Summer Read Project

Adobe Systems

As part of the new student Summer Read Project,
University Student Services has sent the book
The Last Lecture ,by Randy Pausch
and Jeffrey Zaslow, to all incoming students.

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.

In this book, Randy Pausch has combined the humor, inspiration and intelligence that made his lecture such a phenomenon and given it an indelible form. It is a book that will be shared for generations to come.

Discussion Session
The Honor Pledge Committee and Student Life will hold a lunch session during Orientation Week to discuss the book. The event will take place Wednesday, August 25, 2010 at noon in the Levin Hall Dining Room. All students who read the book and participate in the discussion session will receive a free Honor Pledge t-shirt.

Additional Suggested Readings...
We are sent a list of suggested summer readings. These books are not required, but have been recommended by faculty, students and staff members here at UTMB.

	Intuition – by Allegra Goodman About the world of labs and researchers. A postdoctoral researcher obtains results that are too good to be true. Are they? Quirky characters, ethical issues andinsights into thescientific enterprise.
	Life of Pi – by Yann Martel A young Indian boy explores issues of religion and spirituality. He is shipwrecked at sea with some dangerous animals as his companions for 227 days.
	A Lesson Before Dying – by Ernest J. Gaines Galveston County Read book, - rural 1940's story of injustice and how two very different men learn lessons about love, salvation andhumanity. (This book will be the "Galveston Reads" selection for 2008. Many activities will take place on campus and throughout the city.)
	Kitchen Table Wisdom: Stories That Heal – by Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D. This book is presently used in 18 medical schools across the country. A collection of short stories that inspires anyone who reads it.
	*Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers* – by Mary Roach A sometimes hilarious story about cadavers and their use in research-bold and weird.
	The Quotable Osler -by Mark Silverman, T. Jock Murrary, Charles S. Bryan The ideal resource for those seeking an apt quote for an article, presentation, or for those wanting to sample Osler's thought-provoking and uplifting messages. Osler's meaningful and valuable teachings are timeless.
	First, Do No Harm -by Lisa Belkin At a time when America faces vital choices about the future of its health care, former NEW YORK TIMES correspondent Lisa Belkin takes a powerful and poignant look at the inner workings of Hermann Hospital in Houston, Texas.
	Integrity: Good People, Bad Choices and Life Lessons from the White House - by Egil "Bud" Krogh One of the "president's men" in the Watergate era recalls how he lost his way and destroyed his life under the pressure of politics and power, and provides lessons in what integrity—and success—really mean.
	The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures - by Anne Fadiman Explores the clash between the Merced Community Medical Center in California and a refugee family from Laos over the care of Lia Lee, a Hmong child diagnosed with severe epilepsy. Lia's parents and her doctors both wanted what was best for Lia, but the lack of understanding between them led to tragedy.
	Arrowsmith -by Sinclair Lewis The Pulitzer Prize winning "Arrowsmith" (an award Lewis refused to accept) recounts the story of a doctor who is forced to give up his trade for reasons ranging from public ignorance to the publicity-mindedness of a great foundation, and becomes an isolated seeker of scientific truth.
	The Renewal of Generosity: Illness, Medicine, and How to Live - by Arthur W. Frank Arthur W. Frank tells the stories of ill people, doctors, and nurses who are restoring generosity to medicine—generosity toward others and to themselves.
	Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High - by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, Al Switzler, Stephen R. Covey Learn how to keep your cool and get what you want when emotions flare. When stakes are high, opinions vary, and emotions run strong, you have three choices: Avoid a crucial conversation and suffer the consequences; handle the conversation badly and suffer the consequences; or read Crucial Conversations and discover how to communicate best when it matters most. This wise and witty guide gives you the tools you need to step up to life's most difficult and important conversations, say what's on your mind, and achieve positive outcomes that will amaze you.