The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope
- ISBN13: 9780061730320
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
Product DescriptionWilliam 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, and a place where hope and opportunity were hard to find. But William had read about windmills in a book called Using Energy, and he dreamed of building one that would bring electricity and water to his village and change his life and the lives of those around him. His neighbors may have mocked him and called him misala–crazy–but William was determined to show them what a little grit and ingenuity could do. Enchanted by the workings of electricity as a boy, William had a goal to study science in Malawi’s top boarding schools. But in 2002, his country was stricken . . . More >>
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope
Tags: Boarding Schools, Boy William, Creating, Currents, Drought, Electricity, Grit, Harnessed, Hope, Hunger, Ingenuity, Magic, Modern Science, Mystery, Neighbors, Opportunity, Remainder Mark, Using Energy, Wind, Wind Currents, Wind Electricity, Windmills
Posted on December 18th, 2009 at 12:53 am
I agree with most of what comprises the 5-star reviews of this book. Uplifting, inspirational, compelling and amazing without a doubt. Unfortunately, the harnessing doesn’t really begin in earnest until midway through, and the first half includes a lot of personal and local history that is just too unrelated to the story’s heart for readers who are looking at this as the story of how one African villager grabbed a hold of his home country’s natural resources to improve life for his people and himself.
The developed/developing world conflict on climate change has been playing out more publicly as energy and environmental politics have taken on a larger presence both in the Obama presidency and in world politics (especially as the UN Copenhagen climate conference approaches).
US energy legislation is floundering right alongside health care. Developing countries – China and India are the countries most commonly pointed to in media reports – are reluctant to slow the growth of their economies by putting the brakes on energy capacity growth — even if it is dirty. What concessions they are likely to make, they want developed countries to pay for. THE BOY WHO HARNESSED THE WIND has the potetial to be a gripping example of how the clean energy future could be both transformative and empowering in a way that levels the playing field worldwide. Imagine: a world where more people could enjoy the quality of life that is afforded to wealthy Western nations – thanks in part to their ability to consume more energy – without proliferation of the harmful environmental impacts that are being borne across the world and often by those who are not the consumers.
While everyone seems to expect the rich European countries to lead the way to a new energy model, this book underscores why the developing world holds the most promise. The developing world is a great laboratory for innovation and experimentation on renewable energy. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind is one story of the promise that such innovations hold for those nations, and the potential they hold for the world. But, a lot of early stuff on local lore and childhood meanderings makes this more Angela’s Ashes than Silent Spring.
Rating: 3 / 5
Posted on December 18th, 2009 at 1:47 am
The title, as in many books, is a little misleading. I was expecting to get right into a story of the mechanics of a complicated wind- mill system developed by a young man. I stayed with the book, however, on the lesson to always read at least the first 100 pages of a book before you decide not to complete reading it. I am glad I did. The story got better and better to where I could not put the book down. The writing was very good, although it did not sound in the voice of Kamkwamba, rather the voice of Mealer. However, it was very easy to read, and a great story, I would recommend this book to anybody – fiction and non-fiction readers.
Rating: 4 / 5
Posted on December 18th, 2009 at 2:37 am
An inspirational story that really makes you feel like anything is possible. A must read for all ages with an important everlasting message. If you only read ten books a year this should be one of them. SILLY LITTLE RICH GIRL has been my top pick for 2009 but Kamkwamba’s story is now #1.
Rating: 5 / 5
Posted on December 18th, 2009 at 3:26 am
[. . . ]
—
William Kamkwamba, the author of The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind, lives in the village of Wimbe in the Kasungu district of Malawi with his parents and four sisters. In his memoir, William laments that only 2 percent of Malawians have electricity, so it is not rare to go to bed at 7pm. The family depends on maize and tobacco crops, and when their farm fails to provide a substantial income, William is forced to drop out of secondary school. His spare time is spent at the library, reading physics books.
But when the famine of 2002 hits, William has to put his independent studies aside to help his family scrounge for food. With distressing detail, William describes how a combination of ill-fated weather, deforestation, and a neglectful government causes his family to go from eating three full meals a day to eating only seven mouthfuls, and then three. Reading this part of the book from the perspective of an American is plainly sad, and it’s a distinct change in tone from William’s vivid portrayal of daily village life and folklore.
Most of us will never experience such famine, and most shocking is how swiftly it can overtake an entire population. But William manages to remain somewhat upbeat throughout the crisis and his family persists through this hardship and others, such as malaria and cholera, without losing a single member.
When his famine finally ends, five months later, William returns to his studies determined to make sure his family never suffers again. Captivated with the way electricity works, he begins gathering stray materials with his best friend, Geoffrey. The young boys’ friendship is touching and their loyalty to one another — a true characteristic of boyhood — is admirable.
From the scrap yard, William collects tractor fans, shock absorbers, wheels, PVC pipes, and an assortment of other oddities, leading the entire village to make fun of his unusual collecting habit. But he soon proves them wrong by constructing a small windmill that is able to power lights and radio.
When the media gets word of William’s ingenuity, it’s fascinating to read a firsthand account of the young boy being whisked away to the TED conference, seeing the Internet for the first time, and using donors’ money to further help his village and return to school.
As he explains, “. . . It would have to be done little by little, but once complete, it would save my parents the money they normally spent on kerosene, and that was just the beginning. The next machine would pump water for our fields. And I wouldn’t stop there. One day, windmills would be our shield against hunger. ”
William is a hero and his resourcefulness deserves to be recognized. Compensating for the local government’s void in empathy, William is able to become wholly self sufficient, sharing entertaining stories and customs along the way. William’s compelling and valiant character makes it easy to read in one afternoon what one boy managed to change for an entire existence of people.
—
[. . . ]
Rating: 5 / 5
Posted on December 18th, 2009 at 4:59 am
I really enjoyed the book, though the title reflects only the second half of the book. The story is really separated into two sections – the tragedy of a famine and the inspiration of a boy who learned to harness the wind. With that said, both halves of the book are compelling and make the book worth reading. The tragedy of the famine, which comprises the first half of the book, is heartwrenching and my appreciation for how blessed I am increased with each turned page. Following the famine, the story switches to the inspirational story of harnessing the wind.
Don’t expect to be blown away by exceptional writing or literary prose, but the simplicity in writing allows the reader to relate easily with the main character and his situation.
Rating: 4 / 5