Review of Defining Moments of a Free Man from a Black Stream

[Martin Skinn3r]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Defining Moments of a Free Man from a Black Stream" by Dr Frank L Douglas.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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There's something powerful about hardships that can sometimes inspire a child to sore to the highest possible high. Doctor Frank L. Douglas is one such child. Marred by poverty and less-than-ideal family dynamics, he was forced to excell in school so he could have a good education and, therefore, break the cycle of poverty. Defining Moments of a Free Man from a Black Stream shows how self-belief and pure hardwork helped reshape the life of a young man predestined to fail. Born and raised in British Guiana, a child of a meek woman broken down by her own challenges, the author went on to ultimately study in Cornell University Medical School.

I know that people are different and that we react differently to the same situations, and a book like this, whilst may be inspirational, may not have the same effect on everyone who reads it. The author is one of the few people who was able to lift themselves out of a very dark and very difficult situation. America, being the land of infinite possibilities, helped him not only to become a great doctor, but become a board member of a powerful pharmaceutical company. Surprisingly, or not, in the midst of all this success, his darker skin was still on the way.

The book does touch on the subjects of colorism, colonialism, and racism. Imagine having to not only beat poverty, but having to push against racism and its effects to succeed in a world where people like yourself do not get very far. People who have never been marginalized and disenfranchised in some ways cannot possibly appreciate what this actually means. This makes this story even more remarkable than it already is.

This is one of the most impressive stories of human achievement I may have ever read. It truly inspired me to try harder at the things I do. There is nothing about the book that I can truly fault. The editing wasn't the best, but it wasn't the worst either. The stories shared were incredible, to say the very least. I just wanted to keep reading and reading some more. I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. It is just brilliant.

I highly recommend this book to people who enjoy memoirs, especially those who feel marginalized in any way. This is the kind of book that can help you recognize your own inner strength, and it can help inspire you to carry on trying to better than you were yesterday.

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Defining Moments of a Free Man from a Black Stream
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