"The Last Lecture"

By: C. Rains
Class: Ms. Smith
Heart
Book: The Last Lecture
Non-Fiction
Pausch, Randy. Hyperion. 2008
206 Pages
Borders: $21.95

If you had one last chance to tell what you have learned through life, what would you say? For Randy Pausch, a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon, this last chance came sooner than he wished. Pausch was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer at the age of 47 years. When asked if he would like to still give the traditional “last lecture” at Carnegie Mellon, Pausch answered yes. The title of his last lecture was “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams.”, and discussed how throughout his life he was able to achieve his childhood dreams because of the influence of the people around him.
The story is told in first person through the view of Randy Pausch. Pausch takes the role of father, son, husband, mentor, friend, college, and professor. The setting takes place in the Carnegie Mellon lecture hall in front of many of Pausch’s friends, family and students. The book beings with Pausch starting his lecture; and then leads into detail of the influences in his life. Many of the examples are of flashback that Pausch describes in full. There is little importance in the setting of the lecture hall other that it was where many of Pausch’s lectures took place; it was greatly overshadowed by the influence that Pausch describes throughout his story.
After reading the book, I feel that is was an extremely easy read that any person; young and old, could read and understand. There were several words and phrases that difficult, but Pausch later described then to you through simpler means. Pausch’s explanation of his influences is extremely entrancing and is a page turner.
I would recommend this book to anyone that wants to read a book that wants someone to admire and look-up-to. Many of the lessons that Pausch gives I have now taken into my own life.

Recommendation: I. Sanford