Review of Defining Moments of a Free Man from a Black Stream
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Joy Wendy
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Review of Defining Moments of a Free Man from a Black Stream
[Following is a volunteer review of "Defining Moments of a Free Man from a Black Stream" by Dr Frank L Douglas.]
Defining Moments of a Free Man from a Black Stream is an inspiring memoir penned by Frank L. Douglas, recounting his journey from being a nobody in British Guiana to achieving success as a doctor. The author made it clear that this "grass to grace" story was not without pain and sweat; he encountered so many rough patches in his journey up the ladder. This memoir entails pain, struggle for survival, racial discrimination, hard work, perseverance, and doggedness.
The autobiography starts with a young Frank struggling to find acceptance in his own home. He contemplated suicide once, and after that, he learned to confront situations and forces that seemed beyond his control, a lesson that he’d very much appreciate much later in his life. Throughout his academic career, from a private school in Guiana to Queen’s College, down to Lehigh University, and then to Cornell for a Ph.D. in Chemistry, Frank faced racial discrimination, but he was determined to make the whole world see that a man should be judged by his performance and not by the mere color of his skin.
I found this memoir very captivating and uplifting, with so many lessons to learn. The author did a very good job putting his story out there for people to read and be encouraged by. I loved the fact that the author managed to figure out a way to overcome each obstacle he came across; he was very clear with his goal, he had a vision, and he employed different strategies to meet them. I also loved the fact that the author didn’t victimize himself amidst all he went through; instead, he saw himself as the victor. The book was a very inspiring read, and I enjoyed reading it.
As much as I enjoyed reading this book, I found some parts boring because of the too-broad explanations of his experience in the medical world, and I didn’t quite follow seeing that I don’t belong in the medical world. However, these broad explanations would be of help to those in the medical world and even those aspiring to join, so overall, it was a worthy read.
I’d rate this book five out of five stars because the dislike I mentioned earlier could still serve as an advantage to others, and it helped broaden my horizons. While reading, I didn’t encounter any grammatical or spelling errors, which made my reading experience hitch-free. Generally, I’d recommend this memoir to everyone because it contains life lessons that everyone would find useful, and more specifically, I’d recommend it to lovers of the medical profession.
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Defining Moments of a Free Man from a Black Stream
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Defining Moments of a Free Man from a Black Stream is an inspiring memoir penned by Frank L. Douglas, recounting his journey from being a nobody in British Guiana to achieving success as a doctor. The author made it clear that this "grass to grace" story was not without pain and sweat; he encountered so many rough patches in his journey up the ladder. This memoir entails pain, struggle for survival, racial discrimination, hard work, perseverance, and doggedness.
The autobiography starts with a young Frank struggling to find acceptance in his own home. He contemplated suicide once, and after that, he learned to confront situations and forces that seemed beyond his control, a lesson that he’d very much appreciate much later in his life. Throughout his academic career, from a private school in Guiana to Queen’s College, down to Lehigh University, and then to Cornell for a Ph.D. in Chemistry, Frank faced racial discrimination, but he was determined to make the whole world see that a man should be judged by his performance and not by the mere color of his skin.
I found this memoir very captivating and uplifting, with so many lessons to learn. The author did a very good job putting his story out there for people to read and be encouraged by. I loved the fact that the author managed to figure out a way to overcome each obstacle he came across; he was very clear with his goal, he had a vision, and he employed different strategies to meet them. I also loved the fact that the author didn’t victimize himself amidst all he went through; instead, he saw himself as the victor. The book was a very inspiring read, and I enjoyed reading it.
As much as I enjoyed reading this book, I found some parts boring because of the too-broad explanations of his experience in the medical world, and I didn’t quite follow seeing that I don’t belong in the medical world. However, these broad explanations would be of help to those in the medical world and even those aspiring to join, so overall, it was a worthy read.
I’d rate this book five out of five stars because the dislike I mentioned earlier could still serve as an advantage to others, and it helped broaden my horizons. While reading, I didn’t encounter any grammatical or spelling errors, which made my reading experience hitch-free. Generally, I’d recommend this memoir to everyone because it contains life lessons that everyone would find useful, and more specifically, I’d recommend it to lovers of the medical profession.
******
Defining Moments of a Free Man from a Black Stream
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Asterisk by Booth Milovnik
