The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

I started reading The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope yesterday and had to finish it up late last night. It was a little slow starting, but picks up the pace partway through and it's a truly amazing AND true story.

The author, William Kamkwamba (co-authored the book with Bryan Mealer), is a young man from a village in Malawi. When he's about 14 years old he is forced to drop out of school. His family has barely survived a period of drought and famine and has no money left for his school fees. William discovers a small library (!) nearby, and intrigued by a science book detailing how windmills can be used to make electricity, decides to build one for his own family. Not only does he succeed, he captures the attention of the local media, then some bloggers, who in turn get the attention of the organizers of TED -- and they invite him to speak at conference. His story is being made into a documentary, Moving Windmills.

The book is a wonderful blend of memoir, survival story, insight into the scientific mind, the effects of economic policies on environment, and it's a great feel-good read as well. It comes out in paperback this summer and by all rights, ought to be snapped up and make the bestseller list.