Gifted Hands, The Ben Carson Story by Ben Carson

 

Gifted Hands, The Ben Carson Story by Ben Carson

I watched the movie Gifted Hands on TV recently so checked at my library for the DVD and also found the paperback book.

I read this book in one day. What a story about a man who we now see on TV quite a bit.

At the age of 33 Dr. Ben Carson became the Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Dr. Carson's mother, Sonya, is such an influence on both Dr. Carson and his brother, Curtis. She is one mother we all should admire for her dedication and hard work for her sons. At one point, she turned off the TV and told the boys they could watch three shows a week and also had to read two library books a week. That is tough love.
Sometimes, she worked two or three jobs at a time. Since this book was written in 1990, I will do some more checking on her.

There are also pictures in the book and one I especially like is a proud mother holding pictures of her sons who have graduated. Sonya Carson only completed third grade.

I knew some about Dr. Carson but this book gives so much information about why his father left, his school years, his problems with studies and school, problems because of his race, his temper, his successes, his faith in God and his family. This is an emotional read with death of family and patients.

Chapters are written on some of patients and the surgeries performed on them such as patients who had seizures.

Description of surgeries are sometimes pretty clear and there is also some drawing of the heads of the twins that were separated.  Dr. Carson was the first doctor to separate Siamese, conjoined, twins that were attached at the head. It took 22 hours and a staff of 70 to do the surgery and they had practiced for over five months on how to do the procedure. It was a success.

A letter from Sonya Carson at the beginning of the book is short but sends a strong message. She often quoted a poem, "You're the Captain of Your Ship" to her sons:

If things go bad for you-

And make you a bit ashamed,

Often you will find out that

You have yourself to blame...

Swiftly we ran to mischief

And then the bad luck came.

Why do we fault others?

We have ourselves to blame...

Whatever happens to us,

Here are the words to say,

"Had it not been for so-and-so

Things wouldn't have gone that way".

And if you are short of friends,

I'll tell you what to do-

Make and examination,

You'll find that fault's in you...

You're the captain of your ship,

So agree with the same-

If you travel downward,

You have yourself to blame.

She also writes " Remember this as you go through life . The person who has the most do with what happens to you is you!.

The following paragraphs beginning with **  and ending with **  are from the book:

** "What's the key to your success?' the teenage boy with the Afro asked.

It wasn't a new question. I'd heard it so many times that I finally worked out an acrostic answer .

"Think big," I told him.

I'd like to break this down and explain the meaning of each letter.

THINK BIG

T=TALENT

Learn to recognize and accept your God-given talents (and we all have them). Develop those talents and use them in the career you choose. Remembering T for talent puts you far ahead of the game if you take advantage of what God gives you.

T also= TIME

Learn the importance of time. When you are always on time, people can depend on you. You prove your trustworthiness. Learn not to waste time, because time is money and time is effort. Time usage is also a talent. God gives some people the ability to manage time. The rest of us have to learn how and we can!

H=HOPE

Don't go around with a long face, expecting something bad to happen. Appreciate good things; watch for them.

H also=HONESTY

When you do anything dishonest, you must do something else dishonest to cover up, and your life becomes hopelessly complex. The same with telling lies. If you're honest, you don't have to remember what you said the last time. Speaking the truth each time makes life amazing simple.

I= INSIGHT

Listen and learn from people who have already been where you want to go. Benefit from their mistakes instead of repeating them. Read good books like the Bible because they open up new worlds of understanding.

N=NICE

Be nice to people-all people. If you're  nice to people, they'll be nice to you. It takes much less energy to be nice than it does to be mean. Being kind, friendly, and helpful

takes less energy and relieves much of the pressure.

K=KNOWLEDGE

Knowledge is the key to independent living, the key to all your dreams, hopes, and aspirations. If you are knowledgeable, particularly more knowledgeable than anyone else in the field, you become invaluable and write your own ticket.

B=BOOKS

I emphasize that active learning from reading is better than passive learning such as listening to lectures or watching television. When you read, your mind must work by taking in letters and connecting them to form words. Words make themselves into thoughts and concepts.

Developing good reading habits is something like being a champion weightlifter. The champion didn't go into the gym one day and start lifting 500 pounds. He toned his muscles, beginning with lighter weights, always building up, preparing for more. It's the same thing with intellectual feats. We develop our minds by reading, by thinking, by figuring out things for ourselves.

I=IN-DEPTH LEARNING

Superficial learners cram for exams but know nothing two weeks later. In-depth learners find that the acquired knowledge becomes part of them. They understand  more about themselves and their world. They keep building on prior understanding by piling on new information.

G=GOD

Never get too big for God. Never drop God out of your life.

"I usually conclude my talks by telling young people, "If you can remember these things, if you can learn to THINK BIG, nothing on earth will keep you from being successful in whatever you choose to do."

"To THINK BIG and to use our talents doesn't mean we won't have difficulties along the way. We will-we all do".

"I'm a good neurosurgeon. That's not a boast but a way of acknowledging the innate ability God has given to me. Beginning with determination and using my gifted hands, I went on for training and sharpening of my skills. **

I will give this book a 5 star. I learned a lot about man, his family and his wife Candy. They have three children.

A book young people should read and understand they also have God- given talent.

