The Last Lecture - A Must Read

World’s best universities give an opportunity for their professors to deliver “Last Lecture” before they retire. When Randy Pausch got this opportunity, he would have never thought, it will become last lecture of his life! Doctors confirmed his pancreatic cancer just few days before his lecture and he was left with few days in his life. People thought his “Last Lecture” will be about the ‘Death’, but what they got is “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams”. This lecture has changed the life of lakhs of people all over the world.
 

This book is not a story of a person. This is an experience of a computer scientist who is writing last pages of his life diary. It is easy to talk about death… It is easy to imagine how death will approach you … It is easy to write about necessity of death. But when death is there right in front of you… When you know your life is going to in in few days… telling “Life is beautiful, be happy always” with the smile on the face is difficult … very very difficult. Randy Pausch is the one who created this magic. Americans call him as “Saint of Pittsburgh”.

At the age of forty seven Randy Pausch become the victim of cancer. He lived like he knew it. He fulfilled his series of childhood dreams. He got his doctorate… an astronaut… a scientist… a professor… a Disney Imagineer. In every position he stepped into, he earned big name. Before and after achieving every position he faced lots of obstacles. Even when he came to know about his cancer, he stood up to face it. But when Dr. Kvinnen who is known as “Who daily fights with God and Wins!” told Randy “I am sorry dear, cancer is in final stage”. Randy understood … we can fight against anything in life … even against the God... but not against the death. The way he led his life after that is inspiring.
 

The book talks about his child hood… Influence of his parents on him… Football coach who brought discipline in his life … How he met hero he admired ‘Captain Krik’ of ‘Star Trek’… How he achieved his childhood dream of writing an article to encyclopedia… How he fulfilled his dream of becoming an astronaut… How he achieved his childhood (age of seven) dream of working in Disney by becoming a Disney imagineer… His over confidence… His love … His adventures marriage… His emotional attachment with his three kids… His students (I was astonished by the list of successful students he created!!!)… ‘Entertainment Technology Centre’ he started in the university and its success… His achievement in ‘Virtual Reality’ field… Founder of well-known 3D software ‘Alice’… The way he prepared his wife for his death… Art of leaving… Talking about courage and belief with death next to him!!!

He talks about how to dream in life and how to achieve them. There is a love story, as well as misery of life in his lecture. There is a struggle… There is a tear of joy. There is a rejoice towards the life … There is a rejection towards the failures… There is a clear aim for the walking path… 

While reading this book, you will laugh at few incidents. Sometime wonder holds your hand… you forger yourself and walk along with the wonder. Most of the places it touches the deep of your heart … tears roll on your cheeks.

He accepted death with great love towards life! Everybody who loves their life must read this book.

http://www.thelastlecture.com/

Cheers!
Kiran