The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope

By: William Kamkwamba, Bryan Mealer

Narrated by: Chike Johnson

Length: 10 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's Summary

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, and a place where hope and opportunity were hard to find.

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 with a famine that left his family's farm devastated and his parents destitute. Unable to pay the 80-dollar-a-year tuition for his education, William was forced to drop out and help his family forage for food as thousands across the country starved and died.

Yet William refused to let go of his dreams. With nothing more than a fistful of cornmeal in his stomach, a small pile of once-forgotten science textbooks, and an armory of curiosity and determination, he embarked on a daring plan to bring his family a set of luxuries that only two percent of Malawians could afford and what the West considers a necessity--electricity and running water. Using scrap metal, tractor parts, and bicycle halves, William forged a crude yet operable windmill, an unlikely contraption and small miracle that eventually powered four lights, complete with homemade switches and a circuit breaker made from nails and wire. A second machine turned a water pump that could battle the drought and famine that loomed with every season.

Soon, news of William's magetsi a mphepo--his "electric wind"--spread beyond the borders of his home, and the boy who was once called crazy became an inspiration to those around the world.

Here is the remarkable story about human inventiveness and its power to overcome crippling adversity. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind will inspire anyone who doubts the power of one individual's ability to change his community and better the lives of those around him.

Download the accompanying reference guide.

©2009 William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer (P)2009 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic Reviews

"William Kamkwamba's achievements with wind energy should serve as a model of what one person, with an inspired idea, can do to tackle the crisis we face. His book tells a moving and exciting story." (Al Gore, former Vice President and Nobel Laureate)
"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." ( Publishers Weekly)

Just Wonderful

Inspirational story of a boy who grows up with next to nothing in Africa and loses even that in a famine. Incredibly, secondary education is not accessible for this bright, curious boy and this is the cruelest blow of all. William triumphs over these obstacles by building a windmill largely from junkyard parts. I wish nothing but the best for William. The narration was unique but fit the story well. The toughest thing about listening to this book is coming back to reality and our materialistic, self centered lives.

Incredible!

One of the most inspiring book I have ever read... I mean, heard! William Kamkwamba is my new hero. His strength, clear mind and general goodness inspire awe and humility. The narrator's native accent makes it even more poignant! A must listen.

A story of INGENUITY, richly narrated

Narrator Chike Johnson's warm and accurately-accented reading of William Kamkwamba's story makes me glad that I listened to it on audio rather than just reading it off a page. The beautiful East African accent is easy to understand and helps draw the listener into the story. Moreover, the endurance, resilience, and determination Kamkwamba demonstrates had me practically cheering through the second part of the book as he painstakingly gathers the materials for his windmill.

A Heartfelt Good Story

I really enjoyed the story but felt the writing style was rather elementary. I listened to the audio while I assigned the young readers version to my middle school student. I was able to immerse myself in the story through the audio performance, but don’t imagine I would have enjoyed it as much if reading the book. I would highly recommend this story to young adults who need a lesson on gratitude and appreciation. As an adult reader, I felt there was something missing in the retelling of this tale. I’m near the same as as Mr. William, but felt he was a child still through the retelling of his story. The elementary language was perfect for middle school, but I may have personally enjoyed it more if he had retold his story through his maturities and gained insights. All that aside, he made me laugh and made me cry, so it doesn’t matter the quality of the writing style, it’s a good story.

A Coming of Age Story with a Twist

This is a curious story (for those who like fiction), introduction to technology for the unitiated, and a coming of age tale. It is satisfying, informative and inspirational all at one time. This is the story og one William Kamkwamba who speaks little English. Despite that, he masters the basics of electricity through reading books he has available to him. In the mean time, there is a famine, he doesn't have the money to go to school, and he is teaching himself. In the end he harnesses the wind through the building of a windmill and "lives happily ever after."

This wonderful book is written by Kamkwamba with Bryan Mealer. The reading of Chike Johnson is just grand. Don't let this book get past you.

Magical!

Inspiring! Just the shot in the arm that I needed during this Back to School season.

My first Audio experiance.

I loved it. very discriptive of life in rural Malawi. I am planning to go there.

Inspirational Story for TED Talk Fans

This book was far from my typical read, but I enjoyed it overall. I think it is a very uplifting true story of a young man overcoming his difficult life situation. The book was written with the assumption that you're already familiar with William Kamkwamba. As I had no idea why he had written a book, I suggest that you watch his Ted Talk in advance, otherwise it takes half the book before it becomes somewhat clear.

The book is basically divided up into a few parts. The first 50% of the book mostly covers William's culture and childhood. This section isn't really relevant to the story and honestly, should have been cut from the book. It mostly is random mythology type stories from the region. I think the point of it was to show how steeped in a belief in magic his culture is. It isn't until half-way through the book that you hear about his village's struggle with starvation, his issues with paying his school bill, and the impetus for his amazing inventions to improve his family's life. The next section deals with his travels and talks at conferences and re-entrance into school.

I guess the take-away is that it's a good story and really gives you some detailed first-hand information about what it's like to live in one of the most under-developed nations in the world. He delves a bit into the politics, even, that contributed to the issues. He also discusses some of the hindrances he sees that are brought about by his culture onto the people in his country. His experiences are heart-breaking and visceral. However, William maintains such a positive spirit in the book, and beyond. I don't think the book was well-conceived with too much filler and not an eye toward introducing the reason for the story, early on. However, if you're a fan of Ted Talks I think this will be a very good book.

This is amazing to read

This book helps younger people to feel welcome and to let them know that it doesn’t matter where you come from but we’re you end up.

Truly Inspiring

In a world where we increasingly depend upon the government for help, a lone, young African boy shows us that there are no limits to humanity's ingenuity and innovation. Let us all rise up and take charge of our own destinies!!

Positive Uplifting True Story

Really enjoyed this book. Its a true story and he even has a TED talk.

Moving and Inspirational

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the narration of Kamkwamba's triumph over obstacles. The determination and perseverance of William shows others of what can be accomplished when they put their mind to it.