America the Beautiful: Rediscovering What Made This Nation Great

by Ben Carson

What is America becoming? Or, more importantly, what can she be if we reclaim a vision for the things that made her great in the first place? In America the Beautiful, Dr. Ben Carson helps us learn from our past in order to chart a better course for our future. From his personal ascent from inner-city poverty to international medical and humanitarian acclaim, Carson shares experiential insights that help us understand ... what is good about America ... where we have gone astray ... which fundamental beliefs have guided America from her founding into preeminence among nations Written by a man who has experienced America's best and worst firsthand, America the Beautiful is at once alarming, convicting, and inspiring. You'll gain new perspectives on our nation's origins, our Judeo-Christian heritage, our educational system, capitalism versus socialism, our moral fabric, healthcare, and much more. An incisive manifesto of the values that shaped America's past and must shape her future, America the Beautiful calls us all to use our God-given talents to improve our lives, our communities, our nation, and our world.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, History, Biography, Political Science, Philosophy, Christian

224 pages, Paperback

First published December 16, 2011

About the author

Benjamin Solomon "Ben" Carson, Sr., M.D. is an American neurosurgeon and the Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the United States by President George W. Bush in 2008.

Reviews

[Will · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book by Ben Carson that I've read. He is a wonderful writer. I grew up leaning to the left politically, and reading what he writes makes me want to change my political beliefs. While reading it I also wanted to become a stronger Christian. He's an extremely intelligent person and has so many great ideas. Of course the purpose is to review his book and not his political beliefs. The book is fantastic. There is nothing negative in his ideas. There is no hatemongering or vitriol. It is so refreshing after listening to election news coverage and people just constantly griping or spamming anti-Obama or pro-Obama crap over and over in Facebook. If you like politics but are sick of hearing about it, you will love this book. Even though the book is only 200 pages long, it's a dense 200 pages, but it's still easy to read. This is a must-read.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

When you realize Ben Carson's unique background - that he grew up in poverty as an African American in the slums of Detroit and Boston; that his single Mom wisely motivated him to read as a pathway out of poverty; that reading gave him an insatiable appetite for learning; that he has been a union member; has managed a crew picking up trash on the highway and motivated them to the highest productivity; that he graduated from Yale in psychology and U of Michigan med school; that at age 33 he was named Chief of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins; that he has experienced virtually every economic class in our society firsthand; that he is a prostate cancer survivor, that he has traveled the world over; that he is much in demand as a public speaker - you appreciate that this is an extremely intelligent and learned commentator who has lived life and has many insights to offer.

Dr. Carson points out that many pinnacle nations including Egypt, Greece, Rome, Great Britain, France and Spain have declined. They all shared similarities; "an inordinate emphasis on sports and entertainment, a fixation with lifestyles of the rich and famous, political corruption, and the loss of a moral compass." "The question is, can we learn from the experience of those nations the preceded us and take corrective action, or must we inexorable follow the same self-destructive course?"

[Verona · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book!! Everything about it rings true to me. I agree with the values, spirit, patriotic principles, and the ideas espoused and taught by Dr. Benjamin Carson. What I admired most was Dr. Carson's weaving of the statements and principles of the founding fathers into today's government and political scenes. He shared many clear, easy to understand thoughts as to how the problems facing America, our beloved country, could be improved and even solved using the Constitution. I hung on every quote from those wise men who risked everything to give us freedom in the foundation of the United States. Dr. Carson's underlying faith in God and his unwavering stance on the truths he believes in give credence to his ideas. I totally agree with his denouncing political correctness. I admire his courage in speaking what he believes in without being offensive; it's what he believes. I agree with his philosophy on our nation being founded with God's guidance and that our nation will be blessed as long as we as a nation continue to believe in and honor God and turn to Him. I agree with his ideas on the importance of education and hard work and his opposition to entitlements. I couldn't put this book down today; I just had to finish it; I just felt inspired and thankful to hear such great thoughts about life and our wonderful country of America.
I recommend this book to every citizen of our country. You will find yourself feeling more patriotic and more hopeful when you read it.

