The Last Lecture

Deeply Moving Treatise. Focuses on the Big Picture (2010-02-21) : 5/5
One of the most deeply moving books I've read. He focuses on the big picture in our lives, something so many of us fail to see until we're confronted by mortality. His students were indeed privileged to hear him first hand, and to experience his final moments. The Last Lecture
The Last Lecture (2010-02-21) : 5/5
The Last Lecture

THIS IS A REAL LIFE STORY, SAD, BUT VERY INTERESTING. THE AUTHOR WROTE THE LAST LECTURE FOR HIS CHILDREN TO KNOW HIM GOOD AFTER HIS DEATH. THEY WERE SMALL, AND HE WANTED TO LEAVE THEM HIS EXPERIENCES NI WRITING. HE WAS A BRAVE PERSON AND INSTEAD OF BEING SAD OR MAD BECAUSE HE WAS DYING OF CANCER HE MADE THE BEST TO MAKE HIS WIFE, HIS KIDS AND HIS FAMILY HAPPY. A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE FOR US TO FOLLOW. GOOD BOOK! GAVE ME ROOM FOR THOUGHT, AND I AM WRITING MY MEMORIES. HOPE YOU CAN BUY MY BOOK FROM AMAZON.COM SOON ALSO! ENJOY YOUR LIFE NO MATTER WHAT WRONGS YOU ENCOUNTER IN YOUR SHORT JOURNEY ON A EARTH. THE BEST IS TO COME YET.
Focus on Living, not Dying (2010-02-19) : 3/5
"We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand."
--Randy Pausch

A professor of computer science at Carnegie Mellon, Dr. Pausch had prepared to give his "Last Lecture" before he had been diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer. He determined to use this venue to speak to his children and his wife, because "time is all you have...and you may find one day that you have less than you think." This intimate and insightful little book was prepared from the lecture that he gave, a combination of personal biography, lessons learned as a student and teacher, child and parent, with some heartfelt and practical advice on making the most of living. The chapters are very short, with intriguing titles like "In Fifty Years, It Never Came Up" (when he learned by accident of his dad's heroism in WWII).

There is much to be gleaned from this tiny tome. My only real disappointment with the book is, as I am person of deep faith, I wish he had shared more of this perspective in his writing. He indicates near the end of the book that he considers faith a very personal matter and, as such, chose not to share it in his Last Lecture, which he titled "Really Discovering Your Childhood Dreams."
The Last Lecturer (2010-02-12) : 5/5
What a fabulous book. It was so thought provoking and generated great conversation between my husband and I.
Pretty Good Quality (2010-02-06) : 3/5
Still some residue left on the book from some sticker I would assume.
Book is smaller than I expected but content is all there (thing that matters).
Quality is a little worse than I expected compared to buying a new book from the bookstore.