February 28: A Doctor in the House by Candy Cardon

Like most Americans, you might think of Ben Carson as a trailblazing brain surgeon and, in the last few years, as an outspoken commentator on national issues. But his wife of more than 40 years knows him as so much more: a loving husband, a devoted father, a devout Christian, a committed philanthropist, and a fierce patriot.

Now, Candy Carson introduces us to the private side of a very public figure as she shares the inspiring story of their marriage and their family.

Like her husband, Candy grew up in Detroit, one of five children of a teacher and a factory worker. Also like Ben, she overcame her humble background through determination, hard work, and perseverance, earning a scholarship to attend Yale University. In that strange new world she focused on her studies, her music, and her deepening spiritual life. She attended church with a handsome older student who liked to tease her, but she never assumed he would be anything more than a friend to her.

But Ben and Candy quickly became inseparable, and they married soon after she graduated, with Ben still in medical school, preparing for his career as a soon-to-be world-famous pediatric neurosurgeon.

In A Doctor in the House: My Life With Ben Carson, Candy reveals many stories that have never been told before, despite the media spotlight on Dr. Carson in recent years.

She shows us what it was like when they moved to Baltimore to join the community centered around Johns Hopkins Hospital. She describes how their family evolved with the births of their three sons and the tragic miscarriage of their twins. She talks about the challenges of Ben's 12- to 20-hour workdays, saving thousands of lives every year while Candy ran the household.

She also addresses the prejudice they sometimes faced as African Americans, and how Ben's calm, level-headed approach made him a great problem solver at home and in their travels, just as he was in the operating room.

Above all, Candy reveals her husband's consistency as a believer: in God, in family, and in America. Having lived the American Dream, Ben believes every child from every background is capable of achieving it. That's why he and Candy have been committed to educating and inspiring young people and over the past 20 years have awarded more than 6,700 students with scholarships through their Carson Scholars Fund.

A Doctor in the House is a classic American love story and that story is far from over. As Candy writes, "We don't know what God has for us next, but we're ready to follow. As we head forward into the unknown once more, I thank God for putting us together."

Located in Hunt Valley, Maryland and part of Baltimore County, Greetings & Readings of Hunt Valley is the premier independent gift store in Maryland. Fiction, fashion and fun.

February 5: One Nation: What We Can All Do to Save America's Future by Ben Carson

The acclaimed brain surgeon who made headlines with his keynote at the National Prayer Breakfast in February 2013 presents a sequel to the best-selling America the Beautiful: Rediscovering What Made This Nation Great that outlines recommendations for correcting what he believes to be the country's economic and moral shortcomings.

Author Ben Carson, the former director of pediatric neurosurgery at John Hopkins Hospital, spoke directly to readers regarding his new book, One Nation: What We Can All Do to Save America's Future:

"In February 2013, I gave a speech at the National Prayer Breakfast. Standing a few feet from President Obama, I warned my fellow citizens of the dangers facing our country and called for a return to the principles that made America great.

"Many Americans heard and responded, but our nation's decline has continued. Today the danger is greater than ever before, and I have never shared a more urgent message than I do now.

"Our growing debt and deteriorating morals have driven us far from the founders’ intent. We’ve made very little progress in basic education. Obamacare threatens our health, liberty, and financial future. Media elitism and political correctness are out of control.

"Worst of all, we seem to have lost our ability to discuss important issues calmly and respectfully regardless of party affiliation or other differences. As a doctor rather than a politician, I care about what works, not whether someone has an (R) or a (D) after his or her name. We have to come together to solve our problems.

"Knowing that the future of my grandchildren is in jeopardy because of reckless spending, godless government, and mean-spirited attempts to silence critics left me no choice but to write this book. I have endeavored to propose a road out of our decline, appealing to every American's decency and common sense.

"If each of us sits back and expects someone else to take action, it will soon be too late. But with your help, I firmly believe that America may once again be 'one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.'"

Located in Hunt Valley, Maryland and part of Baltimore County, Greetings & Readings of Hunt Valley is the premier independent gift store in Maryland. Fiction, fashion and fun.