Book: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
Author: William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer
Country: Malawi
Review: 5/5
This book is based off of the real story of William Kamkwamba who came up with an idea to change the lives of the people in his village. Using found materials from junkyards and the kindness of neighbours, Kamkwamba found a solution to many of his families problems. I was so excited to read more about the “The Warm Heart of Africa”: before the pandemic hit, I was in the process of preparing for an 4 month communications internship in this incredible country. Because of travel bans, I had to cancel, and now dream of finding another way to visit Malawi (formerly known as Nyasaland) in the future. For now, I will do my best to travel through literature!
This story absorbs the reader, taking you through the rawest, most painful experiences of Kamkwamba (Kamkwamba, his family, and his village had to make impossible decisions about how to survive, decisions that people make daily all over the earth), as well as the hope, a genuine thirst for learning, and inspiration to anyone who comes across it. You will notice that while written by a Malawian author, this is definitely a book catered to Americans. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it did leave me wanting just a little more, without the comparisons to Western countries. It is unclear how much and in what ways the secondary author contributed to the story, however the overall feel of the writing was enjoyable, clear, and knowledgable. This depth was the only thing I think the book may have lacked. It reminds you of how thrilling education can be, and showed me just how little I know about the items I use and consume every day.
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind is a worth the read to learn the story of William Kamkwamba and Malawi, considered one of the “world’s least developed countries”. Take the time to fulfill your own thirst for knowledge by learning more about Malawi and its complex history. Learn more about this story through the film or through Kamkwamba’s TED talk. Happy Reading!
Stay tuned for other book recommendations for this country and other countries, and follow my journey on Instagram @beyondpageone and find more reviews on my GoodReads page: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/116494925-kaitlyn-nightingale Thank you and happy reading!
Feature image from Goodreads.