For One More Day

Each of us has a small box of shame tucked away somewhere. For some, it may be no bigger than a matchbox, containing an unkind word, or a life regret that cannot be undone. Mitch Albom opens a shoebox with “For One More Day,” his latest effort offering insights into life and choices.
The author of “Tuesdays with Morrie” and “The Five People You Meet in Heaven” strikes familiar chords in telling the story of Charles “Chick” Benetto, a former ballplayer who has forgotten to pay the same amount of attention descending the mountain as he did making the climb. He drinks too much, argues with his wife and daughter, and winds up - down and out.
The turning point arrives at an old-timers game, which Chick attends rather than visiting with his elderly mother. Her fatal heart attack occurs, ironically, at the exact moment he steps up to the plate, and his absence packs enough guilt to haunt him the rest of his life, eventually alienating those he loves and cares about. In a fit of despair, he decides to end it all.
Albom has a knack for seamless storytelling and the small book may be an evening’s effort for quick readers, but despite its size, it packs a powerful punch. He provides a storyteller who relates Chick’s story, offering both the good and the not-so as Chick grows up under the care of his divorced mother, and in bringing items into the light from the dark of the shoebox, Albom will almost certainly provoke soul searching among his readers.
Much like “The Ultimate Gift,” there are opportunities for self-reflection provided in the context of a well-written story, and for some, a chance to empty out the regrets and enjoy what is important, if only “For One More Day.”