Courtesy of Teens Read Too - Rated 
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
Inspiring and quirky - Rated 
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.
Inspiring lecture - Rated 
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.
What is the big hype about this book - Rated 
I have completely failed to understand the hype around this book. What is so extraordinary about it? What does it tell us that we do not already know, what "life instructions" does it impart that are new????
"We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand" - Rated
If you had the oportunity to give a last lecture, what would you teach to those listening to you? Randy Pausch, a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon, had to make that decision, and he decided to talk about how to really achieve your childhood dreams.
Randy was dying of cancer when he gave that class, in September. I saw his lecture on wwwyoutubecom, and it really made a big impression on me. It was interesting, motivating, sometimes funny, and the kind of thing that makes you think. Here was a man with a few months to live, that found some time to gift others with the things he had learnt along the way. It was simply unbelievable...
Of course, when I heard that the lecture had been transformed by Randy and Jeffrey Zaslow into a book, I was curious. What else could he say about the subject? The truth is that the book is very similar to the conference Randy gave at Carnegie Mellon, with a few extra details and anecdotes.
That is not necessarily a bad thing, though. This book is a legacy from a good man that makes you remember the importance of living in a way you can be proud of, making a good impact on the lives of others on a daily basis. As someone else so aptly put it, this is a wake-up call, and as such, something you should take advantage of and treasure.
Highly recommended...
Belen Alcat
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