The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

The Memoir Spot

A snapshot review of a book related to the Non-fiction Feature

Also in this Monthly Bulletin:
The Non-fiction Feature: Empires of Light by Jill Jonnes
The Product Spot: Department of Energy’s Guide to Going Solar

The Pithy Take

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind is a true story of human ingenuity that reminds us that genius is everywhere and can flourish mightily if given the chance. William Kamkwamba was a teen in Malawi, Africa when a horrible famine swept across the country. With no crops and no money, William dropped out of school and his family dipped in and out of starvation.

He visited the village library and discovered windmills and began tinkering with junkyard scraps, hoping to bring electricity and water pumps to his home. William describes the brutality of hunger, the misery of poverty, and the brightness of hope through books, perseverance, and creativity. Edison, Westinghouse, Tesla, and Kamkwamba changed their worlds—imagine how many more are out there, yearning for the opportunity.

Without realizing it, Geoffrey and I had just discovered something called alternating and direct current. Of course, we wouldn’t know its true meaning until much later. But while I was cranking the pedals—so hard that my arm became tired—I kept wondering, ‘What can do the pedaling for me so that both of us can dance?’