[John Ison · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dr. Carson is a rising star, touted as the new voice of moderation of the Republican Party, so I was anxious to read his latest book. It is very disappointing. The book is a combination of one more moralistic rant from the right with a wildly simplistic analysis of the economics of capitalism and socialism. In his view, what made America the greatest power the world has seen was a virtuous mixture of capitalism, low taxes and Christian morals. No mention of one of the largest resource rich territories the world has seen.

His message appears to be that everyone should be like him, moral, brilliant, talented, and determined, and the country would be just fine. How arrogant! How elitist! How conceited!

His book is no work of art either. He repeats anecdotes frequently and the book is poorly edited. For research he substitutes parables, homilies, personal experience and personal stories.

His economic analysis is so simplistic, so ill-informed that it impairs the rest of the book. He admits to the need to invest in health care and education; he effectively addresses the vastly overgrown military/security apparatus and he is eloquent on issues like racism and equality. There is no mention of the massive financial and societal costs of crime.

If you are looking for an effective analysis of America today read Fareed Zakaria or Thomas Friedman.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read so many books but I rarely buy them because I can read all I want thanks to that amazing invention called the public library. However, I will definitely buy this one. I have tremendous respect for Dr. Benjamin Carson for his rise from poverty to become the head of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins and for his Carson Scholars charity that has given over 5000 scholarships to students of high academic achievement who also demonstrated their commitment to humanity. A Democrat for much of his life but now an independent, Dr. Carson shares his insights into what is wrong with America, how political intransigence on both sides of the aisle is contributing to it, how political correctness has stifled healthy respectful debate, and what we all need to do as a nation to preserve our greatness in the future. A quick read (less than 200 pages) packed with lots of wisdom. I would recommend that everyone read it.

[Andrzej · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes just reading a book where an intelligent, thoughtful person speaks simple, common sense is all one needs to return one from a world filled with trivial, insane thoughts and ideas. This is one of those books and one of those people. Recommended for anyone who has just about given up hope that such people still live and thrive in this nation.

[Steffie · Rating 4 out of 5]

THANK YOU! I was first inspired to read this after hearing Dr. Carson's speech at the National Prayer Republican National Convention. I always knew what a brilliant doctor Carson was, but this book just confirmed how wonderful he really is. He really embodies both the American dream and represents the ethics and morals every physician should follow. I was so relieved after reading this; it gives me hope that there is still some influential figure out there that still has common sense.

Dr. Carson sheds light on what it really means to be American. He reawakens our core values, reminding us all of what America really represents and the reason our founding fathers created this great nation. He urges us to disregard politics and to embrace rationality. It is no longer about who belongs to which party, but about actual change. American politics waste too much time worrying about who we NEED to please; we need to be worrying about the people that this nation was meant to serve. It's time to throw away all this political correctness and see the situations for what they really are. He brings forth a good argument on how superficial our nation has become, and how our nation will fall apart lest we improve our education system. As a recent graduate from UCSD, I can see the wide contrast between Americans and foreigners, and it is quite scary. Dr. Carson attempts to inspire his readers by drawing on the marvelous battles that our founding father had to fight to create this free nation, drawing on America's proudest and most successful moments.

I could go on and on, but in short, this was a magnificent novel. I am 22 years old and have not registered to vote, not because I don't care about politics, but because I have not found a candidate worthy of being chosen. I love the American system, but I have come to realize how many changes this nation needs in order to restore its great glory. Not to mention, I never thought I would have agreed with a conservative Republican.However, after reading this novel, if rumors are true and Dr. Carson does run for president next, I will be the first to register to vote and cast my vote for him.

