The Last Lecture

This book is about a university professor who finds out that he has pancreatic cancer, and between 3 to 6 months to live. This book is about the last lecture he gave to his students.

This is a very touching book with great advice.

I found it very touching how Mr. Pausch was concerned that his kids would not remember him after his death. He takes them swimming with dolphins, hoping this will give them an unforgettable experience, and one with which to remember him after his death. Quite touching!

This book will make you ask the question, `Why do we die?' Genetic engineers will tell you death improves the genetic pool. Religious people tell us we die in order to return back to God. I personally use death to my advantage. Whenever I have a problem, I always say to myself, `I will die one day, so who cares.' This attitude helps me surmount my problems and go on with enjoying life.

One great advice Mr. Pausch gives us is that walls are there for us to surmount. We are all faced with obstacles in our life, but they are really there to wash out all your competition. Imagine a world where we all could reach our goals. In such a world none of us would really be successful. For example, we can't all be billionaires. If we were, then no one would work for us. No one would need to work in such a world. In such a world, life as we know it would come to a standstill. So cherish the obstacles in your life, and surmount them, and stay ahead of everyone else. Never give up when faced with a problem. Problems are there to solve, and keep you ahead of everyone else. This is the best advice I gained from this book.

Death is really about how to live our life. We know it will end one day, so the choice is ours on how we choose to live our life. Life is all about choices. We are free beings with free will.

Some good advice he gives:

We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.
Dream big
Earnest is better than hip
Don't complain, just work harder
Treat the disease, not the symptom
Don't obsess over what people think
Look for the best in everybody
Watch what people do, not what they say
Get people's attention
Always say, `Thank you!'
All you have is what you bring with you
A bad apology is worse than no apology
Tell the truth
No job is beneath you
Never give up
Be a communitarian
All you have to do is ask. Don't be afraid to appear ignorant.

There are some family pictures in the book, but they are all in black and white and not clear at all. It is very touching to look at them, but I wish the publisher enclosed clearer pictures. The quality of the pictures took away much of the charm of the book. Did the publishers do this to keep down the cost of the book? (The copy I have is paperback, published by Hodder & Stoughton in 2008).

I have heard from a friend that Mr. Randy Pausch passed away in June. He has left us all a great gift, and I hope many of us will treasure this gift for many years.

I was also told that you can check Mr. Pausch's `Last Lecture' on YouTube. You can also download the audio version of this book from itunes, amazon, or audible.

One day we will all die. Use death to your advantage, live the moment, and live life to the fullest. And be good to your fellow human beings!

an amazing way to leave a legacy for his children, randy's words of wisdom are like a code of life values that i will continue to consult for years to come.

El mensaje de este autor ya lo han enseñado, por siglos, los padres jesuitas: vivir este día como si fuera el último.

Poignant. Spellbinding. Worth crying over. Ended dreams, living on. Loss to relate to.

When I first heard of "The Last Lecture," I wasn't sure what to expect. I knew the context that Randy was dying of pancreatic cancer but I didn't know anything about him as a person.

In a way, I expected "The Last Lecture" to be a huge philosophical statement by a college professor. Thankfully this book is much more than that. It is a VERY human picture of Randy in his personal and professional life.

His words resonate at a deeper heart-felt level of human experience. At points you get choked up when you realize that here is a father coming to terms with the fact that he will not see his children growing up. They will grow up without memories of him.

The lecture becomes his way of leaving a legacy for his kids--something by which they can always remember him, as well as, a way for him to reach out to his colleagues and to his wife, Jai.

This book is not about big intellectual ideas but it strips everything down to the most important aspects of our human relationships. From Randy's own humanity, I found great inspiration, especially to connect with childhood dreams and to realize what is most important in life.

"The Last Lecture" is a great testament to Randy and everyone who knew him will fondly remember him as a special father, husband, uncle, friend and teacher.

Also check out "Nexus: A Neo Novel" an inspiring story of people overcoming personal pain and loss at a spiritual retreat.