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    Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story
    Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story
    Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story
    Audiobook (abridged)1 hour

    Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story

    Written by Ben Carson, M.D.

    Narrated by Ben Carson and Dion Graham

    4.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Gifted Hands reveals the remarkable journey of Dr. Ben Carson from an angry, struggling young boy with everything stacked against him to the director of pediatric neurosurgery at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center.

    As a boy, he did poorly in school and struggled with anger. If it were not for the persistence of his mother, a single parent who worked three jobs and pushed her sons to do their best, his story may have ended tragically.

    Join Dr. Carson on his journey from a struggling inner-city student to the pinnacle of his career as a world-renowned neurosurgeon. A man of humility, decency, compassion, courage, and sensitivity, he now serves as a role model for everyone who wants to achieve their God-given potential.

    As you learn more about Dr. Carson's amazing story, you'll be inspired to:

    • Take charge of your own destiny
    • Hone your God-given gifts
    • Face adversity head on

    Filled with fascinating stories, Gifted Hands will transport you into the operating room to witness surgeries that made headlines around the world, and into the private mind of a compassionate, God-fearing physician who lives to help others.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherZondervan
    Release dateNov 19, 2003
    ISBN9780310260479
    Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story
    Author

    Ben Carson, M.D.

    Dr. Benjamin S. Carson has served as the director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, a candidate for President of the United States, and the seventeenth Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. He currently serves as the founder and chairman of the American Cornerstone Institute. He is also the author of six bestselling books: Gifted Hands, Think Big, The Big Picture, One Nation, A More Perfect Union, and Created Equal, the last four of which he coauthored with his wife, Candy. They are the parents of three grown sons and grandparents to eight grandchildren. They live in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

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    Reviews for Gifted Hands

    4.5/5

    25 ratings17 reviews

    What did you think?

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 2/5
      This book pretends to be Christian, but is in many regards the antithesis of the gospel.

      If I would had read this book some years ago, it would have left me in awe and wonder. ~Oh, what a wonderful story of justice and success~. But reading this book with spiritual eyes and a proper discernment, it becomes obvious that it is the work of the one disguised in a masterly manner as the angel of light, just as Jesus warned us.

      PROS
      + Great (ghost)-writer and reader of the audiobook.

      + Great story we can greatly empathize with.

      + Great contribution to justice.


      CONS
      - The book abuses a noble cause (defeating social injustice), in order to manipulate the reader into accepting a false religion and many erroneous or strictly antibiblical doctrines.

      - Ben had just a few pages earlier been baptized in a Seventh Day Adventist church, and then becomes very irritated, with bursts of anger which result in stabbing a friend at home. We read about his pleas to God to stop his anger, but we do not read a single word of repentance regarding the intended murder, neither towards God nor towards his friend. Nor of a surrender to the police.

      Nor do we read of any reflection of him, how he could become such a worse person after receiving his baptism (!). To the contrary, we read at the end of the book how proud he is to be an elder at an SDA. What a tragic spiritual journey - with no happy end.

      - It is one of the countless American books, where the author puts himself intentionally down at the beginning of the book ("I constantly received zero points, I was so dumb'), only to soon brag himself in the most outlandish way. I actually never read from an author who bragged himself more than he (even Bob Goff, who employs in 'Love Wins' an identical strategy of false humility followed by shameless bragging, appears to be an amateur in this discipline when compared to him). One could argue that not he, but the ghostwriter endorsed his character. But this falls instantly flat given the I-perspective employed throughout the book. I was the best, I outsmarted them all (with a small break at Yale University, only to continue his 'flight' throughout the rest of the book). I, I, I. The Antithesis of any biblical teaching.

      - If others are smart, you ought to be smarter. If others criticize your clothing, you have to read a lot and criticize through even smarter words ...

