by Trenna Sue Hiler

Created on: March 16, 2009

Normally when a book is purchased it is because the author is recognized, it came as a recommendation from a friend or there was some kind of previous knowledge. This purchase was made because the jacket-cover was really cool looking. It resembled a journal tied with a string and that is all I knew about the book. This review is personal and not the least bit objective, because this jacket-cover and the treasure inside changed my life.

The book is about Professor Randy Pausch, and his writing and delivery of The Last Lecture. When professors at Carnegie Mellon retire they are asked to give a public last lecture. The Last Lecture is suppose to answer these questions. "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?"

Every great book has some kind of catch right? Well, Randy Pausch had pancreatic cancer. His last lecture really would be. He had a young family and a wonderful wife and a career in dreaming and teaching and it was all about to end. So the questions weighed a little more heavy on his heart. The lecture was written and delivered not only for the school, but to leave his most important wisdom to his family. (Just writing this gives me goose bumps!)

This is a book about living life to it's fullest in a practical matter. Reading this book doesn't make anyone believe they can be an instant millionaire, but it does give a winding road map to a successful life. It is not anything new or earth shattering. It is just sound observations that seem to make the reader want to be a better person.

Maybe some one liners or two liners can help give a glimpse of the book.

~People always mean more than things.

~Time must be explicitly managed like money

~When we make something hard to use, people get upset. They become so angry that they want to destroy it. We don't want to create things that people will want to destroy.

~No job is beneath you.

~The brick walls are there to stop people who don't want it badly enough. They are there to stop other people.

~This kind of indirect learning is what some of us like to call a "head fake".

~I won the parent lottery.

Has the book really changed my life? Yes, my daily life has changed dramatically with this book and here's the kicker. I have never read the last chapter. I don't it to be over. I have purchased 100 of these books and littered public places with them. I believe it is that important. The simple and common sense messages are ones that we all need to make a difference in the world.

Read the book.

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