Dad was a Carpenter by Kenny Kemp

I. Title of the book and Author

Dad was a Carpenter by Kenny Kemp

II. Summary

In the cold month of December, Kenny Kemp celebrated winter alongside with the winter he is feeling inside his heart because of the tragic loss of his father. This Christmas Season, he drove off to his hometown where he helped her mother clean the remaining things and possessions of his dead father. While doing these things, he commemorated some of the special moments he shared with his father. He remembered the time when his sister, Bonnie, painted father’s garage which made a negative impact with their neighbors. When he was eight, his father made him an improvised go-cart which he shared with his playmates. He also reminisced the time he became a boy scout in which he, together with his father, climbed a mountain. Some time, their house also burnt down. He also commemorated the event when he fixed his automobile because of his own mistake. Things started to change when his father was forced to retire in his work as a pharmacist. Alongside with this burden was the doctor’s diagnosis of Lou Gehrig’s disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) on his father. Although he had that bleak fortune, he still didn’t lose faith and instead able himself to find something good in his surroundings. After four months of his death, Kenny Kemp cleaned the house and found the things associated with his father.

III. Character Sketch

The character in the story, O.C. Kemp (Kenny Kemp’s father), was very impressive because of his faith and bravery during the time when he faced those trials that entered his life. He became braver when that trial was given by him. He smiled instead of crying; he kept quiet instead of complaining.

IV. Conflict

O.C. Kemp was diagnosed with ALS just after his retirement as a pharmacist. During his check-up, his doctor admitted that he has only 18 short months to live. In those days, he ignored his illness and still lived a normal life despite the cries and tears of his loved ones.

V. Special Feature of the setting

When he got ALS, he got stronger than before. He got more faith in God.

VI. Reason of Recommendation

I recommend that you read this book because of the moral lessons and virtues in stored inside it. I find it with interest Chapters 10 – 18 where the conflict was revealed.

Tuesdays with Morrie

BOOK REPORT

Tuesdays with Morrie

By: Mitch Albom

Summary:

The novel Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom is about a young man named Mitch who travels hundreds of miles one a week, every Tuesday, ust to see his old professor whom everyone calls Morrie who is with a rare disease known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Since Morrie appeared in a T.V. Show entitled “Nightline” , he became popular around the world. He started to receive letters, phone calls, and personal visits. In fact, one of his visitors is Mitch Albom, his old student who promised to keep in touch but never did.

Never did they know that their reunion every Tuesday will turn out to be a new class with Morrie as a teacher and Mitch as the student. Their weekly discussion is about “The Meaning of Life”. As the days pass by, Mitch learned many things while Morrie became weaker and weaker. He also began to talk about his tombstone and the idea of his cremation. Then one Saturday morning…he died. All of his close relatives came home from distant places including his sons, Rob and Jon. Although hundreds of people wanted to attend, Morrie’s wife decided to keep it privately.

The story ended with Mitch reading his brother’s letters that gave him tons of laughter. Morrie made a big change in Mitch’s life.

Character Sketch:

The character in the novel named Morrie Schwartz is an old man with sparkling blue – green eyes. Like other old people, he has a thinning white hair. He also has a gaunt face.

Morrie is an old and retired professor of Brandeis University located in the city of Waltham, Massachusetts where he used to teach sociology.

He is weak and he has ALS. But despite of the sufferings he faces, he still tries to be optimistic and see good things in all the bad things happening in his surroundings.

He is a good man with a strong faith in God. He is an intelligent person with a sound mind. He is also a loving husband, a caring friend, a considerate professor, a good counselor, a strong believer, and a man of wisdom. With the exception of his illness, I can say that Morrie Schwartz is indeed a perfect person.

Moral Lesson:

This novel teaches us to think positively and to disregard the bad ones when insurmountable trials enter our lives. We must try to find something good in our surroundings and learn to appreciate them even though they are simple. You will realize the importance of something when it is already gone, when you can do nothing to take it back. We must be strong when facing problems must like what Morrie did so that we can win against our problems and prove God that we have a strong faith in Him. We must also thank Him for guiding us especially when our hope is low. I also realized the importance of family in one’s life because they are there to give you moral support. Thanks to this book, I become a better person.