The Last Lecture

Another must read on my list is The Last Lecture written by Randy Pausch, a Carnegie Mellon computer scientist, along with Jeffrey Zaslow. Pausch passed away today from pancreatic cancer.

On September 18, 2007, computer science professor Randy Pausch stepped in front of an audience of 400 people at Carnegie Mellon University to deliver a last lecture called “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams.” With slides of his CT scans beaming out to the audience, Randy told his audience about the cancer that is devouring his pancreas and that will claim his life in a matter of months. On the stage that day, Randy was youthful, energetic, handsome, often cheerfully, darkly funny. He seemed invincible. But this was a brief moment, as he himself acknowledged.

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The university's president, Jared Cohon, described Pausch as "a brilliant researcher and gifted teacher."

"His love of teaching, his sense of fun and his brilliance came together in the Alice project, which teaches students computer programming while enabling them to do something fun -- making animated movies and games," Cohon added. "Carnegie Mellon -- and the world -- are better places for having had Randy Pausch in them."

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The book is about embracing life....of following your dreams.............of seizing the moment.

Pausch was a brave soul facing the unknown, appreciating the life he was given and leaving behind an eternal legacy of inspiration.