The Last Lecture

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

Published in 2008. 224 pages.

Amazon link

Author's website


Genre: Non-Fiction: Self help, Motivational, Biography

My overall score: 5/5

"We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand."
--Randy Pausch

What it's about (taken from amazon.com): A lot of professors give talks titled "The Last Lecture." Professors are asked to consider their demise and to ruminate on what matters most to them. And while they speak, audiences can't help but mull the same question: What wisdom would we impart to the world if we knew it was our last chance? If we had to vanish tomorrow, what would we want as our legacy?

When Randy Pausch, a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon, was asked to give such a lecture, he didn't have to imagine it as his last, since he had recently been diagnosed with terminal cancer. But the lecture he gave wasn't about dying. It was about the importance of overcoming obstacles, of enabling the dreams of others, of seizing every moment (because "time is all you have...and you may find one day that you have less than you think"). It was a summation of everything Randy had come to believe. It was about living.

In this book, Randy Pausch has combined the humor, inspiration and intelligence that made his lecture such a phenomenon and given it an indelible form. It is a book that will be shared for generations to come.

My thoughts: This book was phenomenal. I was really touched by the thought of writing a memoir of your own life for the benefit of your children. I have watched Dr. Pausch's lecture online - but reading his book gave me a different perspective on this man and his life. The book is broken into 6 sections as follows: 1. The Last lecture 2. Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams 3. Adventures...and Lessons Learned 4. Enabling the Dreams of Others 5. Its About How to Live Your Life 6. Final Remarks. Of course, some parts were similar to a typical self-help book, but there were many aspects that made me think about life in a completely fresh way. I highly recommend this book. You may read some negative reviews online, especially readers feeling that the author is 'tooting his own horn'. Well isnt that what a biography is about? Afterall,this is a tribute for his children. So just go into it expecting that yes he does 'brag' a bit, but I feel its all in good taste. Enjoy!

Date finished: June 2, 2008

What I'm reading now: Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult