The Beautiful Tree

A Personal Journey into How the World's Poorest People Are Educating Themsleves

By: James Tooley

Narrated by: James Foster

Everyone from Bono to the United Nations is looking for a miracle to bring schooling within reach of the poorest children on Earth. James Tooley found one hiding in plain sight. While researching private schools in India for the World Bank, and worried he was doing little to help the poor, Tooley wandered into the slums of Hyderabad's Old City. Shocked to find it overflowing with tiny, parent-funded schools filled with energized students, he set out to discover if schools like these could help achieve universal education.

Named after Mahatma Gandhi's phrase for the schools of pre-colonial India, The Beautiful Tree recounts Tooley's journey from the largest shanty town in Africa to the hinterlands of Gansu, China. It introduces listeners to the families and teachers who taught him that the poor are not waiting for educational handouts. They are building their own schools and educating themselves.

©2013 James Tooley (P)2014 Cato Institute

This is a must- listen!

If you have children, work with children, know any children or have ever heard of children, please listen to this book.

Eye opening!

The brilliant discovery of James Tooley about how low cost private schools in poor countries are solving the shortcomings of the failed public education system.

The truth about education

Highly recommended for anyone who wants to know the truth about education. The story is engaging, enlightening and encouraging!

One of my best book for 2015

A most read for any concern mind about education for poor, most especially in African. It shows how foreign aid on education is been channels to wrong side.

Excellent Book

This book was just awesome. Although not an economics book, it's full of economic lessons. And it shows vividly that intentions don't always equal results and that government can often muddle things up when it tries to do good. Incentives matter. Always.

Before listening to this book I have little doubt that if I had ever considered the question (which I hadn't) I would have assumed that poor kids in the countries that Tooley studied cannot possibly attend private schools. I stand corrected.