Will I love The Last Lecture?

This is the most recently published recommendation, and centers around the one thing we all share: mortality.

Pausch was a beloved professor who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He gave a last lecture to his class about the most important things he'd learned in life, drawn into tight focus because of his impending death—a truly powerful narrative about finding what matters.

This is the first book I've read from an author who was dying while writing his story. It is creative non-fiction, a somewhat didactic story that tells it like it is, but because it wasn't super emotional, it was easy to get through. It was actually a required reading book for my eighth-grade students that I tutor privately. I'm glad the teacher assigned the book, and I'm glad I was there to help guide my students through it. It garnered some deep discussions about death, life, and everything in between.

I decided to read this book after watching Dr. Pausch’s presentation about his last lecture before his death and the advice he would give on achieving your childhood dreams. The video had gone viral, and it strongly resonated with me.

What I love about this book is it shows how one can live a fulfilling life while facing difficult circumstances. It showed me how one can accomplish one’s dreams in sometimes unexpected ways.

Randy Pausch demonstrates the power of determination and resilience in finding meaning and purpose in work and life.

Through Pausch's journey of becoming a Disney Imagineer—despite his initial setbacks—he showcases the importance of pursuing one's passions and living with intention. Pausch taught me to be dissatisfied with the status quo when it comes to building on your purpose. We must push for our purpose in both work and life.

His experiences serve as a vivid example of how to align personal values with one's professional life, thus helping to foster a sense of purpose. Pausch offers a concrete roadmap to… show more.

This is a book I give my own nieces and nephews and siblings and my father and mother; to my clients who are leaders at all levels; who are people at all levels trying hard to succeed and trying hard to be good people; trying to be happy.  

This was written by a beautiful, brilliant man who learned he was dying soon of cancer and wanted to capture the lessons he wanted to leave for his baby children who would never know him. It's short and brilliant and will have you crying, laughing, nodding, and learning every step of the… show more.