Well, forty years ago I was a teenager but I still found some very good life advice in Dr. Carson's book. THINK BIG stems from
Talent
Honesty
Insight
Nice
Knowledge
Books
In-depth learning
God

Dr. Carson gives an in-depth explanation of why each of these elements matter. ( )

4.5 stars. I'm just really stingy with my fives. This review is also available on my blog, Read Till Dawn.

It's highly misleading of the synopsis to suggest that the mnemonic is the focus of the entire book. He doesn't even mention it until over halfway through! He spends the first half of the book explaining his own humble beginnings and tracing his path to success. Then he turns around and tells the reader how "you too can become a famous neurosurgeon by following this one simple trick!"

Haha, no, that's not what he says. Really, I think he just wanted a nice kind of gimmicky mnemonic to help people remember his advice. And let me just say, it's definitely solid. He traces his early life and career in what is, for those of us who have read any of his other books, partly a review. To be fair he did mention things I hadn't read in the other books, focusing more on his study habits than on his relationship with God this time around, but there was still quite a bit of overlap. I suppose for some this might be kind of annoying, but for me it was nice to get a refresher and see exactly what he did in his own life to become successful. I wasn't sure if he was going to be one of those people who becomes successful one way, then turns around and advises something completely different for those who want to get ahead in life. By showing his own life, and what worked and didn't for him, he proved to me (and to anyone else who reads his book) that he's not just making this stuff up - the ideas presented in T.H.I.N.K. B.I.G. really were the ones that helped him climb to the top.

As a teen, I found a lot of practical advice that I am definitely going to work on implementing in my own life. By putting the practical advice in the last few chapters, he makes it very easy to go back and reread concise instructions for applying each step in T.H.I.N.K. B.I.G. I'm in the middle of a book about study techniques entitled [b:Make It Stick|18770267|Make It Stick The Science of Successful Learning|Peter C. Brown|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1384016466s/18770267.jpg|26673128] that I have to say is probably the most rambling. boring nonfiction I've ever read. I'd have quit it long ago if it weren't for the fact I'm required to finish it for English. After reading the mess of advice, examples, and anecdotes running rampant in Make it Stick, I really appreciated the way that Carson separates his anecdotes from his advice in a way that actually makes his anecdotes interesting but separate from his advice.

Do you need to read this if you're an adult who has read his other books? Probably not, unless you've got a burning desire to read everything the man writes. Should you read it if you're a student or the parent of a student trying to prepare for academic success? Most definitely. While Carson's approach may not work for all of us (I think it's pretty obvious he's got a natural advantage in the brain department - pun intended!), there's still a lot of good info in there about study habits, choosing a career, and remembering to focus on God before all else.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book through the BookLook Bloggers program in exchange for an honest review ( )

WOW!

WOW! WOW! WOW!

Ben Carson is not only a gifted surgeon, he is a wonderful writer – funny, interesting and this book is exceptionally difficult to put down.

Even the descriptions of brain surgery, which should be nothing but gross, had my complete attention because they were phrased in such a way that made them interesting but not at all gross or disgusting.

And the stories about Dr. Carson’s mother… WOW!

No wonder he is such an intelligent and learned man – she is clearly a GENIUS!

I refuse to spoil the book for you but please take my word for it – it is a FANTASTIC book! A MUST READ! And not just for teens either… parents will get so much out of this book too!

© JCMorrows 2015 ( )

You Have a Brain by Dr. Ben Carson.
This is the second book I have read by Dr. Carson and I have found both inspirational and informative. I was glad to see a chapter devoted to his mother, Sonya Carson. This mother is one who cared for her children and was the biggest influence in their lives as far as I was concerned.
Dr. Carson was a world-known neurosurgeon who worked hard to get to his position. He proves it can be done and it is up to you to do what is necessary to make your goal in life.
The chapters are:
Chapter 1: The Amazing Brain
Chapter 2: Think Beyond the Can
Chapter 3: Gone
Chapter 4: How We Got Smart
Chapter 5: Bookworm
Chapter 6: Taming my Temper
Chapter 7: Expanding My Options
Chapter 8: The Smartest Choice
Chapter 9: Off to College
Chapter 10: The Challenge-Medical School
Chapter 11 : Becoming a Neurosurgeon
Chapter 12: More Twins
Chapter 13: Mother's Influence
Chapter 14: Talent
Chapter 15: Honesty
Chapter 16: Insight
Chapter 17: Nice
Chapter 18: Knowledge
Chapter 19: Books
Chapter 20: In-depth Learning
Chapter 21 : God
Chapter 22: Think Big
The chapters are short and I personally think this should be a classroom study book. It can be done in 20 minutes a day with reading and a discussion. It is also a good family book to read and discuss.
Sonya Carson kept telling her sons, Ben and Curtis, they have a brain that God gave them so use it. One became an engineer and the other a doctor.
Dr. Carson tells about his childhood, his jobs, his surgeries, his temper and his family. He is a very religious man and talks about God. He encourages young people to T.H.I.N.K.B.I.G. These are chapters 14-21.
One of my granddaughters asked me what was my pet peeve and I said "telling a lie" because one forgets what they said in a lie but remembers the truth; something I always told my sons and daughter as I raised them. The next day, I see that Dr. Carson said the same thing in his book.
I will give this a 5 star rating. I also read Gifted Hands after I saw the movie.
I received a complimentary copy to read and review from booklookbloggers to read and review. The opinions are my own.
Leona Olson
http://www.mnleona.blogspot.com ( )