The Last Lecture
Summary:
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: 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, 'Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams', 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 humour, 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. (Summary and cover courtesy of goodreads.com)
Review:
This book had me somewhat of two minds while reading it. On the one hand it’s uplifting and a celebration of his life. It was great to understand the complexities that led up to his viral last lecture and his authenticity from the video also shines through the pages. On the other hand, books like these always highlight the privilege and advantage many people have in life and I’m not sure his advice and recommendations will feel accessible to everyone who reads it.
Putting that aside, I think this is a poignant book that will be an amazing lasting tribute for his children. And for those who don’t mind a Disney-esque moment, give it a read! Think about what’s important in life and re-evaluate if you’re spending time on the right things. The book is well worth the time and not a repetition of his lecture, so I they pair well for a double pick-you-up punch.
Rating: 4 stars!
Who should read it? Folks to need a pick-me-up or reminder of what’s important in life.