Synopses & Reviews
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind is the immensely engaging and inspiring true account of an enterprising African teenager who constructed a windmill from scraps to create electricity for his entire community. William Kamkwamba shares the remarkable story of his youth in Malawi, Africa—a nation crippled by intense poverty, famine, and the AIDS plague—and how, with tenacity and imagination, he built a better life for himself, his family, and his village. The poignant and uplifting story of Kamkwambas inspiration and personal triumph, co-written with Bryan Mealer, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind has already won ringing praise from former Vice President and Nobel Laureate Al Gore as well as Paolo Coelho, internationally bestselling author of The Alchemist.
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“William Kamkwamba is an alchemist who turned misfortune into opportunity, opportunity beyond his own. The book is about learning by inventing. Williams genius was to be ingenious.” Nicholas Negroponte, founder, MIT Media Lab, founder and chairman, One Laptop per Child
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“A rare and inspiring story of hope in rural Africa....William represents a new generation of Africans, using ingenuity and invention to overcome lifes challenges. Where so many tilt at windmills, William builds them!” Erik Hersman, AfriGadget.com
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“I was moved first to laughter, and then to tears by Williams explanation of how he turned some PVC pipe, a broken bicycle and some long wooden poles into a machine capable of generating sufficient current to power lights and a radio in his parents house. Ethan Zuckerman, cofounder, Global Voices
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“This exquisite tale strips life down to its barest essentials, and once there finds reason for hopes and dreams, and is especially resonant for Americans given the economy and increasingly heated debates over health care and energy policy.” Publishers Weekly (starred review)
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“This book is inspirational. What William did took nothing more than initiative and a little learning.... Theres never been a better time to Do It Yourself, and I love how much we can learn from those who often have no other choice.” Chris Anderson, editor in chief of Wired and author of Free and The Long Tail
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“I first met William on stage at TED.... His story, told in just a couple of minutes, was both astonishing and exhilarating. This book proves what those few minutes hinted at: a remarkable individual capable of inspiring many to take their future into their own hands.” Chris Anderson, TED Curator
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“William Kamkwambas achievements with wind energy should serve as a model of what one person, with an inspired idea, can do to tackle the crisis we face. His book tells a moving and exciting story.” Al Gore, former Vice President and Nobel Laureate
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“ In this book, the spirit, resilience and resourcefulness that are Africas greatest strengths shine through.... The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind is a remarkable story about a remarkable young man and his inquisitive and inventive mind.” Amy Smith, founder, D-Lab, MIT
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“A powerful read. This book takes you on a journey to discover pure innovation and the unfolding story of a natural genius. A true vision of struggle and tenacity to make a bold idea become a reality. This should be required reading for anyone who dares to dream.” Cameron Sinclair, Eternal Optimist, Architecture for Humanity
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“A moving, touching, important story. One more reminder of how small the world is and how powerful the human spirit can be.” Seth Godin, author of Tribes
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“Wonderful! I challenge you to read this story of one young man changing his corner of the world with nothing but intelligence and perseverance and not come away more hopeful about the prospects for a brighter, greener future.” Alex Steffen, editor, Worldchanging.com
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“Beyond opening the door to a nascent genre of African Innovation literature, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind makes excuses about why Africans cant change their fates untenable. This potent, powerful, and uplifting message is the heart of William Kamkwambas courageous story.” Emeka Okafor, internationally acclaimed author of blogs Timbuktu Chronicles and Africa Unchained
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“One of the best books Ive ever read.” Mark Frauenfelder, founder of boingboing.net, editor in chief of MAKE
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“The book abounds with themes that resonate deeply: the idea that with hard work and persistence comes triumph; that optimism is not a mental state but a type of action, that from grief and loss can come success.” Nathaniel Whittemore, Change.org
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“This is an amazing, inspiring and heartwarming story! Its about harnessing the power not just of the wind, but of imagination and ingenuity. Those are the most important forces we have for saving our planet. William Kamkwamba is a hero for our age.” Walter Isaacson, author of Einstein and Benjamin Franklin
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“I loved this enchanting story of a humble young hero from an impoverished African village who accomplished a miracle with scrap materials and unstoppable enthusiasm. What an inspiration!” Mark Frauenfelder, founder of boingboing.net, editor in chief of MAKE
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“An inspiring tale of an African Cheetah--the new generation of young Africans who wont sit and wait for corrupt and incompetent governmentsor vampire states to come and do things for them. Here is one who harnessed the wind to generate electricity for his villageon his own.” Professor George Ayittey, Distinguished Economist, American University
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“William will challenge everything you have thought about Africa, about young people, and about the power of one person to transform a community. This beautifully written book will open your heart and mind. I was moved by William and his story and believe you all will. Essential, powerful and compelling.” Chris Abani, author of Graceland
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“This book.... is a testament to the power of a dream and the freedom that comes from accomplishing a sustainable way of life. Read this book, act on its message and pass it on.” Carter Roberts, President & CEO, WWF
Synopsis
William Kamkwamba was born in Malawi, a land withered by drought and hunger, a place where hope and opportunity were hard to find. But William had read about windmills and dreamed of building one that would bring his family electricity and running water, luxuries that only two percent of Malawians could afford. He used scrap metal, tractor parts, and bicycle halves to forge a crude machine that eventually powered four lights, complete with homemade switches and a circuit breaker made from nails and wire. A second windmill turned a water pump that could battle the drought and famine looming with every season.
