The Last Lecture - A must Read

shellytt thumbnail
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Posted: 15 years ago
Hi Everyone,
 
I'm not sure if this book was ever discussed or not, but I have started reading "The last Lecture " by Randy Pausch, and I am compelled to recommend this book to  everyone.  Read the book and look at his lecture online and you will be inspired to live a better life, I assure you of that.
 
Has anyone read this book as yet? What are your thoughts on it? Did it affect you in any way?
 
(please close this topic if already discussed)
 
For those of you who don't know what this book is about, the following was taken from the cover of teh book:
 
Alot of professors give talks tiled "The last Lecture" Professors are asked to consider thier demise and to reminate on what matters most to them. And while they speak, audiences can't help but mull the same question: 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 teh 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 case anyone was wondering this is a true event.
Edited by shellytt - 15 years ago

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bheegi thumbnail
Posted: 15 years ago

i agree. I love dthe book too. Very inspiring for anyone and everyone.

I cried at many parts while reading the book. Randy has gone but his legacy will stay in our hearts forever

shellytt thumbnail
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Posted: 15 years ago
I cried several times too, especially about when he spoke about his kids.
AnotherMiracle thumbnail
Posted: 15 years ago
Wow! I just read everything here and searched for the book....and read its reviews n everything...it seems like a reli good book! I'll definetaly read this!
-Mystery- thumbnail
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Posted: 15 years ago
Wait, so the whole book is about this last lecture? Must be wicked long.

Anyways, sounds just too interesting! I love to read inspirational books.  I'll definitely read it and then post my reviews.

-Mahi

sareeta thumbnail
Posted: 15 years ago
Thanks Shelly for letting us know, I just picked up the book from the stall after reading your post and will finish it and post my comments , but am sure it would quite a gripping read, not to forget emotional too!

Your summary of the book itself was gripping!

Thanks again for suggesting a good read!
-Mystery- thumbnail
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Posted: 15 years ago
Originally posted by: sareeta

Thanks Shelly for letting us know, I just picked up the book from the stall after reading your post and will finish it and post my comments , but am sure it would quite a gripping read, not to forget emotional too!

Your summary of the book itself was gripping!

Thanks again for suggesting a good read!



Please do give us your review of the book when you're done.  😊 In the meantime I'll try to find the book as well.

-Mahi

shellytt thumbnail
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Posted: 15 years ago
Originally posted by: -Mystery-

Wait, so the whole book is about this last lecture? Must be wicked long.

Anyways, sounds just too interesting! I love to read inspirational books.  I'll definitely read it and then post my reviews.

-Mahi

 
Its not that long, the lecture itself if you watch it online is a little over an hour and the book is really about most of the things he spoke about in the lecture, with some more ancedotes about his life and how his life has changed since he did the lecture. I finished it in a day.
 
The lecture was give in September 2007 and unfortunately he died earlier this year (June 2008). Knowing that, I think made the book even more special since I knew that he wrote it in part so that his kids would have something to remember him by and also so that he would be in their lives forever.. Very sad but very touching.
Edited by shellytt - 15 years ago
kabeeraspeaking thumbnail
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Posted: 15 years ago
I dropped this at the bookstore in order to buy A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews. Now that I haven't found that a great read, I'm wishing I'd rather have picked the Last Lecture up. Definitely going to look out for it, thanks!
sareeta thumbnail
Posted: 15 years ago
Shelly - I just finished reading the book - The Last lecture! I am so glad you suggested this and I stumbled on this post of yours too!!

I too much in a daze to pen any review or thoughts at the moment. Will get back here in a few clock ticks!

I just wanted to say - I loved reading the book! Very impactful!!

Mahi - I will sure post my commetns in a bit!