Reviewed by Dr. Robert Rose for Readers' Favorite

Dr. Lyon carried his theme of a Process Mind throughout the book whether discussing his childhood, travels with his brother, education, medical training or his long career as a doctor.

Process mind is a combination of Socratic questioning and Active Learning. Active learning is a process of challenging, thinking, doing and sharing knowledge – not sitting passively and regurgitating that often passes as education (it’s indoctrination).

His ability to challenge the status quo in every endeavor was most useful in medicine as he used his method to continually find creative solutions. It’s like watching a medical drama unfold.

It was evident that his earlier training as an engineer (not a railroad one) enabled him to see medical problems in a fresh perspective. I saw and see this as the new teachers that come from outside of education schools also bring new ideas into the classroom.

I identified with his bewilderment and sadness with his colleagues that, despite anecdotal and carefully designed experiments that solved many problems, they may have applauded his success, but didn’t use his ideas. They continued with techniques and materials that resulted in worsening the patients’ conditions even to a fatal conclusion. In education I saw the negative effects on students and parents.

He did receive many honors and some doctors (and patients) did benefit from his research, and they made effective changes. So, in his own words he has had (and still does have) an effective life.

This is book worth reading and could inspire anyone to live a more effective life.