The Last Lecture

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

A lot of professors give talks titled "The Last Lecture." Professors are asked to consider their demise and to ruminate on what matters most to them. And while they speak, audiences can't help but mull the same question: What wisdom would we impart to the world if we knew it was our last chance? If we had to vanish tomorrow, what would we want as our legacy?
When Randy Pausch, a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon, was asked to give such a lecture, he didn't have to imagine it as his last, since he had recently been diagnosed with terminal cancer. But the lecture he gave--"Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams"--wasn't about dying. It was about the importance of overcoming obstacles, of enabling the dreams of others, of seizing every moment (because "time is all you have...and you may find one day that you have less than you think"). It was a summation of everything Randy had come to believe. It was about living.



                                Nikki Tomci- The book was an amazing story and unlike the typical cancer story, it wasn't all sad. Randy explained how he gained his optimistic point of view throughout his life, which provided me with motivation to be kind and make a change in my life. It's a lot like "Tuesday's With Morris" which was also a very good book. I'd recommend this to any reader.

Rating: 9 out of 10

This Star Won't Go Out

This Star Won't Go Out by Ester Earl with Lori &Wayne Earl 

A collection of the journals, fiction, letters, and sketches of the late Esther Grace Earl, who passed away in 2010 at the age of 16. Photographs and essays by family and friends will help to tell Esther’s story along with an introduction by award-winning author John Green

                                This book was eye opening. To be able to read someone's diary is one of the most interesting experiences. Rarely do you get the unfiltered truth of what it's like to be a cancer patient, but in this book Esther Earl tells you what it is like. Esther's story of friendship and hardship inspired me. Nonfiction isn't my cup of tea, but Esther's inspiring story kept me interested until the end. 

Rating: 9 out of 10