We can't count on much in life, but we can count on one thing: adversity. We all suffer setbacks in life, so it's a matter of when, not if, hard times will come our way. How we handle that suffering, misfortune, and adversity determines if we will find purpose and meaning in life. Bull Shark: The Story of a Dropout Turned Doctor straddles the line between memoir and self-help as it tells a compelling life story while kicking readers in the pants to get back up and stop being victims. Through the story of a young delinquent from rural Eastern North Carolina who defied the odds and eventually found success, we learn that we are the only thing standing in our way from what we truly desire. For far too many, the American family is a broken home plagued by drug use, physical abuse, and low socioeconomic status. Treated as outcasts by the larger society, these families stick out like a face tattoo. Bull Shark, however, reminds us that no matter what barriers or disadvantages we face, a come-hell-or-highwater mindset and a firm belief that we can accomplish anything will lead us where we want to go. Bull Shark shows readers that it's not how many times you fall but how many times you get back up that matters. It is a testament that if you are willing to work hard and never give up, no walls are too high, and no chains are unbreakable. "I am strong because I've been weak. I am fearless because I've been afraid. I am wise because I've been foolish."-Anonymous