The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope
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4.3 • 217 Ratings
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- $14.99
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
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.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
American readers will have their imaginations challenged by 14-year-old Kamkwamba's description of life in Malawi, a famine-stricken, land-locked nation in southern Africa: math is taught in school with the aid of bottle tops ("three Coca-Cola plus ten Carlsberg equal thirteen"), people are slaughtered by enemy warriors "disguised... as green grass" and a ferocious black rhino; and everyday trading is "replaced by the business of survival" after famine hits the country. After starving for five months on his family's small farm, the corn harvest slowly brings Kamkwamba back to life. Witnessing his family's struggle, Kamkwamba's supercharged curiosity leads him to pursue the improbable dream of using "electric wind"(they have no word for windmills) to harness energy for the farm. Kamkwamba's efforts were of course derided; salvaging a motley collection of materials, from his father's broken bike to his mother's clothes line, he was often greeted to the tune of "Ah, look, the madman has come with his garbage." 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.
Customer Reviews
Very Interesting!
This book was great and had a lot of description. I loved learning of the beliefs and everyday life in Africa. The story flowed ok… I just have something to say if you are about to read the book. If you even think you are a slow reader, set goals for yourself in this book. I tried without a goal for the third of the book, and it turned out horribly. The book can go by slowly (especially this one) but if you are determined, it will be a breeze. I just don’t get why it talks more about the “famine” more than it talks about the actual windmill. It kind of threw me off guard at first because it didn’t go right into the topic of the book. But other than that, this book was extremely fascinating and I am planning to read similar books by the author!
Terribly written but good story
It has a lot of potential it's just so poorly written. It goes off on random tangents that have no relation to the story at all. Much of the pages in this book are just filler as if to meet the publishers minimum amount of pages.
My Son
There are some people who inspire us to become something which we dream of. This is that kind of book which shows the life of a kid who not only inspires us but also brings life to his people.