In all of this positivity, there were a couple of things that I did disagree with. I did not like how he included his view on gay marriage, and his incorporation with religion. His book was about the beauty of America, and yes I did agree with the fact that Americans is oversensitive about religion, but I did not like how he chose to reference it so constantly. Perhaps it is my more liberal view and the fact that I didn't grow up with religion, but I just thought of it as unnecessary. Furthermore, I thought his piece on gay marriage was irrelevant. This was about the problems about politicians and a criticism of the way government is run, NOT about how changing the definition of marriage is parallel to changing institutions, which is wrong. Changing our definition of marriage does not bring down society, which was the impression I received when he addressed the issue, which is ultimately the reason behind my four star review.

[Lillie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have had this book on Kindle for some time but didn't read it until after following (and contributing to) the movement to recruit Dr. Ben Carson to run for president of the US.

This man has a compelling personal story, which is covered in an earlier book Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story. Although I would normally not expect a world-renowned pediatric neurosurgeon to have the wide-ranging knowledge and leadership qualities that the presidency requires, Ben Carson has demonstrated that he has the knowledge and the leadership ability. He is a devout Christian committed to keeping America a great nation and a moral one. However, he is very practical and logical and understands when to compromise and when to stand firm.

He is a strong advocate of self-reliance, but he believes in helping those who can't help themselves. Growing up in the ghettos of Detroit, he was ashamed that his family had to rely on food stamps, in spite of his uneducated mother working several domestic jobs at a time to support the family, so he understands those in real need. But he explains his ideas in this book about how to meet the basic needs of everyone while ensuring that those who are able to do so work or go to school.

Dr. Carson and his wife have run a nonprofit organization for a number of years. Carson's Scholars awards scholarships to students who exhibit both academic excellence and humanitarian actions--regardless of race, creed, or any other designation. No matter how brilliant the student is or how high his grades, he receives a scholarship only if he also does something in his life to help others.

Dr. Carson is a student of history, and in this book, he shares things about American history that aren't always taught in our schools. While he doesn't believe in political correctness, he advocates treating everyone with dignity and respect.

His ideas are practical and logical and, I think, demonstrate the leadership qualities needed in a president. He reminds us that this country was founded on the principle that our representatives would be doctors and business owners and teachers and farmers who go to Washington for a short time and make their contributions to government, then go back to the hospital or the store or the school or the farm and resume their lives. The Founding Fathers did not intend for us to be governed entrenched politicians in Washington who lose touch with what the people want.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is disgusted with our government and who wants to regain the freedoms and the Judeo-Christian principles this country was founded upon.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an easy and enjoyable read. Ben Carson is an American success story coming from failing grades in elementary school in inner-city Detroit to becoming a Neurosurgeon at Johns Hopkins. One of the main reasons for his success was his mother who encouraged him but also layed down strict rules for him such as limited television, lots of reading of books, writing book reports for her (even though she couldn't read them, unknown to Ben). Most of that part of his life is detailed in the book Gifted Hands and the movie of the same name. He is one of the most impressive people I have learned about. This book is his way of using common sense to address many of the issues facing America today including race, religion, poverty, education, and many other topics. He points out that many of the signers of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were physicians. If he ever decides to run for president, he definitely has my vote.

[Gigi · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent! Know him, worked with him , love him for his intelligence, integrity and for who he is despite what he could've become. Read this book and learn!

[Krys Gut · Rating 4 out of 5]

Each year, the White House hosts a National Prayer Breakfast, hosted by the president and first lady, with a variety of important keynote speakers and typically attended by about 3,500. It is designed to be a forum for the political, social and business elite to assemble and build relationships.

In 2013, the guest speaker was Dr. Ben Carson, the Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at John Hopkins. The White House made numerous requests for his speech beforehand, but the doctor said he does not write out speeches but instead gave them a number of bible-based topic points he intended to cover. The White House told him not to ‘offend’ the president, but as was quickly revealed in the speech, the doctor is not an advocate of holding back for reasons of political correctness. He believes we should speak up for what we believe, and he did exactly that—in front of President Obama.

What followed, was a 25 minute eloquent speech where Carson talked about how our government has gone astray, centered around topics of the enormity of the debt, the reckless spending by D.C., the unfair tax burdens, etc. Obama sat politely but stone-faced for the entire speech—and it was tremendous!

