This week’s review book is George Washington Carver
by John Perry, another book from Thomas Nelson’s “Christian Encounters” series. I have to say that I had almost given up on the series, as many of the books I’d read seemed to fall flat. But, Perry’s accomplishment with this biographical presentation of the life of such a remarkable man as Carver is anything but flat.
Although George Washington Carver is a very familiar name to me, I have never actually read a biography of his life, at least not beyond what can be found in history textbooks, brief historical accounts, or children’s books. What I found in John Perry’s presentation was fascinating.
Beginning with what is known of Carver’s birth and childhood and moving through his entire life, Perry presents an overview of both the personality and accomplishments of the “Peanut Man.” Some of the more popular stories I have heard, such as Carver’s near lynching by farmers when a peanut-flooded market threatened to ruin them, are missing from Perry’s biography. Instead, he takes a rather general approach to Carver’s work and focuses more specifically on the person and faith of George Washington Carver.
Perry presents Carver as a man of great humility who, oddly enough, craved attention and accolades. He was a man who stood firmly behind what he believed in, yet responded with mildness to the injustices against blacks in his time. His very character and behavior automatically engendered respect from people of all races, even the most racially biased. But above all, Carver was a man of faith. He firmly believed that the Creator is the fullness of life, and without Him there is no life. He taught and lived that truth with practically every breath, action, and word.
At 154 pages, George Washington Carver is far from a comprehensive biography. But, it is a balanced one, showing both the strengths and the faults of this incredible man. As such, it is an excellent overview of and introduction to the life of George Washington Carver, suitable for preteen through adult.
This book was sent to me by BookSneeze in exchange for my honest review.
Not Quite Ordinary 