<DIV>Alfredo Quióones-Hinojosa went from moving irrigation canals and picking tomatoes to fighting brain cancer. This endearing story, told in a first-person account, describes the journey: It takes us to his childhood in a tiny village in Baja California, Mexico, to neurosurgery research at the celebrated school and hospital, Johns Hopkins. The path starts with his childhood dreams, including how to dominate the workings of Kalimán (a comic book character), and to travel to distant worlds; and what takes place in the back-breaking work in the fields and railroads on the other side of the border, a community college, Harvard, and the University of California. The seeds that were planted in that youngster about self-help, the faith in family, and numerous mentors, bore fruit. His wholeheartedness, daring, and personal efforts to defy the obstacles and follow his calling will inspire readers to follow their own dreams.</div>