27 of 31 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
61 Great Mini-Lectures, Jun 19 2008
This quick read consists of 61 great mini-lectures, generously sprinkled with autobiographical anecdotes about growing up with many touching and inspirational family memories ["One rule in our house is that you may not ask one-word questions."]. Randy Pausch uses these stories to illustrate life's lessons about parenting, self-esteem, dignity, duty, integrity --and of the importance of dreaming and helping others achieve their dreams.
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29 of 34 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
some worthwhile advise, May 8 2008
Ironically the one thing that Randy Pausch has going for him in this book is that he has a terminal illness. Not only does this give him some credibility and public appeal (the main reasons I found the book), it also gives him the ability to sift through the extraneous details of his life and distill it down to a few salient points. A bit like Dr Phil but not as glitzy and "in your face". The author actually dictated his thoughts to another writer who then helped organize them into this short and easily readable book. Those of us with young children have already thought about many of the points he raises but this essay helps to put it all together. Furthermore it is a good book to read in a night or two and pass on to someone you know who is overwhelmed with irrelevant worries or simply moving too fast through life to get the "big picture". No big words or difficult philosophical issues to hurt your brain, just good common sense and a touch of humor from a prof with a clearly humorless disease.
A great book for the book club crowd.
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15 of 17 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Meaning of Life, Aug 13 2008
Like all great people, Randy Pausch was a better person than any written text will ever represent. In my many College and University experiences I have had the privilege to listen to a few last lectures from my favorite professors in the past. All have been moving, all have inspired. But this "Last Lecture" is something different altogether. Pausch was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2006 and was given only several months to live, which makes his message all the more inspiring. Pausch gave his last lecture in Sept of 2007 and died July 2008.
As for Pausch's words, they will uplift you, they will inspire you to get your priorities straight and accomplish those life goals that you've always planned to do but always found excuses to avoid. Though similar in message to the recent movie "The Bucket List", I think Pausch's message is much more immediate. Why wait until you know you're dying, go do it now.
What really comes across in the text and even more so having watched his lectures online, is that Pausch was a guy that really got it. He loved being alive and he truly believed that he was blessed to be on this earth. Get this book for a friend or loved one that is going through some hardship, guaranteed they will feel better about themselves afterwards.
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