After watching the speech, I had to read Carson’s book. Ben Carson came from very humble beginnings. His family was black, growing up in a poor area of Detroit, a single-mother with a third-grade education and poor—very poor. But his mother saw that families on public welfare tended to stay on welfare. And so she instilled in her two boys a love of reading that helped to eventually cultivate a love of learning and a drive to excel. He went on to graduate from Yale and University of Michigan, and now holds a prominent position at the elite John Hopkins Medical Center.

Carson discusses what traits helped to build this country, and how we have lost our way and vision on so many levels. Hard work is not rewarded but instead the harder we work, the more we are asked to give to those who do not contribute. He covers topics of morality, social entitlements, escalating tax burdens, mandatory healthcare spending, how unions have become warped and are now the instigators of unfair employment practices rather than the promoter of fair trade, etc.

He points out that many once great nations including Egypt, Greece, Rome, Great Britain, etc., have declined but once shared similarities: an inordinate emphasis on sports and entertainment, a fixation with the famous, political corruption, and the loss of a moral compass. If we think it can’t happen here… read up on history, it already is happening here—we are destroying our nation.

He has an ease of providing simple parallels to complex issues, and while I don’t necessarily agree with all of his ideas, it is obvious that he is an original thinker. This is a deeply engaging and thought provoking book.

[Gail Welborn · Rating 5 out of 5]

***Wisdom from the pen of a man who's seen the best and the worst of America***

Dr. Ben Carson, author, renowned surgeon and Chief of Pediatric Neurosurgery for Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore questions if it’s time for America to again “…work toward liberty and justice for all…” in America the Beautiful.

Justice wasn’t a term Ben was familiar with growing up in the slums of Detroit and Boston as a young African-American boy. He experienced “overt racism” at school and “systemic racism” within his own family. Yet his poverty stricken, hard-working single mom taught him to rise above his circumstances and strive for excellence. With her love, support and “no-nonsense parenting” he modeled himself after Joseph of the Old Testament and worked hard to become the “best that he could be,” similar to Joseph when his brothers sold him into Egyptian slavery.

Ben couldn’t know his life path of accountability, “personal responsibility and self-reliance” would lead to:
• Separating “conjoined twins at the head” in 1987:www.nndb.com/people/760/000127379/
• The Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2008: www.hopkinschildrens.org/newsDetail.a...
• Or the controversial speech at the National Prayer Breakfast February 2013 that he gave to “please God” www.christianpost.com/news/dr-ben-car...

He honors the nation and appreciates the freedoms that allowed him to excel, yet he fears America is being weakened by “political corruption,” and a growing climate of political correctness that affects the way we think, our very freedom of speech.

It’s happened before to great nations of the past, such as Ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, Great Britain, France, and Spain, nations who reached their “pinnacle” only to become a second rate power if they survived at all…Full Review: http://www.examiner.com/list/america-...

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ben Carson is the epitome of what it means to attain the American Dream. Ben and his brother Curtis were raised in poverty by a single mom in the inner cities of Boston and then Detroit. Their mother worked two to three jobs as a domestic servant. While she had only a 3rd grade education, Sonya Carson knew the only way out of poverty for her sons was through education. She pushed them to read, even to write book reports and always to strive to be better. She was met with great resistance from her sons. Ben and Curtis became the proverbial troubled youths, but Sonya prevailed. In Ben's words, reading was a chore until it wasn't. He changed his life through religion and education. He became the famed Dr. Ben Carson, pediatric neurosurgeon and Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins.

So, America the Beautiful is an autobiography in parts. It is also a history book, a concise history of how we developed as a nation. America the Beautiful is a civics book describing how our government works and how it does not work. Carson looks at the way the Founding Fathers envisioned our nation and examines what the United States has become. Dr. Carson appraises social issues of today...capitalism vs. socialism ( hint: neither is perfect), education, welfare and healthcare.

