Carnegie Mellon University professor Randy Pausch was 46 years old when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Doctors gave him three to six months to live – an accurate prediction. He died the following year.

Before dying, Pausch delivered a lecture at CMU, sharing his childhood dreams and how he attempted to accomplish each. He fulfilled some dreams (writing for the World Book Encyclopedia, becoming a Disney Imagineer); some dreams he changed a bit (He did not become Captain Kirk, but he met William Shatner, and he experienced zero gravity rather than becoming an astronaut); and some dreams went unfulfilled but he grew by pursuing them (playing football never led him to the NFL, but he learned about the importance of fundamentals and accepting constructive criticism).

Following this lecture, Pausch wrote "The Last Lecture." In this book, he reiterated many of the points from his talk. He also told of how he and his family dealt with the knowledge of Randy's impending death.

The CMU lecture focused on Randy's pursuit of his childhood dreams, examples of how he empowered others to achieve their dreams, and advice to the audience and the children he was leaving behind. The book covers many of the same topics relayed in the lecture but provides more details and background. His parents encouraged creativity and compassion. His football coach taught him to set goals and work to achieve them. Mentors helped him to improve by forcing him to become more self-reflective. The reader can use that same advice in their life.
One can forgive the author if this book felt self-congratulatory at times. By all accounts, Pausch led a successful life, set his priorities correctly, and achieved what he hoped. He faced his death with dignity and with what optimism he could muster. Rather than seeking pity, he sought to focus on the positive aspects of his life.