The Last Lecture

What The Last Lecture is about

Randy Pausch was a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon University who was facing terminal pancreatic cancer. In September 2007 he gave a lecture titled 'Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams,' and this book, written with Wall Street Journal reporter Jeffrey Zaslow, grows out of it. He wrote for his three young children, hoping to leave them something solid: his stories and his advice.

The nine chapters each pair an episode from his life with a lesson. He talks about the 'head fake,' where real skills are tucked inside other activities, and about the childhood dream of writing for an encyclopedia, which he eventually fulfilled with the virtual reality entry. He also credits his parents and tells the story of how he got onto NASA's 'Vomit Comet.' Though it is a farewell, the tone stays warm and often witty. Anyone facing a hard stretch, or wondering how to spend their time well, may find it steadying.

Questions about The Last Lecture

When was The Last Lecture published?

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch was first published in 2008.

Was The Last Lecture one of the best books of 2008?

The Last Lecture is #21 on BookWard's Best Books of 2008, out of 46 2008 books that cleared our data bar. 295 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.1 out of 5 (18 ratings).

Why is The Last Lecture on the Best Books of 2008 list?

295 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.1 out of 5 (18 ratings).

More of the best books of 2008

• The Hunger Games Suzanne Collins, #1
• End of Days Sylvia Browne, #2
• The Last Straw Jeff Kinney, #3
• Amulet Kazu Kibuishi, #4
• Outliers Malcolm Gladwell, #5
• Michelle Obama in Her Own Words Michelle Obama, #6

See the full Best Books of 2008, the Top 100, or new books on Rising.