Review of Defining Moments of a Free Man from a Black Stream
Posted: 25 Jun 2022, 19:26
[Following is a volunteer review of "Defining Moments of a Free Man from a Black Stream" by Dr Frank L Douglas.]
A young fatherless boy lives with his mother and four siblings in a one-room apartment. They can barely fend for themselves as they rely on others for survival. By performing well in school, this youngster aspires to improve his situation. At various points during his education, he receives scholarships and eventually emerges from the ghetto as a renowned scientist and recipient of numerous pharmaceutical honours. This book recounts the author's journey from his humble beginnings to his present position. The several chapters of this book comprise the various stages of his life. Follow the author as he narrates his life's events in this remarkable memoir.
Defining Moments of a Free Man from a Black Stream by Dr Frank L Douglas is an absolutely enthralling book. Douglas was born in British Guyana. The author addresses his minister at the beginning of the book. He wants to know why racial lifestyles differ between blacks and whites. Douglas questions if God has favourites, given that white people travel the world as missionaries to share the gospel of salvation despite exhibiting severe racial discrimination. This racial discrimination was felt heavily in America during the turbulent 1960s—the same period in which he travelled to the United States to pursue his academic career. He noticed that the whites respected foreign blacks and despised American blacks. Douglas did not let racism affect the pursuit of his dream. Instead, he committed more to his studies and earned many degrees. The author has now won countless awards for his work in pharmaceutical research.
The book depicts pain, a struggle for survival, and hope. Despite having no father figure in his life and coming from a very disadvantaged family, Douglas has an unbreakable spirit that I find fascinating. The author's strong character prevailed where he might have used his upbringing and environment as excuses to get involved in illegal activities. He never saw his situation as a barrier to success. Instead, the author saw it as a pathway to success. This shows that there is no justification for someone not to succeed. Indeed, success comes from a determination within.
The author's strategy for dealing with rejection or other challenges is what I love most about this book. He tunes out negative remarks and does not let them affect him. He went to Moms and begged her for a loan so he could sustain himself while he travelled to the US for the scholarship he had won. She explained to him why she was unable to lend him the money. That did not bother Douglas in the least. Instead, he assured himself that he would get the money elsewhere. We should all strive to approach life with the same mindset.
I disliked nothing in this book. It is very well-written and edited. The book was error-free, so I rate it four out of four stars. This outstanding memoir depicts the humanity that unites us all in an inspiring, energising, and compassionate way. I recommend this book to all readers, especially those facing one challenge or the other. They will find it very helpful.
******
Defining Moments of a Free Man from a Black Stream
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
A young fatherless boy lives with his mother and four siblings in a one-room apartment. They can barely fend for themselves as they rely on others for survival. By performing well in school, this youngster aspires to improve his situation. At various points during his education, he receives scholarships and eventually emerges from the ghetto as a renowned scientist and recipient of numerous pharmaceutical honours. This book recounts the author's journey from his humble beginnings to his present position. The several chapters of this book comprise the various stages of his life. Follow the author as he narrates his life's events in this remarkable memoir.
Defining Moments of a Free Man from a Black Stream by Dr Frank L Douglas is an absolutely enthralling book. Douglas was born in British Guyana. The author addresses his minister at the beginning of the book. He wants to know why racial lifestyles differ between blacks and whites. Douglas questions if God has favourites, given that white people travel the world as missionaries to share the gospel of salvation despite exhibiting severe racial discrimination. This racial discrimination was felt heavily in America during the turbulent 1960s—the same period in which he travelled to the United States to pursue his academic career. He noticed that the whites respected foreign blacks and despised American blacks. Douglas did not let racism affect the pursuit of his dream. Instead, he committed more to his studies and earned many degrees. The author has now won countless awards for his work in pharmaceutical research.
The book depicts pain, a struggle for survival, and hope. Despite having no father figure in his life and coming from a very disadvantaged family, Douglas has an unbreakable spirit that I find fascinating. The author's strong character prevailed where he might have used his upbringing and environment as excuses to get involved in illegal activities. He never saw his situation as a barrier to success. Instead, the author saw it as a pathway to success. This shows that there is no justification for someone not to succeed. Indeed, success comes from a determination within.
The author's strategy for dealing with rejection or other challenges is what I love most about this book. He tunes out negative remarks and does not let them affect him. He went to Moms and begged her for a loan so he could sustain himself while he travelled to the US for the scholarship he had won. She explained to him why she was unable to lend him the money. That did not bother Douglas in the least. Instead, he assured himself that he would get the money elsewhere. We should all strive to approach life with the same mindset.
I disliked nothing in this book. It is very well-written and edited. The book was error-free, so I rate it four out of four stars. This outstanding memoir depicts the humanity that unites us all in an inspiring, energising, and compassionate way. I recommend this book to all readers, especially those facing one challenge or the other. They will find it very helpful.
******
Defining Moments of a Free Man from a Black Stream
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon