The inspiring story of an inner-city kid with poor grades and little motivation, who at age thiry-three, became director of pediatric neurosurgery at John Hopkins University Hospital. It reveals a man with humility, decency, compassion, courage, and sensitvity who serves as a role model for youg people {and everyone else} in need of encouragement to attempt the seemingly impossible and to excal in whatever they attempt. Dr. Carlson also describes the key role that is highly intelligent though relatively uneducated mother played in his metamorphosis from an unmotivated ghetto youngster to one of the most respected neurosurgeons in the world.