For One More Day
Awe-inspiring
Easy read
Meaningful

For One More Day

Mitch Albom2006
In an inspirational debut novel by the author of Tuesdays with Morrie, Charles ""Chick"" Benetto, grieving over the death of his mother, uses alcohol as a crutch to deal with his loneliness, isolation, and depression and the disintegration of his life, until an encounter with his mother's ghost brings him new awareness and leads him to attempt to put his life back together.
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Reviews

Photo of nor
nor@fuchsione
5 stars
Dec 24, 2024

i read this book one day after mother's day while sitting next to her and i love my mama

Photo of E
E@pyschoes
4 stars
Apr 9, 2024

i love my mom

Photo of amada ♡
amada ♡@iselarouge
3.5 stars
Nov 29, 2023

def not my fave of his, but still inspiring, and makes me miss my mom even more!

+3
Photo of Steph Lodico
Steph Lodico@stephlo
3 stars
Jan 7, 2023

This honestly felt very average to me, read more like a YA novel. It was a cool concept and I really enjoyed having this glimpse into someone’s very personal and emotional parental story, but it was missing depth—and it was pretty short, so there was room to change that—which minimizes the impact it had on me. I think that’s a fairly personalized opinion though because I can see how this would be really meaningful to people who see their parents reflected here while they are still alive. But for me, I would’ve needed to see more of Chick after that day and his relationship to his daughter and ex-wife to really get something from it.

Photo of Kendall Munson
Kendall Munson@kendallnoemi
3 stars
Oct 2, 2022

This took me a while to get through. Just not as captivating as other books I’ve read by this author. Not awful but not super engaging for me.

Photo of Kirsten Simkiss
Kirsten Simkiss@vermidian
4 stars
Sep 12, 2022

As the book I read just prior to this was The Five People You Meet In Heaven, I can't help but feel that this was a very similar story with a very similar message and a very similar main character. However, I found this book more emotionally impactful and more relatable than the other. In fact, they even link up. The mother of Chick in this book was the cousin of Joe and Eddie from The Five People. It was so similar that it's almost hard to see them as separate works. The formatting is the same. The writing style is just as simple. The subject material is similar, though with some minor differences - namely that Chick didn't die. (Who knows! Maybe he'll go on to meet five people anyway.) I wasn't in love with this book, but I enjoyed it well enough to read it through in one sitting. I rounded what I would have given 3.5 stars up to 4 for Goodreads. It was certainly worth the read and was much more relatable for me than The Five People You Meet In Heaven, even as a 26 year old woman who's never been good at sports. This is because the relationship between parent and child is always fraught with turmoil and laughter. You grate on each others nerves. You say hurtful things. You love them and you make them laugh. That's how family is. Even when things are a little rough between you, you still love them. The moral of the story is, as I said, very similar to The Five People You Meet In Heaven, but with some small newer nuances. While there is certainly an element of forgiveness in For One More Day, it's more about appreciating those who love you and never taking their love for granted. It's a very nice book, certainly, though dark and exploring some dark themes. Suicide is a prominent topic in this book, so please be advised when heading into reading this book. Alcoholism is also a very notable issue for both the main character and his father. There are also other elements in the story that I won't mention so I don't give away any spoilers, but this is probably not the best book for a child of any age to read even though the vocabulary is simple. Ultimately, if you are a parent, you know your child better than I and can either recommend it to them or attempt to dissuade them. If the language content is a concern, trust me when I say that it is actually very simple reading.

Photo of Shrouk Shafie
Shrouk Shafie@sunrise
5 stars
Aug 31, 2022

"And if my mother said it, I believed it." What an awesome book. It touched my heart so deeply. It really can be a life changer.

Photo of Sian Wadey
Sian Wadey@sianwadeykerr
4 stars
Aug 12, 2022

I didn't like it as much as The Five People You Meet In Heaven, but I still thought it was great. It was recommended to me by a teacher, and the story isn't about the ending it's about the journey that the lead character takes. In fact, I'd like to read it again simply because of all the little details.

Photo of Jaymie Lemke
Jaymie Lemke@lemkegirl
2 stars
Jul 26, 2022

Another story that I was really anxious to read. Left me disappointed. Glad it was a quick read, as I didn't even like the main character. Perhaps that was the point?

Photo of Haley
Haley@massahc
4.5 stars
Jun 7, 2022

This book was an easy read, but it told a very important and significant story. The plot was touching and the writing was beautiful.

+3
Photo of Shannon Arputharaj
Shannon Arputharaj@shannonarputharaj
5 stars
May 23, 2022

"And I realized when you look at your mother, you are looking at the purest love you will ever know". I love the openness of this book. All the faults and all the damage is exposed; you really should hate the main character. It doesn't sugarcoat the truth, it only explains a situation that had many sides. In this way, the novel was incredibly insightful and incredibly honest. Granted, I have been super blessed to have a mother like the one portrayed. Many families don't have parents who care as much. I recommend this novel to anyone leaving for home for an extended period of time. It'll make you appreciate what you have. Like all of Albom's books, it'll help you understand and make better use of your time on earth.

Photo of Princess del Castillo
Princess del Castillo@princess_dc
4 stars
Mar 23, 2022

Mitch made me cry again.

Photo of daisy
daisy@afternoonweather
4 stars
Jan 2, 2022

this book got me crying and i miss my mom even more after reading this. a must read!

Photo of Caitlin Berger
Caitlin Berger@thefluteyfeminist
3 stars
Jul 29, 2021

I would give this 3 and a half stars if I could! I did enjoy this book a lot, it was a very fast and easy read. The themes and messages were interesting and meaningful. In the end, for me, it was just a good book to read, nothing more, nothing less. If it's on your to-read list, go for it! If not, it's not such a huge loss.

Photo of sophie
sophie@sophieee
3.5 stars
Dec 20, 2024
+2
Photo of 凪
@panitikan
4 stars
Feb 19, 2024
Photo of Amira
Amira@amiraisreading
3.5 stars
Jan 7, 2024
Photo of adrielle
adrielle@loveshelf
4 stars
Aug 26, 2022
Photo of Maria youngberg
Maria youngberg @maria63034
4.5 stars
Apr 19, 2022
Photo of Stefanie Sugia
Stefanie Sugia@stefanie_sugia
5 stars
Mar 10, 2022
Photo of Amy
Amy@adot
4 stars
Jul 29, 2024
Photo of Adine
Adine@axixe
5 stars
Jul 28, 2024
Photo of pamela enojas
pamela enojas@pam_1109
5 stars
Jul 23, 2024
Photo of Darwin Jay Daduya
Darwin Jay Daduya @daduds13
5 stars
Jul 13, 2024

Highlights

Photo of nor
nor@fuchsione

Sharing tales of those we've lost is how we keep from really losing them.

Page 125
Photo of nor
nor@fuchsione

When I lacked even the self-respect to keep myself alive, she dabbed my cuts and I fell back into being a son; I fell as easily as you fall into your pillow at night, And I didn't want it to end.

Page 35
Photo of nor
nor@fuchsione

"You can't lose your mother, Charley."

Page 21
Photo of Haley
Haley@massahc

“But there's a story behind everything. How a picture got on a wall. How a scar got on your face. Sometimes the stories are simple, and sometimes they are hard and heartbreaking. But behind all your stories is always your mother's story, because hers is where yours begins.”

Page 194

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