"From the impoverished neighborhoods of Boston to the surgical suites of one of the nation’s most vaunted medical institutions, Steep traces the extraordinary journey of a boy who dared to dream beyond the limits imposed on him by a segregated society. This moving memoir recounts Craig Yorke’s steep climb from the poorest neighborhoods of Boston to the University of California San Francisco’s world-renowned neurosurgical program. A gifted violinist who might have filled concert halls instead of operating rooms, he chose to exercise his virtuosity in caring for patients with neurosurgical disease. A riveting story written with the same precision, clarity, and intensity that once guided his scalpel. Steep offers a rare window into the emotional and ethical terrain of a life spent on the front lines of life and death. Steep sands alongside the best medical memoirs—riveting, profound, and unforgettable."

– Dr. Paul Camarata, Chairman, Department of Neurosurgery and Chair, Neurosurgery, The University of Kansas Medical Center

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"…a fascinating memoir by a distinguished Black neurosurgeon. But it is more than that; it’s also evidence that professional achievement along with self-respect can bolster one’s “armor” against racist condescension. A Boston Latin School and Harvard University graduate who received his surgical training in San Francisco, Dr. Yorke moved to Topeka, Kansas, to seize the opportunity to work with the renowned Menninger Foundation and to meet the community’s need for a neurosurgeon. Dr. Yorke is a masterful storyteller."

– Bill Tuttle, Professor Emeritus of American Studies at the University of Kansas and the author of several books, notably including “Daddy’s Gone to War”: The Second World War in the Lives of America’s Children and Race Riot: Chicago in the Red Summer of 1919

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Craig Yorke has written a provocative book about his personal journey from childhood, adhering to his parents' dreams and plans for him, focusing on excellence in school, music and athletic pursuits throughout childhood and his professional career. I found Steep a thoughtful reflection on life lessons and a compelling read.

 – Kathleen Sebelius, 44th Governor of Kansas, 21st U.S. Secretary of Health & Human Services

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"Dr. Craig Yorke's book is a compelling account of his chartered climb from poverty to becoming a top neurosurgeon and the life lessons that have influenced and shaped him.  This vibrant narrative uses storytelling to engage readers and emphasizes the bravery required to reveal one's truth.  It is an inspiring must-read for anyone seeking encouragement and motivation on their life's journey, highlighting the transformative power of sharing our experiences."

– Michael Kates, History Teacher at Topeka Schools and previous Kansas Teacher of the Year Nominee 

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"Socrates insisted that self-knowledge is central to leading a meaningful life. What sounds so simple is in reality an adventure, often fraught with peril. Surprisingly, this book is not primarily about the obstacles inevitably faced and, not so inevitably, surmounted by a black man on his way to becoming a neurosurgeon. In this sense, it is a gentle rebuff of subjugating individual experience to the generalizing tendencies of identity politics. Steep is a memoir, a telling of the author’s life, but one that is no less a profound meditation on the toll it takes to stand before the steep wall of lowering historical forces and the determination, discipline, and drive necessary in scaling it. What awaits at the summit, however, is unexpected; the ultimate reward of the author’s journey upward is freedom - liberating self-knowledge and compassion for the struggles of others. Steep is about discovering what it is to become truly human. Abraham Joshua Heschel once said that radical amazement lay at the root of religious insight. That this work is but a page-turning 150 pages is in itself a miracle. I can only hope that this, the author’s first book, is not his last." 

– Tobias Schlingensiepen, Member of the Kansas House of Representatives, Senior Pastor First Congregational Church, Topeka, Kansas