I recommend this book to everyone. It is less than 200 pages. Dr. Carson intersperses stories from his own life throughout the book, but the book contains so much more than that. It makes you realize that we live in a nation where all things are possible...we have drifted from that stance, but not too far. We are lucky to live in the United States. Let's make sure all things continue to be possible for future generations.

[Dennis Henn · Rating 2 out of 5]

A neurosurgeon offers a corrective on what ails America, providing high school depth insight into categories like economics, education, public morality, race relations, politics, history, and health care. With his background in medicine, Carson speaks with some authority on health care. Labeling those on the Left as "bleeding heart liberals," and labeling those on the Right as "holier-than-thou," conservatives pushed us as readers to assume solutions to our country's problems were easy once the crazies with an agenda were discounted. His basic premise was if a person works hard enough, long enough success will follow as long as the government stays out of our business. Carson claims to be an Independent and warns against blind partisanship. He chastises blacks for voting for Obama simply because he is black. He did not chastise whites for voting against Obama for the same reason. He writes, "When you balance the right and left wings evenly . . . the potential for progress is tremendous. Of course this is an oversimplification. (p.188)" The oversimplification part is how I view his book.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book -- definitely political, but not partisan. Carson presents his own thoughts on America today, and what is needed to get us back-on-track as a nation. Although he sharply criticizes Obama's policies, he also criticizes the policies of Republicans in general and George W. Bush in particular. Some of his positions lean libertarian, but others clearly don't.

He promotes free thinking and speech rather than political correctedness. He promotes a flat tax rather than a progressive tax (he mentions the 10% Biblical tithe more than once as an example). He promotes freedom of expression religiously, but he doesn't support legislating morality.

I recommend this book as definitely worth the time required to read or listen to it!

[Brendan Holly · Rating 1 out of 5]

As any good Neoconservative these days, Carson invokes the founding fathers early and often. Carson quotes those old geezers nonstop in regards to government, poverty, education, and religion. I had to stop reading the book several times to check the date. It IS the 21st century and despite what Dr. Carson and his neocon friends may believe, there have been significant advancements in political, ethical, religious, and sociological studies. The founding fathers, who only granted power to white male landowners, did not encounter the industrial revolution, the telephone, or the internet. It is time that the US politicians stopped masturbating to paintings of Washington crossing the Delaware and Benjamin flying a goddamn kite.

Furthermore, if Carson wants to invoke Thomas Paine, he should probably come to terms with Paine's The Age of Reason, criticizing his ridiculous religious beliefs. Thankfully America's religiosity is finally on the decline.

There is plenty to mock, disagree with, and analyze in this book that I do not have the stomach nor the time for, but I will leave you all with Carson's brilliant foreign policy analysis in regards to terrorist encampments in Iraq:
"I would have announced via bullhorn and leaflets that in seventy-two hours Falluhjah was going to become part of the desert because there were substantial numbers of terrorists hiding there. This would have given people time to flee before the city was destroyed, and is a tactic that would actually save lives not only of women and children, but also men. If the terrorists were foolish enough to choose to remain and to keep people from leaving, any ensuing deaths would clearly be their responsibility. Admittedly these are very bold and definitive steps, but such actions would likely preclude long drawn-out wars, and ultimately decrease the numbers of people killed and injured."

Carson leaves much to be desired politically. This proposal would kill plenty of people who have spent their lives where the bombs are coming. It will uproot hundreds of people, leaving them more susceptible to joining the "radical groups" Carson plans to eradicate. The "radicals" will also leave, meaning that all Carson would be doing is destroying the homes and stationary property of civilians.

As many neoconservatives, Carson has made a stable, irrational, and unchanging religion out of outdated politics, and somehow, many people here consider him a moderate: the curse of an extreme right and a center-right party.

[Mary Finney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent thought provoking book. It should be required reading for all Americans.

[Schuyler Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr. Ben Carson has written a book, AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL, that is filled with history, insight, persuasive argument, and clear-headed ideas aimed at ending the problems that plague our country. He presents intelligent and simple views about where we come from, where we are, and where we’re going. His voice is calm and convincing, his logic is rock solid. Unfortunately, I don’t find many practical solutions in his careful appraisals.

