Review ~ The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

Title: The Last Lecture 

Author: Randy Pausch
Copyright: 2008
Type:  non-fiction
Pages: 206
Series:no

Reason for Reading
I wanted to find something to motivate me, something to inspire me.

Summary:

Based on the extraordinary final lecture by Carnegie Mellon University professor Pausch, given after he discovered he had pancreatic cancer, this moving book goes beyond the now-famous lecture to inspire readers to live each day with purpose and joy. 

Thoughts: This is exactly what it says. It is someone's last lecture a man dying from cancer and now he wants to leave behind a legacy for his children and those who come behind him. That in itself made it hard to take at times and really realize that man this guy right here as a) more grace and thought in his life then I ever did and do and b) he really had a great grasp on what was to come. After you get pass that and really think about why he was writing this or giving this lecture it hits how important it might be to listen to what he was saying. He had some advice that I was like man I really want to apply that and I did highlight quotes to remember for later. A lot of it was a personal glimpse into his life and what worked for him and how he managed to get to where he was. Including to his beautiful wife and 3 lovely children. At times I almost felt guilty for reading it like a voyeur who shouldn't be allowed in to see what he was going through and I wondered is this guy really this well adjusted? At other times I found myself laughing so hard I was crying and wondering man I would have really loved to have gotten to know him. Overall it was a bittersweet read and I enjoyed gleaning pieces of information that I can apply to my own life like how to look at life should it ever throw me a huge curve ball. 

Goodreads Grade: 4 out of 5 stars

Would you recommend this book to others? I think it was a fantastic last lecture and I highly recommend it to anyone who would like to see what grace under fire and pressure looks like. 

The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller

Title: The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results
Author: Gary Keller Copyright: 2013
Type:  Self-help, Business
Pages: 240
Series: no

Reason for Reading
Had to read for a presentation at work

Summary:

The One Thing explains the success habit to overcome the six lies that block our success, beat the seven thieves that steal time, and leverage the laws of purpose, priority, and productivity.

The Problems:

1.      It felt like it repeated itself numerous times over so that it was almost overkill and could have been cut down a few times.

2.      After a while it sounded easy but didn’t feel as if in my profession (social worker and counseling which is who I was teaching to) it might not fit in a crisis field situation.

3.      This book could work but was long and repeated over and over the same idea in a different way and so I tended to skim over the information.

The Wins:

1.      Had some good nuggets of information that I could glean from and share with those that came to the lunch and learn

2.      I learned some tricks and tips that I wasn’t used to and able to apply them to other areas in my life as well as work area which is how I presented this to co-workers.

3.      After having it to chew on for a while I have noticed that I am thinking about it more and more each a bit a day

4.      I think it has a good idea behind it but the cliff notes version works just as well.

Goodreads Grade: 2 out of 5 stars

Would you recommend this book to others? It is okay in certain business situations but not others and may not work in other crisis situations.

Review ~ Empress Dowager Cixi:The Concubine who Launched Modern China by Chang Jung

Title: Empress Dowager Cixi:

The Concubine who Launched Modern China

Author: Chang Jung
Copyright: 2014
Type:  Non-fiction
Pages: 464
Series: no

Reason for Reading
I love history and this one looked very interesting from China. Plus anything with a female leader is amazing and I will read in a heartbeat

Summary:

In 1852, at age sixteen, Cixi was chosen as one of Emperor Xianfeng’s numerous concubines. When he died in 1861, their five-year-old son succeeded to the throne. Cixi at once launched a coup against her son’s regents and placed herself as the true source of power—governing through a silk screen that separated her from her male officials.
        Drawing on newly available sources, Jung Chang comprehensively overturns Cixi’s reputation as a conservative despot. Cixi’s extraordinary reign saw the birth of modern China. Under her, the ancient country attained industries, railways, electricity, and a military with up-to-date weaponry. She abolished foot-binding, inaugurated women’s liberation, and embarked on a path to introduce voting rights. Packed with drama, this groundbreaking biography powerfully reforms our view of a crucial period in China’s—and the world’s—history.

The Problems:

1.      Boy howdy did this story go on for so long and cover forever. I feel like this lady lived through everything literally. And that was part of the problem she lived for so long that I was so confused on when and where things were taking place.

2.      It was hard to keep track of when things were exactly taking place at what time in per-America timeframe which is totally not cool I know but then again, I am an American so…

The Wins:

1.      This was an amazing story told in a fantastic way

2.      Cixi was a fantastical leader and wonderful woman. The sheer number of things she had to go through in her lifetime was amazing to survive let alone to rule during all of it. I was truly amazed by this woman and what she accomplished to only have most of her accomplishments stolen by others or claimed in the name of the men who ruled under her.

3.      I really admire and appreciate how strong and smart Cixi was for a woman to be educated in that time and then have others teach her because she knew what it would take to rule was amazing and really made me re-evaluate my own fortune on education.

Goodreads Grade: 4 out of 5 stars

Would you recommend this book to others? Yes I really enjoyed it