Dr. Ben Carson

And the first book that I read was about a beaver. It was called Chip the Dam Builder. And it was a great book. I enjoyed that book so much that I started reading other animal books. I read every animal book in the Detroit Public Libraries. And then I started reading about plants, and then I started reading about rocks. because we live right by the railroad tracks.

And the first book that I read was about a beaver. It was called Chip the Dam Builder. And it was a great book. I enjoyed that book so much that I started reading other animal books. I read every animal book in the Detroit Public Libraries. And then I started reading about plants, and then I started reading about rocks. because we live right by the railroad tracks.

You get so used to the trains coming by. They make a lot of noise, you don't even hear it anymore. But there are all these rocks, and I would collect the rocks in a box and bring them home. and read about them. And pretty soon I could identify virtually any rock, where it came from, how it was formed. Still in the fifth grade. Still the dummy. Nobody knew about this project of mine.

You get so used to the trains coming by. They make a lot of noise, you don't even hear it anymore. But there are all these rocks, and I would collect the rocks in a box and bring them home. and read about them. And pretty soon I could identify virtually any rock, where it came from, how it was formed. Still in the fifth grade. Still the dummy. Nobody knew about this project of mine.

You get so used to the trains coming by. They make a lot of noise, you don't even hear it anymore. But there are all these rocks, and I would collect the rocks in a box and bring them home. and read about them. And pretty soon I could identify virtually any rock, where it came from, how it was formed. Still in the fifth grade. Still the dummy. Nobody knew about this project of mine.

And then one day, Mr. Jake, the fifth grade science teacher, walked in and he held up this big, black, shiny rock. He says, can anybody tell me what this is? Well, I never raised my hand. I never answered questions. So I waited for one of the other students and nobody Nobody raised their hand. And I said, wow, this is my big chance. And I raised my hand. And Mr. Jake was shocked.

And then one day, Mr. Jake, the fifth grade science teacher, walked in and he held up this big, black, shiny rock. He says, can anybody tell me what this is? Well, I never raised my hand. I never answered questions. So I waited for one of the other students and nobody Nobody raised their hand. And I said, wow, this is my big chance. And I raised my hand. And Mr. Jake was shocked.

And then one day, Mr. Jake, the fifth grade science teacher, walked in and he held up this big, black, shiny rock. He says, can anybody tell me what this is? Well, I never raised my hand. I never answered questions. So I waited for one of the other students and nobody Nobody raised their hand. And I said, wow, this is my big chance. And I raised my hand. And Mr. Jake was shocked.

And all my classmates were turning around. Benny Carson's got his hand up. Oh, this is going to be good. And Mr. Jake said, Benny? And I said, Mr. Jake, that's Obsidian. And there was silence in the room because nobody knew whether it was right or wrong and they didn't know whether they should be impressed or whether they should be laughing. And Mr. Jake said, that's right, it is Obsidian.

And all my classmates were turning around. Benny Carson's got his hand up. Oh, this is going to be good. And Mr. Jake said, Benny? And I said, Mr. Jake, that's Obsidian. And there was silence in the room because nobody knew whether it was right or wrong and they didn't know whether they should be impressed or whether they should be laughing. And Mr. Jake said, that's right, it is Obsidian.

And all my classmates were turning around. Benny Carson's got his hand up. Oh, this is going to be good. And Mr. Jake said, Benny? And I said, Mr. Jake, that's Obsidian. And there was silence in the room because nobody knew whether it was right or wrong and they didn't know whether they should be impressed or whether they should be laughing. And Mr. Jake said, that's right, it is Obsidian.

And I said, obsidian is formed after volcanic eruption and the lava flows down, it hits the water, there's a super cooling process, the elements coalesce, the surface glades. So everybody was staring at me. What in the world is going on here? But I was the most amazed person because it dawned on me at that moment. I said, you're no dummy at all.

And I said, obsidian is formed after volcanic eruption and the lava flows down, it hits the water, there's a super cooling process, the elements coalesce, the surface glades. So everybody was staring at me. What in the world is going on here? But I was the most amazed person because it dawned on me at that moment. I said, you're no dummy at all.

And I said, obsidian is formed after volcanic eruption and the lava flows down, it hits the water, there's a super cooling process, the elements coalesce, the surface glades. So everybody was staring at me. What in the world is going on here? But I was the most amazed person because it dawned on me at that moment. I said, you're no dummy at all.

The reason you knew the answer is because you've been reading the books. I said, aren't you tired of being called a dummy? I said, what if you read books about all your subjects? From that point forward, you never saw me without a book. If I had five minutes, I was reading a book. I went from being called a dummy to being called a bookworm.

The reason you knew the answer is because you've been reading the books. I said, aren't you tired of being called a dummy? I said, what if you read books about all your subjects? From that point forward, you never saw me without a book. If I had five minutes, I was reading a book. I went from being called a dummy to being called a bookworm.

The reason you knew the answer is because you've been reading the books. I said, aren't you tired of being called a dummy? I said, what if you read books about all your subjects? From that point forward, you never saw me without a book. If I had five minutes, I was reading a book. I went from being called a dummy to being called a bookworm.

And within the space of a year and a half, I went from the bottom of the class to the top of the class. Wow. All the students who used to call me dummy were coming to me saying, Benny, Benny, how do you work this problem? And I would say, sit at my feet, youngster, while I instruct you. I was probably a little obnoxious. But it really changed the trajectory of my life significantly.

And within the space of a year and a half, I went from the bottom of the class to the top of the class. Wow. All the students who used to call me dummy were coming to me saying, Benny, Benny, how do you work this problem? And I would say, sit at my feet, youngster, while I instruct you. I was probably a little obnoxious. But it really changed the trajectory of my life significantly.

And within the space of a year and a half, I went from the bottom of the class to the top of the class. Wow. All the students who used to call me dummy were coming to me saying, Benny, Benny, how do you work this problem? And I would say, sit at my feet, youngster, while I instruct you. I was probably a little obnoxious. But it really changed the trajectory of my life significantly.