Adam

It means even more rereading 13 years later. When the author's Last Lecture went viral, I was a twenty-something computer science graduate. It spoke to me then, perhaps because I was a lot like Pausch's students. Now, as a father of young children, I see it all very differently. I hope I'll know my children into adulthood, but mortality is at the forefront in this memoir that also serves as an advice book and personal legacy for Pausch.

Another thing that's much clearer now are his personal faults. I lapped up his workaholism on the first reading in a way that I actively avoid now. Despite his blanket optimism, there's a cynicism that comes through in parts about people who don't do what he considers the necessary, hard work. These don't bother me, because they remind me he's a complete human—just like all of us who have our own strong opinions that run counter to another's way of life. Plus, through his death he found clarity about the things that really matter. And I hope that's what I take away, as I read this on a Sunday while my kids are playing independently. Maybe it's time we all play a game.

The book I wish I'd had to navigate all the stuff that happens after I was done writing. Whether you want to find a publisher or bring it to print on your own, this book has answers. And it provides them in less than 50 pages.

I can tell this book will stick with me for a long time. Most notably, I'll remember the idea that we should reject a world of “definitely will” and “definitely won't.” Probability is all around us and we should acknowledge that we're rarely 100% certain. For that matter, we're also rarely 0%, we often have a guess. Simply making a bet with yourself can be a good way to think about potential outcomes.

There are great lessons on ego and bias. And mistakes and learning and scenario planning. There are plenty of poker stories, but less than I'd have guessed. The writing leaned more academic than I thought it would. Some passages were dense and I found myself skimming.

But there were valuable insights the whole way through. I read a hard copy and kept a document open on my phone to take notes. That's not a habit for me with hard copy books, but there was enough interesting in here that I was compelled to commit it to memory.

Completely blown away. This had been on my list for a long time. I was never quite ready for the typical, lighthearted book by a comic. This is not your typical humor fare.

For sure, it's funny. The Daily Show host does not disappoint with hilarious stories of growing up in South Africa. I didn't expect his delicate touch on thorny topics, thoughtful prose, nor magnetic storytelling.

If you've thought about reading this one, dive in now. And if you haven't thought about it, you really should.

A classic whose concepts are covered more succinctly in the authors' follow up Immutable Laws of Marketing. There are more detailed examples here, but it suffers from even more dated company and trend references (drugs and airlines that haven't existed since the 70s, a positioning plan for a Western Union service, and hailing cable TV as the next great frontier).

I want to applaud the concepts, which I think are timeless. But I keep getting tripped up by the ancient references.