Book review: The Last Lecture
The Last Lecture
--- Randy Pausch
Randy Pausch was a professor in the computer science department of Carnegie Mellon University (CMU). CMU has this culture of arranging a general lecture by professors before the end of their careers. Ironically, in Randy's case it had become really the last lecture. By the time he got his turn to give the lecture, he was terminally ill, with pancreatic cancer and only a few months were left for him. He had 3 children below 5 years of age. He wanted to make this lecture as the legacy that he is leaving for his kids, all that he would want to tell them, when they reach an age, where they can understand all that he wanted to say. The lecture had become a huge success and he made it into a more elaborate book.
It is an amazing read. What people like Paulo Coelho, Robin Sharma, Stephen Covey try hard to convey by filling volumes with fiction, Randy conveys in a few pages, with simple examples from his life. A few,
--- Randy Pausch
Randy Pausch was a professor in the computer science department of Carnegie Mellon University (CMU). CMU has this culture of arranging a general lecture by professors before the end of their careers. Ironically, in Randy's case it had become really the last lecture. By the time he got his turn to give the lecture, he was terminally ill, with pancreatic cancer and only a few months were left for him. He had 3 children below 5 years of age. He wanted to make this lecture as the legacy that he is leaving for his kids, all that he would want to tell them, when they reach an age, where they can understand all that he wanted to say. The lecture had become a huge success and he made it into a more elaborate book.
It is an amazing read. What people like Paulo Coelho, Robin Sharma, Stephen Covey try hard to convey by filling volumes with fiction, Randy conveys in a few pages, with simple examples from his life. A few,
- He had a few dreams as a child, and he realized them in subtle ways. En route, he comes across a few brick walls and realizes how important they are, to stop people who don't want something badly and to allow other people to find ways to cross them. He resigns from the post of faculty adviser and turns into a journalist, when he understands, that is what it takes to realize one of his dreams.
- His football coach comes to coaching classes with out football and talks about why it is important to learn what 21 people, with out football, do in the ground (11 people a side, 22 together. Only one among them has football, at any given time). He quotes this to nail down the importance of fundamentals.
- Many a time, we feel, something is just not fair. But, when that is the way things are, one should just move on. A 45 year old professor in CMU, who is one of the very well known names in virtual reality circles has to suddenly die. That is just not fair. So what ? One can't do much with already dealt cards. Just play well with the left ones. One can see this spirit through out his video lecture.
- We may contemplate sometimes, is it worth to worry about something or not. When all you have is 6 months, would you prefer spending 15 minutes of that to reverse a wrong credit card transaction that is worth a few dollars, over spending that time with your infant daughter ? Great question and the answer is obvious.
- Now-a-days, we get to see a lot of self impressed elitists living in fool's paradise. It is fun to be a recovering jerk at something, all the time. There is a lot out there, if only, one cares.