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind will inspire anyone who doubts the power of one individual's ability to change his community and better the lives of those on an entire continent.
Synopsis
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind "is the immensely engaging and inspiring true account of an enterprising African teenager whoconstructed a windmill from scraps to create electricity for his entire community. William Kamkwamba shares the remarkable story ofhis youth in Malawi, Africa a nation crippled by intense poverty, famine, and the AIDS plague and how, with tenacity and imagination, he built a better life for himself, his family, and his village. The poignant and uplifting story of Kamkwamba s inspiration and personal triumph, co-written with Bryan Mealer, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind "has already won ringing praise from former Vice President and Nobel Laureate Al Gore as well as Paolo Coelho, internationally bestselling author of The Alchemist.""
Synopsis
Now a Netflix Film, Starring and Directed by Chiwetel Ejiofor of 12 Years a Slave
William Kamkwamba was born in Malawi, a country where magic ruled and modern science was mystery. It was also a land withered by drought and hunger. But William had read about windmills, and he dreamed of building one that would bring to his small village a set of luxuries that only 2 percent of Malawians could enjoy: electricity and running water. His neighbors called him misala--crazy--but William refused to let go of his dreams. With a small pile of once-forgotten science textbooks; some scrap metal, tractor parts, and bicycle halves; and an armory of curiosity and determination, he embarked on a daring plan to forge an unlikely contraption and small miracle that would change the lives around him.
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind is a remarkable true story about human inventiveness and its power to overcome crippling adversity. It will inspire anyone who doubts the power of one individual's ability to change his community and better the lives of those around him
Synopsis
For those who want to give their students a global perspective, this story of a young man from poverty-stricken Malawi who figured out how to build a windmill from scavenged parts to bring electricity to his village hits all the right notes: a deep look into life in a developing nation, science and engineering insights--and inspiration.
William is now an engineering major at Dartmouth College.
Freshman Common Read: Avila University, Purdue University, Maryville University, University of Florida, Central College, Boise State University, University of New Mexico-Albuquerque, Utah Valley University, Winthrop University, and California State University, Chico, Avila University, Wisconsin Lutheran College--among others
--Seth Godin, author of Tribes
Synopsis
William Kamkwamba was born in Malawi, a land withered by drought and hunger, a place where hope and opportunity were hard to find. But William had read about windmills and dreamed of building one that would bring his family electricity and running water, luxuries that only two percent of Malawians could afford. He used scrap metal, tractor parts, and bicycle halves to forge a crude machine that eventually powered four lights, complete with homemade switches and a circuit breaker made from nails and wire. A second windmill turned a water pump that could battle the drought and famine looming with every season.
The Boy Who Harnessed the Windwill inspire anyone who doubts the power of one individual's ability to change his community and better the lives of those on an entire continent.
About the Author
William Kamkwamba was a 2007 TED Global Fellow and a finalist for the Tech Museum Award. He is a student at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire.
Bryan Mealer is the author of All Things Must Fight to Live: Stories of War and Deliverance in Congo. He is a former Associated Press staff correspondent and his work has appeared in several magazines, including Harper's and Esquire. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.
Exclusive Essay
Read an exclusive essay by Bryan Mealer