Posted on 03/18/2013 12:30:39 PM PDT by jazusamo
A remarkable book titled "Gifted Hands" tells the personal story of Benjamin Carson, a black kid from the Detroit ghetto who went on to become a renowned neurosurgeon.
At one time young Ben Carson had the lowest grades in his middle school class, and was the butt of teasing by his white classmates. Worse yet, he himself believed that he was just not smart enough to do the work.
Fortunately for him, his mother, whose own education went no further than the third grade, insisted that he was smart. She cut off the television set and made him and his brother hit the books — books that she herself could scarcely read.
As young Ben's school work began to catch up with that of his classmates, and then began to surpass that of his classmates, his whole view of himself and of the wider world around him began to change. He began to think that he wanted to become a doctor.
There were a lot of obstacles to overcome along the way, including the fact that his mother had to be away from time to time for psychiatric treatment, as she tried to cope with the heavy pressures of trying to raise two boys whose father had deserted the family that she now had to support on a maid's wages.
In many ways the obstacles facing young Ben Carson were like those faced by so many other youngsters in the ghetto. What was different was that he overcame those obstacles with the help of a truly heroic mother and the values she instilled in him.
It is an inspiring personal story, told plainly and unpretentiously, including the continuing challenges he faced later as a neurosurgeon operating on the brains of people with life-threatening medical problems, often with odds against them.
(Excerpt) Read more at creators.com ...
I’m very impressed with Dr. Carson & just ordered the book.
Watched the movie on lifetime yesterday. Really good. Love the guy, and I hope he stays in the limelight, if only to annoy the commies.
Can't be. Everyone knows that unless your parents are Scholars there is no way you can learn to read.
Thanks for the ping, jaz to another great column by the great Thomas Sowell. I have watched the movie, it is awesome. I am also reading his new book America is Beautiful
That was Dr. Carson’s first book. The wife read it several years ago and loved it, I’m going to read it also.
I used to hear about it and finally asked a black man my ex and I went to college with .... and he confirmed it. He, by the way, "acted white" and is a successful computer geek with two kids and a great wife, who happens to be a Caucasian math teacher.
My pleasure as always, Kas. The wife has all his books and just told me she bought America is Beautiful but hasn’t read it as yet.
Agreed...I’m always happy to see Dr. Sowell and Dr. Williams speak out about it, unfortunately the people needing their lessons the most are the least likely to read them.
He is an outstanding doctor, he is at the top of his field in pediatric neurosurgery
Dr. Ben Carson - a man of substance.
He has all the attributes we describe when searching the resumes for a great conservative candidate.
Not a career politician! Faithful Christian. Great husband and father. Stellar credentials. No scandals. Independent thinker. No handlers. Charismatic - humor and humility.
He would not enter the arena unprepared. This is an intelligent man who analyzes, assesses and does his homework.
Maybe if they made it into a video game.
Absolutely agree. He is a brilliant man and has every quality you mention, sodpoodle. I would be among the first to support him should he decide to run.
I read the excerpt of Dr. Sowell’s essay and was amazed. Then I read it a second time and, all the while, thinking about Obama’s background. The privileged kid raised in a white family with wealth becomes a lazy, drug-addled slacker Marxist with a gigantic chip on his shoulder and never works a day in his life at a legitimate job.
Compare to the almost unbelievably underprivileged kid with an almost-illiterate Mom and no Dad who succeeds against all odds through very hard work to become a famed neurosurgeon and a believer in the American Dream.
What a contrast! Which one should our children aspire to? Which is the hero?
This explains why success in homeschooling doesn't correlate with income or parents' education. The educational materials are available, including low-cost or free (public library): what's needed is the will.
“Watched the movie on lifetime yesterday.”
The movie was okay but it does not compare to the book. The movie leaves out a lot of Carson’s inner struggles and spirituality.
Everyone’s busy, but if time permits read the book or listen to the audio book
I’m reading America the Beautiful, too. Should be required reading in high schools. Students could learn a lot. So could the teachers.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.