Morrie Schwartz

The title character grows up in Brooklyn, the son of poor immigrants. Morrie Schwartz's mother dies when he is very young, and soon after, his younger brother develops polio. He is forced to go to work at a very young age to help support his family. His father remarries, and his stepmother fosters in him a great love of learning.

After vowing never to work in a job that exploits another or make money off the sweat of another, Schwartz takes up research as his chosen profession. His first job after college is in a mental hospital in Washington DC. He receives a grant to observe patients and record their treatments. He is unable, though, to simply watch from the sidelines. He soon befriends many of the patients and is even able to reach some that hospital staff has simply given up on.

After the mental hospital...