The last lecture

CITATION: Pausch, R. (with Jeffrey Zaslow) (2008). The last lecture. New York: Hyperion
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Reviewer: Dr W. P. Palmer.

This is the story of a sincere man with scientific training writing autobiographically to draw out the lessons from his own life and provide these lessons to a general audience for their use, but more particularly to his own family as something by which to remember him. It is easily readable and plausible, but the outcomes of what appear to be chance events in Randy Pausch’s life are presented in terms of being inviolable scientific laws. For example, consider the story in Chapter 50 entitled ‘The $100,000 salt and pepper shaker’. It is a nice little story of kindness by Disney World staff to Randy and his sister when they were young, which Randy claims he and his family were able to repay ten thousand-fold when he was an adult. He draws out the moral from this story is that ‘on every level, institutions can and should have a heart’. Probably no one will disagree with this statement, but Pausch leaves businesses with no practical advice as to precisely how this may be done.

Randy Pausch’s account of his life shows him to have been both talented and fortunate up to his untimely demise, though he eventually accepted this with more grace and dignity than many of us could manage. Different individuals will accept some of his moralizing and reject the rest. The idea of supporting ‘a last lecture’ by Carnegie Mellon University seems to be a good one and would be worthy of emulation by other universities. From the length of the book, it contained material for at least six last lectures. Pausch claims to have been a ‘science nerd’ and to have been scientific in the organization of his life. This may not be possible or even desirable, but from his description, Pausch’s life was not as scientific as he considered it to be. The book is very definitely worth reading!

BILL PALMER

I had seen the online video of Randy Pausch's "Last Lecture" at Carnegie Mellon University a couple of months ago.  He'd been featured on an episode of "Oprah," and I was so impressed by his optimism in the face of tragedy, that I actually searched for and carved out time to watch the whole lecture.  This book is basically that lecture expanded and annotated with additional stories and examples.  It's fabulous:  funny and wise and poignant.  It reads like Pausch is talking directly to you.  (I give big kudos to Jeffrey Zaslow who turned Randy's bike-ride-conversations into a book in Randy's "voice.")

Although the book can stand on its own, I would recommend watching the video first so that you can see all the photos and get all the visuals.  Only a few are reproduced in the book.  Being able to visualize what he's describing or referencing gives more context and meaning to his lessons, I think.  And keep the Kleenex box handy for both.  This man had SO much life in him, it's hard to believe he actually could have died a few months ago.  It simply doesn't seem possible.