The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

Written by Jennifer Redmond

Books

This powerful lecture by dying Carnegie Mellon professor Randy Pausch is definitely worth sharing with your kids (tweens and older due to some language and the complexity of the topics). We easily found it through Google and watched it on our computer. It’s an inspiring 100-minute presentation, delivered with enthusiasm and humor, on life, dreams and the meaning of success.

Though Pausch, who died in July 2008, intended the lessons to be primarily for his own children, we can all learn from his positive and inspiring seize-the-moment attitude. The hardcover book version of this lecture is also available practically everywhere. Inspired Mother's readers love both the video and the book. Donna E., a college computer technology instructor, writes: "I discussed his (Pausch’s) life with each of my classes since we study one of his software creations. I asked them to write about what they learned in terms of ethical living. It was clear my students were profoundly affected. I was so impressed that I ordered two copies of the book for the Technology Collection and they are constantly checked out!” (hardcover, 2008, Hyperion, List price: $21.95).