As he invokes the voices of our founding fathers to bolster his arguments about our migration from their original intentions, he reveals the selfishness and greed modern America has assimilated because of this abandonment. The need for material comfort has become so deeply ingrained in the majority of our population that it permeates every aspect of our lives and colors the decisions of our leaders. Education, commerce, religion, labor, government, and interpersonal relationships have all become saturated with a culture of avariciousness. Neither his discourse nor is his appraisal is new, but he states it eloquently.

Carson blames a growing sense of helplessness that affects our relationships with others. We are not as caring or interested with helping each other as we once were. Our country is not the self-sufficient or productive global powerhouse it once was. Politicians spend massive amounts of time, effort, and dollars in padding their comfortable nests with money taken from the general populace. The have-nots among us spend more time trying to scam a generous system than we do attempting to turn our lives into being productive citizens. Our American enterprise is waning, and along with it our once comfortable life.

The author points out that early warnings issued by our forefathers, as they crafted what they believed could become the greatest civilization in history, have not been heeded. The very practices of letting morality sink into disfavor, disregarding financial stability, ignoring family values, diminishing strong education practices, holding government control in check, invading the right of privacy; these were all warts that our founders specifically warned against growing. Dr. Carson quotes our fathers' concerns and points out how our "leaders" have ignored those warnings through the years.

We have all witnessed the pompous behavior and lack of cooperation in Washington and the effect vast amounts of money has on political actions. We have observed public employees and employee unions operate in an atmosphere of greed, threatening the economic stability of all taxpayers. We have seen big businesses dodge tax obligations by off-shoring their products without regard for quality, safety, employees, or customers. We have seen health care providers sacrifice service for profit. These are just a few of the failings in our American culture addressed by Dr. Carson, and he documents them in clear and concise language.

Where are the practical solutions? After thoroughly dissecting the problems Dr. Carson bids a hasty adieu in a flurry of generalities about the types of action needed but his solutions are murky. I’d like a sequel to this book that outlines, step-by-step, the actions that need to be taken to address the problems he has burdened us with. He’s covered the problems. How do we solve them in a practical manner?

I recommend this book to those people who are comfortable with their way of life but feel a vague uneasiness about the future. I also recommend it to those who are dissatisfied with the status quo but need a clear view at the reason. For those who want an action plan, they will have to wait for a sequel.

[India M. Clamp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy read and a touch political perhaps. Good example of a man who came from nothing and arose to greatness with common sense principles.

[Deacon Tom (Feeling Better) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb

Dr. Carson goes through the positive and negative aspects of our country, issue by issue. I particularly like the way he dealt with the issues and not the politics behind them.

This is a truly great man and he expresses his greatness in the pages of this book.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was excited to sign onto the library's lengthy waiting list to read America the Beautiful: Rediscovering What Made This Nation Great after hearing Dr. Carson speak (on TV) at a recent prayer breakfast. This book combines vignettes from his life with his ideas on why America is great and how we can keep it that way.

At the risk of sounding political, my first thought just a few pages in was why couldn't this guy have been our first black President? Carson was raised by a single mom with a third-grade education. He faced a life of poverty and challenges, but he ended up becoming a world-famous neurosurgeon. Throughout the book, his common sense and practicality shines through. He would seem to be a great candidate, because he often alludes to the idea that all voices need to be heard, etc. He also emphasizes that doctors and other professionals have been trained to think logically and to solve problems, so wouldn't it make sense to elect them to office? If the US needs anything right now, it's people in charge who can make wise decisions and implement them.

Carson shares his views on capitalism, socialism, morality, defense, healthcare, and more. With news of his upcoming retirement from medicine, this book could be a great campaign tool for him should he decide to run for office. I'd vote for him! Interesting book, recommended. It will make you feel good -- or at least hopeful -- about America again.

