We have a new little book on the shelf, “The Last Lecture” by Randy Pausch. Pausch is a self-professed geek who grew up to be a professor of things like Creating Virtual Reality. His own reality took a 180 degree turn when he learned he had pancreatic cancer. Has pancreatic cancer. The book, co-written by a Wall Street Journal writer (I’m sorry, I’ve forgotten your name…), is the hard-copy version of the real lecture Pausch delivered at Carnegie Mellon, part of a lecture series inspired by the theme: what would you say if it were really your last lecture? He had, he said, the right material.
The book contains 51 small chapters, or essays, or headings. The lecture is visible in its entirety on YouTube. Here is a way to look at things, like life and death, through the clear eyes and experience of an energetic scientist who loves his life, his family, and has made the most of his chance to prepare a veritable last lecture.