William Kamkwamba

William Kamkwamba was no ordinary child from Malawi. He had imagination, ambition, and a curiosity that couldn't be kept down even when his family couldn't afford to send him to school. His drive was to improve his family's situation after a severe drought left the landscape barren and his community on the brink of starvation, but really he loved to learn. He loved school so much he found a way to sneak into classes after he had been kicked out for nonpayment. Once found out he resorted to show more borrowing books at the library. One particular physics textbook resonated with him. Using money from a wealthy friend and the knowledge gained from reading and scrounging for supplies anywhere he could find them (flip flops, his father's bicycle, melted PVC pips, the spring from a ball point pen...) Kamkwamba set out to build a windmill. His first invention in 2001 was modest, creating enough power to light a lightbulb. From there, Kamkwamba went bigger - enough to charge cellphones and light his parent's living room. The bigger the windmill, the more he could power. Soon his ambition went beyond his family and friends to extend to his entire community of Wimbe and he attracted the attention of powerful people show less

What an amazing story! I can't remember the last time I read such a gripping work of non-fiction, if ever; I tore through this book yesterday afternoon/evening despite having other things that I should have been doing, and came away thoroughly satisfied. Even before I read the book, I was hooked by the premise: a Malawian boy, living in the midst of poverty and famine and with limited educational opportunities, reads about windmills in a library book and decides that electricity is the show more solution to his family's problems. So, using various scraps of metal and relying heavily on the book's diagrams, he goes ahead and builds his windmill. And it works.

It was so nice to read a positive book about Africa for a change. The problems aren't hidden; there's plenty of talk about famine in particular, including good explanations of the reasons behind it, but the overall outlook is optimistic. I also liked book's the writing style (it was co-written with a former journalist), found Kamkwamba easy to relate to, and generally enjoyed the whole reading experience. I have a feeling this will end up in my Top 5 for the year. show less

WOW! Talk about a book that makes you appreciate all that you have. "The Boy who Harnessed the Wind" is the sometimes poignant, yet ultimately triumphant story of the author, William Kamkwamba growing up in Milawi during his early to late teen years during which he overcomes famine, ignorance, and population that sometimes does not understand or accept him. More to come... need to save... Okay, recharged. This book gives a first hand look into the culture of late 20th and early 21st century show more post colonial Malawi culture. We find that this is a land that in the age of iphones, the internet, Friends, and modern medicine, people still firmly believe in witchcraft, sorcery, and spells. The reader is given a real gut punch in the form of a narrative that describes the decent into true human suffering in the form of hunger. Through the words of the author, we can clearly see the influence of the British. We also get some Milawi folklore. Even the names of the people in the book, Geoffrey for instance and William are distinctly British names. Maize is NOT indigenous to Africa. All of these things demonstrate cultural exchange...forcible exchange in many cases but, exchange nonetheless. This book demonstrates the thought processes that occur in a young man who goes from believing in the supernatural as the accepted definition for most observable phenomena to that of a man who believes in science as being able to explain most things. I marveled at just how much I take for granted that to this person, were extravagant luxuries! Things like electric light and a working toilet which I consider to be basic amenities are the subject of brilliant innovation and resignation respectively. Having grown up in a trailer park, I heretofore THOUGHT I knew what poverty was. I now see I was vastly mistaken. This book will hold your attention to the end. I HIGHLY recommend it. show less

Necessity is the mother of invention, and nowhere is that old adage more evident than in the true story of William Kamkwamba, a young Malawian boy who built a windmill on his father's land, in order to bring electricity to his family home for the first time. Facing possible starvation due to a drought-related famine, and unable to attend school, William began to investigate the machinery he found so fascinating at a nearby library set up by Americans. Here he discovered the idea of the show more windmill, and set out to build one of his own. Although some in his village laughed at him, he persisted, and soon achieved what had hitherto been only a dream: electric power...

Although I have been familiar with the story of William Kamkwamba for a number of years, since the publication of his memoir in 2009, I have never happened to pick up any of the versions of his story, be it the original edition intended for adult readers, the young reader's adaptation done in 2015, or this picture-book retelling created for younger children in 2012. I'm glad that I have finally rectified that oversight, as Kamkwamba's story is certainly inspirational. This picture-book telling is engaging, and is paired with the vibrantly colorful oil paint and cut paper illustrations of Elizabeth Zunon, whose work I know from such titles as One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia, as well as her own Grandpa Cacao: A Tale of Chocolate, from Farm to Family. Recommended to young dreamers and inventors, and to picture-book readers looking for stories about overcoming great challenges with creativity and perseverance. show less