      - A very sad example of worldliness, of Christian careerism. He calls himself to be the over-achiever. You ought to be connected to the powerful. You ought to study at a university. Quote at the end of the book: "Success in life revolves around recognizing and using your raw material". Could anyone picture such a quote from the mouth of Jesus or Paul? An advise to the youth includes "show them the car you drive". The exact opposite to the Gospel.

      - Strong manipulation through the signs and wonders, an approach found in books e.g. of Elizabeth Sherrill. Yes, the Lord works through signs and wonders. But it is sad that we see such an abuse of this, especially by cults. Jesus warned us also of this. Luk 11:29 "This generation is an evil generation. It is seeking for a sign, yet no sign will be given to it except the sign of prophet."


      NOT IN THE BOOK, BUT IMPORTANT TO KNOW
      In an interview with The Des Moines Register in August, Carson called Seventh-day Adventism "a typical Protestant denomination with traditional values."
    • 5/5
      GIFTED HANDS GOT GIFTED INK!!!
    • 4/5
      Just inspiring. Ben Carson makes me feel like I'm lazy. I really appreciate his acronym THINK BIG.
    • 5/5
      "Never get too big for God. Never drop God out of your life." As you get older and the responsibilities start mounding up don't forget who holds you up. A good way to keep God on the top of your priorities list is to keep a daily devotion journal or prayer journal. You may only have time to write one sentence and other days you may write pages. Either way, write something.
    • 5/5
      The book is self-explanatory!!! The story exemplifies the "soul" of what made, and can continue to make, America a nation of opportunity. A young man raised in the ghetto of Detroit, parented by a mother who was unwilling to accept anything short of the very best from her children. A story of how love and respect by two sons towards their mother, was rewarded with skills, abilities, and opportunities to make them successful in life, to be the very best they could be, and to take the risks and opportunities offered in providing love, hope and contentment in life. Dr. Ben Carson (one of the two boys) went on to become one of the most successful pediatric neurosurgeons in the world and a humanitarian that continues to "give back".
    • 5/5
      Great Biography, some of the stories are very graphic.
    • 5/5
      I once saw a movie titled From Homeless to Harvard. It was based on a true situation. Likewise, here is another true story of a person going from lenient beginnings to the achievement of great success. It is the story of Ben Carson as he went from the ghettos of inner-city Detroit to become the Chief Pediatric Neurologist at Johns Hopkins Medical Center in Baltimore, MD. This had also been made into a movie. When I saw it, I remembered how Siamese twins attached at the head had been successfully separated at Johns Hopkins. I had not realized that the neurosurgeon had at one time been his own worst enemy believing himself to be stupid and not able to achieve anything. He was made fun of. Because he’s black, even one of the teachers stood up before an assembly in which Ben was being awarded. She stated that the white boys should be ashamed of themselves, indicating that they should do better than the black boy. So, yes, he grew up with prejudice, too.His salvation came through his mother, Sonya Carson, who without their father around was raising Ben and his brother on her own. She encouraged them and she set some rules. She greatly reduced the time they were allowed to watch TV and she told them from then on, they’d read two books per week and give her reports on the books. Neither Ben nor his brother realized that she couldn’t read. But, she would look over their papers and make little marks and keep encouraging them to improve. And so, they did.After having seen the movie (on TV) I borrowed the book from the library. As it turns out, the movie followed the book pretty closely. I enjoyed this book (and the movie) more than I can say. He goes through their hardship and his success in great detail. There are other stories of success in his role as a Neurologist and it is all very impressive. The writing style is a bit simplistic, but it may be it was his purpose to make it so that younger readers could enjoy it as well. If you’re yearning for something inspirational, you may want to check this one out. I rated Gifted Hands at 4.5 out of 5.
    • 5/5
      excellent!!!
    • 5/5