[Gordon Alley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This a great book from the eyes of a man who grew up in extreme poverty in both Detroit and Boston during the racial wars in America. Because of the dogged determination of a single mom who did not allow him to watch much television and required him to read two books a week and give her a written report, Mr. Carson developed an education to become one of the greatest neurosurgeons in history. He shares many inspiring illustrations of his personal life such as the diligence to wake up every morning at 6:00 AM and study to 11:00 PM daily six days a week in order to make it academically through medical school. He did this consistently except for Saturday in which he would recharged and rest himself.

As a man who was raised as a Democrat to become a Republican and later an independent of any party affiliation, Mr. Carson through his problem-solving, intellectually-trained mind, offers many common-sense principals to welfare reform, medical reform, and our country's debt crisis. America the Beautiful is also a very-well documentation of U.S. History and of our founding fathers original intent. Mr. Carson states our country's greatness can be illustrated by the flight of our national bird. Balance is necessary for our country to sore on its "left-wing" and "right wing."

[Stan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have admired Ben Carson for many years. From a childhood of abject poverty in Detroit and Boston, a childhood with no hope of academic achievement, and a childhood where racism was all too real, to the ivied walls of Yale, the University of Michigan Medical School, and an illustrious career as a neurosurgeon at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Ben Carson has never shied away from doing his best, following his instinct and his dream, and maintaining his faith in God. He is a man of great intelligence, uncommon common sense, and faith in the goodness of America and its people. In America the Beautiful he explains his view of life and what is good for America. He inspires us to put aside personal interests, one-upmanship, and partisan bickering, to take responsibility for ourselves and our country, and to do the things necessary to ensure this country is humane, benevolent, and a place where anyone can work hard, fulfill his or her dreams, and make a positive contribution. This man just might be able to incite real and positive changes in this country.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I respect Dr. Carson and agree with most of his ideas as presented in America the Beautiful. However, because the book offers an overview of many issues, it tends to oversimplify. Carson also seems far more optimistic than I am about the current state of our nation, particularly the percentage of people who prefer freedom to comfort, the ability of education to produce rational citizens in the age of political correctness, and the extent to which hard work and intelligence are rewarded in the work force. (I love his rags-to-riches story, but I believe it's the exception rather than the rule. I know far too many smart, diligent people who are regularly passed over for jobs, promotions, and opportunities in favor of slackers, simpletons, and suck-ups.)

[Nancy Orlando · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book. Carson's knowledge and understanding about our founding fathers if remarkable. He helps you understand what they wanted for our new country and shows the events that have taken us away from the path they intended for us. He not only understands what our problems are, he clearly understands what to do to redirect us in the right direction. After reading the book, I sincerely hope this man will decide to get into politics. I think he would make a fabulous president.

[Shauna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading Dr. Carson's book and highly recommend anyone living in the United States of America should read it too.

[Ron Wroblewski · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd vote for him. The book is filled with his background & ideas about national issues. I agree with him on many issues.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bet 100 people could read this book and take away 100 different ideas or opinions. What I got out of this is that I'm wishy washy. The author of this book stands strong for his beliefs in religion, politics, marriage, welfare programs and many more issues. And by issues I mean hot topics and he voices his opinions loud and proud. I, on the other hand, seem to be apologetic and fearful not to offend anyone. So I opt to remain silent, (my husband wouldn't believe that last statement...or my children.)

I enjoyed his audacity, if I can call it that. While reading this, I resolved to live louder and and without apology for my beliefs, but we'll see. That sounds like one of those things that is easier said than done. I loved his take on the American constitution and the founding fathers. I also liked how he supported his beliefs by historical events. But the thing I LOVED the most was that he DID NOT have to shame others to make his point. That alone earns extra points from me. Overall, he offered a lot of food for thought, which is always a good thing regardless of where you sit politically, religiously, etc. I really enjoyed this one and I felt inspired. I might need to listen to it one more time.

