Dr. Ben Carson is a prolific writer and Thinker; he’d also penned
two profound books, ‘The Gifted Hands” and “Take the Risk”. He’s also God’s greatest
gift to this generation: a gifted brain surgeon. Currently he is the Director
of Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery & Professor of Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins
University in Baltimore, U.S.A.
In February 2013, the Wall
Street Journal–WSJ flaunted
“Ben Carson for President” on its front page after Dr. Carson had intellectually
‘lectured’, President Barack Obama––my two role models in the same room––for 27
minutes straight during the ‘National
Prayer Breakfast’ (07 Feb 2013). The speech became an instant hit and went viral
on the internet. Considered the ‘New Conservative Folk Hero’ by many in the U.S., the
devout Christian––who publicly declared ‘Jesus is my role model’––Dr. Carson had
proposed logical, cost-effective policy options at the Prayer Breakfast.
Many of the ‘hot issues’ he addressed at the Prayer Breakfast
are dealt comprehensively in this book––‘America the Beautiful.’ A brilliant
student of history and intellectual powerhouse, Dr. Carson artfully canvasses a
wide-array of issues––historical underpinnings of Europe’s current economic crisis
and the lessons for the U.S.; political developments in U.S.; racism to which
he’s nor bitter; capitalism; socialism; and America–a moral nation or not.
Coming from a poor background: rough and tough neighborhood and,
being raised by a single mum doing multiple low-paying jobs, Dr. Carson is understandably
passionate about quality education being the ‘key to success in life’. An avid
reader and lover of books from childhood, what he ‘discovered between the pages
of books’ guided him to realize full potential, to becoming the person he is
today.
‘Walking the Talk’ in education, he’d founded the Carson Scholars Fund 17 years ago which
operated in all 50 states. The Fund awards US$1,000 college scholarships to
students in grades 4-11 who excel academically and are dedicated to
serving their communities.
The multi–dimensional mind of a Neurosurgeon runs clearly throughout
the book as it churns out innovative, cost-effective and practical solutions to
U.S.’s pressing problems: from affordable HealthCare for every U.S. citizen to reducing
the nation’s mind-numbing national debt. Dr. Carson’s Biblically-based idea of
‘tithing’–everyone dips in 10% of gross income–as a fiscal public policy instrument
to address U.S.’s national debt problem is simple, straightforward and could
get traction among weary voters.
What I liked best in this book is Dr. Carson’s upfront, uncompromising stance on ‘political correctness–PC’. If allowed to fester undeterred, he correctly asserts, PC would stifle ‘freedom of speech, thought and association’; evidently fracking one of U.S.’s bedrock principals on which it stands.
A must-read book I
highly recommend to anyone wishing to be ‘read in’ the mind of a fascinating Thinker
and world-class Neurosurgeon.
© Amos T. Wama
Geneva, Switzerland
21 May 2013
Ma'am that an excellent review...it made me want to get out there look for the book myself. I'm a great admirer of Dr Carson. I read his books Gifted Hands and Think Big Big when was in High School and it really influenced my outlook towards education. It doesn't matter where you came from but where you're going. You do not have to be born into privilege to be somebody....it all comes down to whatever the influences in our lives are... influences for prosperity and success or influences for evil and depravity....like Proverbs says..."Education is your life...guard it well."
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