I found more information on :

http://www.biography.com/people/ben-carson-475422?page=6

Leona Olson

www.mnleona.blogspot.com

Merlin's Shadow by Robert Treskillard

   

Merlin's Shadow by Robert Treskillard

From goodreads.com: 

Betrayal.

After destroying the sinister Druid Stone and freeing his people from its dark control, Merlin finds himself a royal advisor without a king. Along with his friend Garth and Natalenya, his betrothed, Merlin treks north with the orphaned Arthur in hopes of keeping the young ruler safe from soldiers misled by their turncoat captain. Relentlessly pursued by his old nemesis Vortigern, Merlin and his band make for the fortress of Dintaga.

But dangers multiply when Merlin realizes that Vortigern is not his only enemy. Even his own sister appears bent on Merlin’s destruction. As the threat on all their lives increases, Merlin discovers their only hope is sailing to the lands of eternal darkness and once again cleansing the world from an ancient and powerful evil.

Leona's Review :

This is the second book of the Merlin series by Robert Treskillard. The first is Merlin's Blade and best read first but Merlin's Shadow can be read as a stand alone book. On pages 9, 10 and 11 there is "The Story So Far" so the reader will have an idea of Merlin's Blade, the first book of Merlin's Spiral Series.

Merlin is trying to protect the young Arthur and plans to flee north to Dintaga, the fortress of King Gorlas, from Vortigern.  The group is Merlin, Natalenya, Merlin's betrothed, Garth, an orphan who lived at the abbey, Caygek, a fili ( The order of sages and poets within the wider order of the druidow. Filidow is the plural, and they are led by the arch fili.), and Colvarth, chief bard of Britain.

There is more violence I think in this book that the first book of the series, Merlin's Blade. Merlin goes through lots of torture over and over. 

The group is captured by the Picts where they become slaves, a thrall or thrail in Pickish. The Picts, or Prithager or Picti,  are the people who live in the wild lands of the north. I found this on the Net: http://skyelander.orgfree.com/celts11.html.

Merlin seems to have lost some of his faith in God in this book and he questions his faith. "A spark of hope-and of faith-filled Merlin's heart. Faith in the God who had led him during each painful step of his life: his childhood, his blindness, his battle with the Stone (book 1)- even during the journey of suffering over the last half of a year. Faith in the One, who had until now, protected them all." (page 403). This is where Merlin is trying to understand his questioning.

He has regained his eyesight in this book but still has his scars. Merlin feels he is ugly and that Natalenya no longer should love him and she feels she is ugly and that is why Merlin is no longer close to her.

The Stone is still an important part of the book but not as much in Merlin's Blade.

Merlin's sister, Ganieda, now hates and curses Merlin after the death of her mother, Monda, and their father, Owain.  She seems to become closer to her grandfather, Morganthu, but does not always trust him. He is her mother's father. Tellyk, a wolf who befriends Ganieda, is also present in this book as well as the first. In Merlin's Shadow, there is The Voice which is "a shadowy figure that appears to Ganieda and instructs her".

I was watching a show about Merlin on the History Channel last week and the term "light and dark" was used instead of what I was using, which was "good and evil". This defines what is happening in the books and to the characters.

As in Merlin's Blade there is a glossary of names and places and so appreciated by this reader. (page 424) It helps to know the characters of the books and I liked the three maps in front of the book. There is also a pronunciation guide. (page 423).

The letter "V" is used in place of the letter "U" in the titles of the chapters as well a cross for the "T".

There are three parts in this book

Part One: Fool's Choice (page 19)

FAST AS A FOX, THE HIDER HIDING;

WILD AS THE WOLF, THE HUNTER HUNTING;

HARD AS THE HORSE, THE BURDEN BEARING;

HIGH AS THE HAWK, THE SEARCHER SPYING;

PRISON BY SEA, FEAR THE RED SUNRISE

Part Two: FOOL'S LOSS ( page 147)

SHARP AS TALONS, THE CAPTOR'S CUTTING;

BLACK AND BLACKER, THE FANG DEATH SPREADING;

GLOP AS GLUTTON, THE EATER EATING;

DROWSE AS DREAMER, THE SLEEPER SLEEPING;

FORTRESS ON HILL, WARE THE WICKED GUISE.

Part Three: FOOL'S FAITH (page 293)

DARK AS THE DIRGE, THE SHARKS SWIMMING;

SWIFTH AS THE SWAN, THE CIRCLE SHINING;

LOUD AS THE LASH, THE PAGENS PRAYING;

GALL AS THE GRAVE, THE SLAYER SLAYING;

FOR ANCIENT YOUTH, AND INNOCENT'S DEMISE.

Merlin's Shadow is dedicated to: For Robin  Psalm 33:20:22

I received a complimentary copy of Merlin's Shadow to read and review. The opinions are my own. I will give this a 5 star rating  and look forward to reading Merlin's Nightmare by Robert Treskillard.

I highly recommend to readers who like Merlin, Arthur and history.

You man find the author at www.epictales.org, www.goodreads.com/author/6437336.Robert_Treskillard and www.KingArthur.org.uk

My review of Merlin's Blade is at http://mnleona.blogspot.com/2014/02/merlins-blade-by-robert-treskillard.html

www.mnleona.blogspot.com

Leona Olson