Publishers must be putting great marketing efforts to find out what elicits public response using a book cover because I am one of those few who seem to get affected by the way a book is packaged.
I was never a fan of autobiographies nor non-fiction narratives (at least not yet) but for some uncanny reason, my eye caught the cover of the Last Lecture one time I was book hopping. It’s quite ironic for me to do so too because I hardly visit the Religious or Spiritual section, specially if Paulo Coelho’s books are on feature at a separate table (which it has been for quite some time). Perhaps it’s the aftermath of “The Secret” or maybe, “Warrior of the Light” or better yet, “Tuesdays with Morrie” that made me pick up the book and read the back text and I was just simply, overtaken.
I didn’t even think it was true-to-life until I finished the book and typed at Google Randy Paush.
Not one bit is fiction.
“The Last Lecture” is about Randy Pausch, a man who celebrated life even at its near end. He has chosen to leave a legacy – not only for his dear family, but also to those whom he have helped, taught and generally, inspired. The Last Lecture is literally, his last (because he delievered his last lecture a month at Carnegie Mellon a month after finding out his pancreatic cancer has turned terminal), and it was one where he wanted to “immortalize” his life so that his kids, when they grow up, will find an opportunity to know who he was. The book was written with the help of his friend, Jeffrey Zaslow and has earned tremendous appreciation worldwide.
His last lecture generally projects the milestones of his 47 years starting with “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams” and details thoughts, reflections and anecdotes across the rest of the pages. The lessons he has learned, he hoped to impart to many, specially his children. Amongst the few, I posted as quotes here.
View his last lecture on video:
You can find out more about him here.
