Albom speaks on life, love

Mitch Albom's Ubben Lecture Monday night opened with laughter. "Even though I'm here as an author, I have a little background in sports, so I've studied tapes of the Monon Bell game," Albom said. "It's my conclusion that Wabash cheated."

Albom, a sports journalist and the author of best-sellers "Tuesdays with Morrie" and "The Five People You Meet In Heaven," gave the Ubben Lecture in connection with his new novel, "For One More Day."

The speech was titled, "For One More Day: Appreciating the People and Moments We Have Right Now." He signed copies of the work after his speech.

Albom's lecture detailed his experience going from a full-time sports writer to writing a novel to help his dying college professor pay his growing medical bills, which according to him, was a complete accident.

"At that point in my life, work came first, and everything else could wait, even a dying old man," Albom said. "And I can promise you that if I kept that attitude, I wouldn't be standing here before you today."

Albom said fans of "The Five People You Meet in Heaven," which he wrote for his uncle, gave him the idea for the book.

"What if you actually got one more day with somebody you lost? How would you spend it? What would you do? Would it really be that perfect day that you envisioned, or would you get in the same arguments?" Albom asked the audience in Kresge Auditorium.

Albom said "For One More Day" was based on his relationship with his mother. The book allows the main character, Charlie, to spend another day with his dead mother after a lifetime of ignoring her.

"You can't wait to say the things that need to be said to the people you really care about," Albom said.

Sophomore Julie Theibert attended Albom's speech with her mother, Susan Theibert.

"His speech puts your relationships into perspective, especially when the book is about a mother and your mother is sitting next to you," Julie said.

Susan said she thought Albom truly spoke from the heart.

"For a guy who did not go out to be a writer, in a non-preachy way he has a message that people really need to hear," Susan said.

Senior Morgan Murphy said she bought "For One More Day" for her mother before she knew its subject matter.

"I had no idea that Mitch Albom was a sports writer, so I was pleasantly surprised when he cracked jokes and impersonated his tattooed uncle," Murphy said. "Having read 'Tuesdays with Morrie,' I thought his speech might be more of the self-help variety.