      I loved reading this book! It was truly inspirational! The story of Ben Carson, a famous neurosurgeon with a quite unexpected start. Neither of his parents were doctors. His father left them when he was young. His mother could barely read. His family wasn't rich and famous. He didn't go to advanced schools. He came from a ghetto with a single mom who had to spend most of her time working to support them. He didn't do well in school, and he had a violent temper. Life didn't give him his start. He had no execpectations to succeed. However, he had a mother who cared, a God who protected him and changed his life, and determination that grew more and more as he aged. It is so true that life is not what the world gives you, but what you add to it. If Dr. Carson could rise from the ghetto to greatness, the possibilities for anyone are endless!
    • 4/5
      Very enjoyable autobiography of a great man. Inspiring to read how he overcame great odds and difficulties to be one of the best neurosurgeons in the world.
    • 4/5
      I loved this book.
    • 4/5
      Inspiring true story of Ben Carson's rise from the ghettos of Detroit to world-class neurosurgeon. His rise comes from hard work (he discovers the joy of reading and learning and being the smartest kid in class), perseverence and a little bit of luck / spiritual intervention. His mother possessed a 3rd grade level education and raised him and his brother alone with a kind but firm hand. Ben's encounters with racism (his 'reason' for not playing football is chilling) as well as the hoi paloi of Yale make for good reading for anyone struggling to follow a dream.
    • 3/5
      I probably like a lot of people had not heard of Ben Carson, M.D. before he showed up on the Republican presidential campaign. So I decided to find out more about him and this book was a good start. Free from political slant his autobiography gave me a good insight to his character and achievements in life and it is most impressive. If ever there was a role model for making something of oneself he is the guy. Thanks it large part to the guidance of his mother he went on to become a world renowned neurosurgeon impacting the lives of children, and how much better does it get then that? There is no doubt Carson is an exceptional man in a lot of ways. He has quite religious and often invokes God as coming through for him in many of the medical challenges he faced in the operating room. I am not a religious person yet I did have to wonder about some of these incidents. On the flip side a few of the failures were also related and the emotional wrenching these families faced as well as Dr. Carson were moving. Now that he is retired he takes on the political arena and will face a new world of challenges. Though his chances seem slim, I wish him the best and if anyone was up to that challenge it certainly would be Ben Carson, M.D..
    • 5/5
      Reread of this amazing pediatric neurosurgeon's life. He beat the odds and his mother is a saint for raising two boys with her limited knowledge in such a wonderful way. She should be teaching today's single mothers.
    • 5/5
      I'd seen the movie based on this book, but wanted to read it for myself. In a nutshell, Dr. Ben Carson was put on this earth by God to save people. This man came from humble beginnings, was loved and supported by an amazing mother, and achieved the highest pinnacles of the medical profession possible. He was very close to falling prey to his volatile temper, but through strong faith, became a calm, articulate, and thoughtful man. When told something can't be done, Ben seems to be one of those folks who, with the help of others, finds a way."Gifted Hands" tells the story of a young boy from Detroit whose father left him, his brother, and his illiterate mother when he was very young. He overcame poor grades and the aforementioned temper to become a Yale graduate, and the preeminent pediatric neurosurgeon in the world. Carson credits his mother for her faith and her determination not to become a victim. He has carried these things with him as he navigates bigotry, false assumptions, and outright racism. It's also important to understand that this book was written in 1990, so clearly it was long before he was encouraged to run for President.Regardless of what you've read about him recently, this book proves many of the attacks on him are false. He clearly never says he applied to West Point. He does say he was offered a "scholarship" and has since proven that West Point was in fact offering "scholarships" specifically to young black kids who showed an aptitude for academics. And keep in mind, this isn't a book written to get him elected. Again, it was published in 1990.To be fair, I must admit I support Ben Carson for president. Like Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher before him, I truly believe God is working through Dr. Carson at a time when the country and the world needs him. He's spent his life saving children. Now it's time for him to help save our country.
    • 4/5
      Excellent..very inspiring and encouraging.
    • 5/5
      Wow. Powerful first person account of a man who rose to great achievements based on his innate intelligence and faith. I am having my 11 year old read this.