By Randy Pausch: Last Lecture Paperback – January 1, 2012

As I opened the shipping box from Amazon.com, I found two preordered copies of Randy Pausch's book, one for my family and one for whoever needs it most within the next few weeks. This could be a friend or business acquaintance who has reached some personal crisis or turning point. I'll know. Randy's message will find the right recipient.This book is a very large gift in its compact, neatly bound actuality. It is a gift of hope and affirmation, a gift of encouragement and courage.Recently I said good-bye to a friend and business colleague who at 58 died of pancreatic cancer. His was a more private passing, but nevertheless he fought the disease until the disease won, and he died with dignity. Two days before his death, he called a mutual friend to wish this friend good luck with minor corrective surgery. Even two days before death my stricken friend was thinking of others' welfare. As I sat in his memorial service with 300 other mourners, watching a slide presentation of his photographs and original art, I also thought about Randy Pausch. The two personalities mixed together because they shared so many of the same qualities: creativity, professionalism, gusto for living, a sense of humor, lifelong dedication to giving back to their communities, and a profound faith in personal power.This is the story of The Last Lecture: that we can face any challenge in this life as long as we welcome our fate with optimism and determination to confront all odds. We can live for the welfare of others. We can live today with our legacies in mind for the future -- after we are also gone.The good professor is his own metaphor. In this final gift, he both teaches and does.Much will be said about this book and its immediate iconic impact on a nation experiencing the doldrums of war, economic turmoil and loss of standing among other nations. Here is the story of one American sharing the wisdom of our universal humanity, our fragility, our mortality, and our capacities to transcend. Here's one of our best and brightest.In the ways of passionate storytellers, Randy Pausch and coauthor Jeffry Zaslow tell us how to achieve the most vital of all human yearnings: realization of childhood dreams. And for adults who believe their dreams have passed them by, this book offers an intuitive methodology to reignite the fires of youthful optimism and fervor.Within this book's narrative are timeless lessons of showing gratitude, setting goals, keeping commitments, tolerating frustration, maintaining a sense of humor in the face of adversity, telling the truth, working hard, celebrating victories when they arrive, and choosing to be a fun-loving Tigger over a sad-sack Eeyore.Life is short, a fact affirmed once again with the passing of Randy Pausch on July 25, 2008. This "last lecture" is no less significant for the young and healthy as it is for the sick and old.Dream big, reach for the stars now...

A typical question: "If you knew this was your last day on Earth, what would you do?" Answer the question, then read The Last Lecture, by Randy Pausch and Jeffrey Zaslow. Chances are, you're going to need to revisit your answer after reading this book. Another question: how do you feel about the phrase "the good die young?" If you think the phrase holds some truth, read this book and reassess your view of death and dying. If you believe the phrase to be the mantra of the perpetually pessimistic, read this book and consider that the phrase seems to be the truth in the case of Randy Pausch, who, as of August 2007, had only three to six months to live because of his pancreatic cancer. Randy Pausch--professor at Carnegie Mellon, father of three young children, husband to a loving wife, and son of enlightened and inspiring parents--gave a "last lecture" at his university in September of 2007 titled "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams." In his book, Randy expounds upon his last lecture through greater reflection of his more recent life; after all, a presentation in which Pausch refused to talk about his wife or children must have left out several key lessons learned in his later life. In his book, Pausch says he approached his lecture with the purpose of addressing his children. "If I were a painter, I would have painted for them. If I were a musician, I would have composed music. But I am a lecturer. So I lectured."With over 13 million hits on YouTube, Pausch's lecture is a must-see, but his far more detailed book is an even greater must-read. After watching the lecture, I read the book and discovered the answer to my burning question: what did Randy's wife whisper in his ear after his lecture? Read the book to find out for yourself.In response to Pausch's book, Publisher's Weekly says, "Despite his sometimes-contradictory life rules, [The Last Lecture] proves entertaining and at times inspirational." Amazon.com Review suggests that Pausch's book "will be shared for generations to come." Although his book hasn't won any notable awards, Pausch appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Good Morning America, in an interview with Diane Sawyer, and was interviewed by Time magazine. The Last Lecture has been used as mandatory reading for college freshman at countless universities, although it can be read and appreciated by mature high school students as well. Although I believe Pausch's book to be superior, Albom's Tuesdays with Morrie shares similar inspiration with Pausch's book. Both books offer sound, perspective-changing, worldly advice from the mouths of seasoned educators. Although Zaslow recently completed a biography (Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters) about Captain Sullenberger, pilot of the plane that crash-landed into the Hudson River in 2009, The Last Lecture remains Zaslow's best book. Because of the common, fun-loving nature of Pausch, even with the knowledge that he will not be able to see his children grow into adults, The Last Lecture beats Highest Duty by a landslide. Further, Pausch's dedication to all forms of education lends itself to creating a touching book from which meaning can be effortlessly extracted. In Pausch's words, "[A] head fake...teaches people things they don't realize they're learning until well into the process." This is certainly true for any reader who reads and reflects on Pausch's book.