Paul Carlson Popular Books

Paul Carlson Biography & Facts

Paul E. Carlson (March 31, 1928 – November 24, 1964) was an American physician and medical missionary who served in Wasolo, a town in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He originated from Rolling Hills Covenant Church in Southern California, which is a member of the Evangelical Covenant Church denomination. He was killed in 1964 by rebel insurgents after being falsely accused of being an American spy. Biography Carlson was born in Culver City, California, the son of Swedish immigrant Gustav Carlson, a machinist, and his wife Ruth. He graduated from North Park University in 1948, and went on to earn a bachelor's degree in anthropology from Stanford in 1951, and finished medical school at George Washington University in 1956. After finishing medical school, he completed five years of internship and then surgery residency in Redondo Beach, California, during which time he met and married nurse Lois Lindblom of Menominee, Michigan.In 1961, Carlson decided to serve as a missionary doctor. He arrived in Congo and began working as a medical missionary for six months in Ubangi Province. In December 1961 he returned to Redondo Beach but continued to talk of returning to the Congo because of its great needs. In July 1963, along with his wife, son Wayne, and daughter Lynette, he returned to the Ubangi region of the African nation known at the time as the Republic of the Congo. Activities included working in the eighty-bed hospital and leper colony. During this time, Carlson acquired the nickname Monganga Paul (Monganga meaning "doctor" in the Lingala tongue). This work continued until the political unrest of the time reached them. In August 1964, rebels captured Stanleyville, now Kisangani, and the Carlson family crossed the Ubangi river to seek refuge in the Central African Republic. Carlson, however, remained committed to his hospital and work in Wasolo, and he returned. This final return placed him in the middle of the political unrest of the time, and he soon fell into the hands of the communist-inspired Congolese rebels of the Simba Rebellion. His home was looted, the hospital and other buildings were damaged and two of his staff members were shot. Under the unstable leadership of Christophe Gbenye, the rebels accused Carlson of being an American spy and took him as a hostage to Stanleyville. Carlson was held there and was mentally and physically tortured. In November 1964, Gbenye announced he would execute Carlson, prompting the U.S. government to begin negotiations for his release. In Stanleyville, Carlson joined the American consul as a captive of the rebels. Upon a breakdown in negotiations, paratroopers were flown in and the rebels panicked. On November 24, 1964, some Simbas soldiers opened fire into a crowd, and Carlson and several others ran to a wall in hopes of escaping. Before Carlson scaled the wall, he urged a clergyman to go first, and as he was climbing the wall after the clergyman, he was shot and killed by rebel gun fire. Legacy Carlson became known as the "Congo Martyr" and was featured on the covers of both Time and Life magazines. His tombstone, at Karawa, bears the inscription "Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."— John 15:13 Shortly after Carlson's death, Lois and others formed the Paul Carlson Medical Program with the goal of raising money to support the Loko hospital. They expanded with agricultural programs to teach nutrition, agronomy, and microenterprise. In 2000, the Paul Carlson Medical Program was revitalized and now operates under the name the Paul Carlson Partnership. The Paul Carlson Partnership is a Chicago-based nonprofit organization with a mission that focuses on investing in health care, economic development, and education in Central Africa.After her husband's death, wife Lois penned the biography "Monganga Paul" in 1965. Carlson Park within the neighborhood of Carlson Park, Culver City, California are both named in honor of him. (The Twilight Zone television episode entitled "You Drive" was filmed in this neighborhood one year before Carlson's death.) The Evangelical Covenant Church has produced a documentary entitled "Monganga" References Bibliography Carlson, Lois C. (1965). Monganga Paul. Chicago: Covenant Publications. ISBN 9780910452939. "Congo Martyr". Life. New York: Time Inc. December 4, 1964.External links Dr. Paul Carlson, Life (magazine cover), December 4, 1964. Dr. Paul Carlson, Time (magazine cover), December 4, 1964.. Discover the Paul Carlson popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Paul Carlson books.

Best Seller Paul Carlson Books of 2024

  • Cold Beach synopsis, comments

    Cold Beach

    Paul Carlson

    Wade Mylin lives alone in a very cold remote place, and were he capable of love, he'd love that strange world. Can Diana change him?

  • Waveform synopsis, comments

    Waveform

    Paul Carlson

    This flashfiction story combines classical philosophy, modern medical science, and a bit of humor.

  • Only Human synopsis, comments

    Only Human

    Paul Carlson

    A young student in New Jersey makes a surprising discovery about daytime TV advertisements.

  • Unwoke synopsis, comments

    Unwoke

    Ted Cruz

    Our institutions have gone "woke." Everybody knows that. But nobody has come up with a way to stop it. Until now.In this hardhitting new book, Senator Ted Cruz delivers a realistic...

  • The Apostle Paul, an interview by Wally Carlson synopsis, comments

    The Apostle Paul, an interview by Wally Carlson

    Wally Carlson

    An imagined interview with the Apostle Paul during his second imprisonment under the tyrannical reign of Emperor Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus by Wally Carlson

  • Mirror Girl synopsis, comments

    Mirror Girl

    Paul Carlson

    Mirror Girl is about a young lady who suspects that her idyllic home town is wholly different than it appears.Desdemona Pringle investigates several anomalies, and with the help of...

  • The Mueller Report synopsis, comments

    The Mueller Report

    Robert S. Mueller, Special Counsel's Office U.S. Department of Justice & Alan Dershowitz

    NOW A NEW YORK TIMES, WASHINGTON POST, WALL STREET JOURNAL, USA TODAY, AND PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BESTSELLER. There has never been a more important political investigation tha...

  • Serendipity synopsis, comments

    Serendipity

    Paul Carlson

    The Ancient Secrets Klub gathers at a plain dinner table, yet their efforts often reach across the globe, and sometimes beyond. A lot can happen over a tasty Italian meal.

  • The Impeachment Report synopsis, comments

    The Impeachment Report

    U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary & Alan Dershowitz

    The Official Report of the House Judiciary Committee on the ImpeachmentPlus the Dissenting Views from Republicans, the full Impeachment Inquiry Report on The Results of The TrumpUk...

  • Conspiracy Theory synopsis, comments

    Conspiracy Theory

    Paul Carlson

    The Ancient Secrets Klub meets at a popular Italian restaurant, yet their meetings are rarely ordinary. How much can possibly happen at a dinner table?

  • Santayana Station synopsis, comments

    Santayana Station

    Paul Carlson

    In the near future, a multicultural group of idealistic college students make a bold move to bring peace to the Balkans.

  • Spin synopsis, comments

    Spin

    Paul Carlson

    This is a humorous flashfiction tale about the intersection of cutting edge science, blathering politicians, and the mystery of our missing socks.