Book Review #06 - "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch

The Last Lecture by Randy PauschMy rating: 5 of 5 stars

What is it about

'The Last Lecture' is a wonderful life lesson that can influence you and change your perspective on life.

Reason Behind the Lecture and Book

'I was trying to put myself in a bottle that would one day wash up on the beach for my children, If I were a painter, I would have painted for them. But I am a lecturer, so I lectured.'

Randy Pausch gave his last lecture at Carnegie Mellon (where he was a professor) while he was battling cancer. He thought that the lecture is not just for his audience but also for his kids after his demise. His speech was recorded as a video and got popular on which he later decided to make into a book.

If someone asked you, “What’s unique about you?” how would you answer? You’d probably stop dead in your tracks. And more than likely, you’d take time to think before you answered. That’s the question Randy Pausch asked himself when he was about to prepare his presentation for 'The Last Lecture' Series.

To achieve his childhood dreams, there were often obstacles in his path and in The Last Lecture, Pausch walks us through how he went through these brick walls. For instance, when he was a child, he dreamed that he would someday work at Disney.

Here are some of the author's suggestions which he learned out of incidents from his life, quotes and rules-to-live-by
- Treat the disease, not the symptom.
- Don't obsess over what people think.
- Check egos at the door.
- Praise each other.
- Look for the best in everybody.
- Watch what they do, not what they say.
- Whether you think you can or can't, you're right.
- Loyalty is a two-way street.
- Tell the truth.

Notable Quotes From the Book

"The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough. They’re there to stop the other people."

"Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted. And experience is often the most valuable thing you have to offer."

"Luck is where preparation meets opportunity. "

"Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful things humans can do for each other."

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