Gifted Hands by Ben Carson, MD

Synopsis: Personal journey of becoming and being a much sought after and loved neurosurgeon.

Writing Style: Straightforward

Pacing: Fairly Fast

Personal Highlights: First of all, it’s very likely, even at this early date, that this memoir will end up being one of my favorite books read this year.

First there was Dr. Carson’s mother. She really stood out, not only making him and his brother read, but teaching them to do their best for themselves as opposed to trying to be better than someone else. These early primers laid on my heart for two reasons. Carson learned ahead of time how reading helped him know, instead of merely memorizing content; knowledge that groomed him to surpass traditional models of excellence.

So, Bravo to Mom!!! And Bravo to Dr. Carson who focused on his desire to become a doctor and the actual work it took being a doctor. I personally respected his regard for teamwork and was overdone by how painless he made it to understand the many surgical procedures he performed. I also was surprised by how spiritually grounded he is. It’s rare to encounter pure logic mentioned in the same subset as God, and the entire content read reasonable. It as well is just as rare to read so much medical and scientific content in such a condensed space and be as informed, inspired and uplifted all in one. I can’t say enough about this memoir. The value he placed on family, along with explaining his work and how he saved lives were over the top. Again, ‘Gifted Hands’ will likely be one of my favorite books read this year. Absolute Genius. A GENUINE MUST! Highly recommended!!!