[Missy LeBlanc Ivey · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great refresher course on government history! He writes like he speaks...with love, calmness, and compassion. Although a political book, Ben Carson weaves stories of his life into the book. He tells how he determinedly pulled himself out of poverty against all odds. Being from the inner city of Detroit, with a little time in Boston, where he and his brother fell far behind in school. He claims to have been the dumbest kid in the all white Detroit classes. His mother, divorced and concerned, turned off the TV and made Ben and his brother, Curtis, focus on homework and read two books each week from the local library and write book reports on each while she worked several jobs to make ends meet. The boys were angry at first, and the mother's friends warned her that they would grow to hate her. She didn't care. Ben began to love reading and learning. He first read "Chip, The Damn Builder", and other animal stories over the years up to Jack London's classic, "The Call of the Wild". He then moved into reading biographies of successful people and how they made their accomplishments. Instead of being laughed at in class, by his 7th grade year, he was now helping the other students.

Today, of course, we all know he's not just a successful brain surgeon, he also plays a political role because he loves and cares for this country, which isn't measuring up to what it should be. Education is empowering, but has severely declined. He writes that "when we instill morals and values into the educational process for young people,...we help them realize they have an obligation to become well educated and informed citizens, and to contribute to the system as opposed to draining it of its resources." (p. 59) "By remaining ignorant, we shirk our democratic duty and open ourselves to slick politicians who would usurp our rights." (p. 60) This nation was founded by God-fearing founders on which the foundation was laid. We've obviously lost our way, and that is what this book is all about.

He explains in the most direct and easiest layman terms, that even I can understand, how and why the Constitution was written. He briefly goes over the three branches of government and how they are suppose to function with checks and balances to keep any one branch from becoming too powerful...and how our government is failing and doing things more and more off the mark against the people's will and knowledge. You'll even learn a few truths of our founding fathers that were removed from school textbooks, and even some lies that liberal left have spread in an attempt to change the characters of our founding fathers and history itself. As more and more Americans feel that downhill spiraling anger and division rising, the big question today is do we still have it in us to endure hardships and sacrifice for future generations like in times past? Personally, I don't think so, I'm more of a pessimist, but Ben Carson is a lot more positive and has a lot more faith than I do. He believes their is still hope that we can turn this around.

Carson lays out his common-sense ideas on what could be done to solve a few of the biggest issues America faces today:

1. High cost of healthcare - Remove insurance companies from catastrophic health-care coverage, making it a government responsibility. Insurance would be allowed a 15% profit in which 5% would go to the government for paying out. Hospice is necessary, a good thing, for helping to take care of a person during their last days. But, he questions all the poking and prodding and extra unnecessary medical care when the person is obviously very old and dying and in their last days or months of living. Other countries seem to accept the fact that death is imminent.
2. Taxes - Jesus set the example...10% across the board, whether you make $1.00 or $1k or $1m.
3. Reducing government deficit - Start off cutting at 10% across the board...every single department of government. That's manageable. They'll find where they can cut wasteful spending, then when they are used to that budget, cut it again another 10%, and again, if necessary.
4. War - The choice to enter into war is not always so black and white. Carson is pretty tough on this one. When we are at war, and the terrorists infiltrate villages and hide amongst the people, he suggest we give the village a 24 hour notice that we are coming in and the innocent people should remove themselves. Then go in and turn it into dust, killing all who remain, even the women and children. This is war. After a time or two, the village people will be more willing to give up the terrorists rather than hiding them.
5. Welfare -He believes in a work/education for benefits philosophy. You don't keep rewarding bad behavior.

He does give his opinion into many of the other big issues of the day, such as: political correctness, socialism, class warfare, unions, racism, religious divide, gay marriage, to this lawsuit happy nation, the presses feeding frenzy and lies, and the corruption in our government. But, those things can only be solved by changing the people's mental attitudes. He takes a common no-nonsense belief that if we can just tone down the rhetoric and discuss things like rational human beings on issues without applying some political view, or trying to enforce your belief on everyone else, then we wouldn't be dealing with these escalating problems today.

In the end, Carson does a great job explaining the symbolism of the American flag, the bald eagle, and the Statue of Liberty, "In God We Trust" on our money, and the importance of it all.

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Glad I read it!