George Washington Carver (1860-1943), spent years researching God's creation, and how mankind could make the best use of common products such as peanuts, soybeans and pecans. His studies led to the acceptance of crop rotation in the South, freeing that region's dependence on cotton and tobacco, while also producing hundreds of new uses for other crops. Declining to profit from his many discoveries, Carver said, God gave them to me. How can I sell them to someone else? He remains an example of humble service to mankind.

George Carver left home at about age 12; he didn't know exactly when he was born. He left to find a school that would accept Negroes; the color of is skin kept him from attending college until he was 30, yet he achieved great success. Because someone suggested he add a middle initial so that his mail wouldn't be misdelivered, he added the W, ohers gave him the middle name of Washington. Carver was always humble, even in his successes - until very late in life, when he allowed himself pride in his work - his work, not himself.

The GW Carver Memorial is just south of the town where I grew up and where I now live, and I visited there many times in my youth. However, I didn't appreciate what a talented man he was until I read this book. He was a self-taught botanist (until he went to college and learned the names of things), a launderer and ironer extraordinaire, an accomplished crocheter, a singer, an accordionist, an actor, an orator, a writer (poems, letters, and professional papers later), and an artist. In fact, he was quite happy at the college in Iowa where he studied art, until his art instructor suggested he go to the state college of agriculture (in Iowa).

This book is probably written for a younger reader, but I found it very, very interesting.