expression be sacrificed for the clarity of communication?

  Thank you so much for taking the time to read this!

Sincerely, 

 Christina

The Importance of Life

Dear Mr. Albom,,

Hi, my name is Gillian and I go to high school in New Jersey. Currently, I am taking an AP English class which examines the use of rhetoric and different writing styles in different types of nonfiction.

Though only 16, I have spent a lot of time reflecting on the importance of the different aspects of my life. I constantly wonder if I am doing the right thing. I try to simplify my life and never rely on materialistic things. Was this one of the goals you were trying to achieve through writing The Five People You Meet in Heaven? How much thought do you personally put into grasping the meaning of life?

I would love to hear your thoughts on this matter.

Thank-you

Gillian Cohen

Dear Mitch Albom,

Dear Mr. Albom, 

My name is Sahil Parikh, and I am a Junior at Manalapan High School. Recently, in my AP Language and Composition class, we have read and discussed your essay, “We Have Good News! It’s a Brand-new Baby…Something?” I found your ideas on the gender of babies a bit comical. If that was your intended purpose, then I approve. 

A couple years back, for a summer reading assignment, I read your book The Five People You Meet in Heaven. The book is actually, currently, sitting above my head in my book shelf. I have recently encouraged my younger brother to read the same book, for his summer assignment, assuming that the list is unchanged. 

I was wondering - what type of literary or rhetoric device, you believe is the most important and least important to include in a text?

Thank you for your time,
Sahil Parikh

"We have good news! It's a brand new baby ... Something?"

Dear Mr. Albom,

Hello! My name is Alex, and I am currently a junior at Manalapan High School. I am currently enrolled in an AP Languange and Composition class, which has given the opportunity to fully understand the great importance of using rhetoric in writing. But more importantly, the class has led me to look beyond the humdrum of the main idea of a passage. It has led me to pick apart an essay by analyzing its faults and fallacies to see if the essay is in fact a well written or one that it just appealing to my senses. I was able to use the skills I aquired when I read your article "We have good news! It's a brand new baby ... Something?".

Before I contiue I would like to say that I fully agree with your opinion that questions such as "what sex you are?" are completely frivolous, however I do not like the manner the essay was written in. In some parts I believe that slippery slope can be found. For example when talking about the choices parents make you first go from gender, then to hygeine and then to providing basic nessecities. These examples further your argument, but the initial quote never said making no choices for children, just many". Also, you never addressed the other side of the argument. What of those diehard people out there who believe that kids should have the choice. When they read this essay they'll simply become more hardened in their belief if questions they have are not addressed. I understand that I am only an ameteur at this, but if you get the chance can you tell me the purpose of the sections of your essay I questioned?

Sincerely, 

Alex

Dear Mr. Albom,

Dear Mr. Albom,

            I am an AP English Language and Composition student in my junior year of high school, but my interest in the subject goes beyond the classroom – I am also an aspiring author. My current English course has taught me to look closer at the diction and syntax, to pick out the ethos and pathos, to find the hidden meaning of a story. Yet, when I read The Five People You Meet In Heaven the summer before seventh grade, these things all struck me before I even knew what half of them were.

            From a less academic and more personal approach, I wanted to know how you flesh out your inspiration. Asking for where you find it is irrelevant, as I’ve found, because it comes differently for every piece, let alone every person! Yet, I’ve also discovered that some of these ideas slip away or lose their potency while others, often ones that I never intended to focus on, grow steadily or sometimes even explode at an alarming rate. How do you take that initial idea and let it stretch into a plot, a theme, a message? Five People left an incredible mark on me – it taught me that everything in the world is connected. But I’ve also found that a lot of those connections are hard to make when writing. To put it plainly: How do you travel from a spark of inspiration to a full-fledged web like any of your books?

            I’m sure this answer is different for every author. Perhaps you’re not even sure how it happens yourself; that has happened a few lucky times for me. Either way, thank you for taking the time to read this. I appreciate it.

Truly,

Samantha Miller