The Last Lecture - Books (Randy Pausch, Paperback)

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Customer Reviews of The Last Lecture

NYC Reader
NYC, NY
16th November 2008

A true inspiration
Pausch spoke about "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams" living not only your dreams but enabling the dreams of others. This coming from a man who had just found out he was dying so he speaks of "seizing every moment" (because "time is all you have...and you may find one day that you have less than you think") he really knew what he was speaking about.

"The Last Lecture" is not a book about dying, it is a book about living. The book is filled with warmth, humor, and was truly inspiring. Another book I really enjoyed reading is Being Here: Modern Day Tales of Enlightenment by Ariel & Shya Kane, a book of short stories about living in the moment. Both of these books
touched my heart.

Colleen Messina

16th November 2008

The Passion of Living!
I am so inspired by Randy Pausch's "The Last Lecture", and his insight on living life to the fullest. I am grateful that in his final months of living, he is sharing his jewels of wisdom that he has discovered in his lifetime. And jewels they are! I love how he has fulfilled his childhood dreams and at the same time, supports others to follow their dreams as well - including me. His passion reminds me that life is precious, and when I approach my life as if everything matters, and when I meet each day with integrity, life can be magical. Randy Pausch doesn't take one moment for granted, and his book is a testament to passionate living.

Other books that have inspired me to live my life to its fullest, are Ariel & Shya Kanes' Being Here: Modern Day Tales of Enlightenment, Working on Yourself Doesn't Work: The 3 Simple Ideas That Will Instantaneously Transform Your Life, and How to Create a Magical Relationship: The 3 Simple Ideas that Will Instantaneously Transform Your Love Life: The 3 Simple Ideas That Will Instantaneously Transform Your Love Life. By reading their books and listening to their internet radio show, "Being Here" on The 7th Wave Network channel on Voice America.com, I have discovered how to live my life in the moment - with consistency. The moment is where magic exists! It is so easy to develop this skill set. Easier than I had ever imagined. Thanks to the Kanes, the magic that Randy Pausch describes in his book is possible for everyone to access immediately.

Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier.
All Over the US & Canada
25th October 2008

Courtesy of Teens Read Too
There's nothing more bittersweet than reading a story where you know the ending before you start the first page. Everyone knows that on July 25, 2008, Randy Pausch lost his battle with cancer. But fortunately for those of us who never knew the man, he's left behind his legacy in THE LAST LECTURE. The well-known lecture can be viewed on YouTube, but with the help of a Wall Street Journal writer, Jeffrey Zaslow, he's taken his famous "last lecture" and written a book on how to live.

If you've watched the actual last lecture (I took the time after reading the book to sit and watch the entire talk), then the book is a perfect companion. If you've not seen the video, you will still be touched by the book. Though the book doesn't quote the lecture verbatim, Mr. Pausch has taken his lecture and expounded with more details and memories.

Having gone to university in Pittsburgh, I am very familiar with Carnegie Mellon University. When I first heard about the book and famous talk upon the death of Mr. Pausch, it was the mention of CMU that first caught my attention. I proceeded to get my hands on the book and read it in one quiet evening.

Mr. Pausch doesn't preach about his cancer, nor philosophize on death. Instead, he tells of his childhood dreams and how others can achieve their dreams. He speaks often of hitting a brick wall. He tells all that if you want something badly enough, then you will find a way around that brick wall. He shares with the reader his rejections by Brown University, Carnegie Mellon University, and even the Disney Imagineers. But he fought for what he wanted, and found a way to achieve his dreams.

He fondly thanks his parents for his wonderful childhood. He thanks his tough college mentor Andy van Dam. He tells about one of his students, whose dream was to work on the next Star Wars films. This coming in the early 1990s when no one anticipated there would be an additional three.

I believe all who pick up this book will be touched in some small way. It might not make you a better person for reading it, but I believe it will make you think. He offers simple suggestions for getting more out of life. It may be the simple truth of how to offer a sincere apology. It may be that you should put others first. Whatever it is, read the book with an open mind and be thankful that you are still alive and have the chance to live each day.

Reviewed by: Jaglvr

jerard1

3rd October 2008

Inspiring and quirky
Randy Pausch was a remarkable man and this book offers new perspectives on the things he could only touch on within the time constraints of his last lecture. It also reveals different aspects of his complex character. A perhaps uniquely American and Internet age attempt to face death and pass on hard won wisdom. Well worth reading and learning from.

ismct
Spain
1st October 2008

Inspiring lecture
I have loved this funny, moving, inspiring book. All about enjoying life, pursuing dreams and love family and friends. A real life and a real human being talking. Amazing.