Wednesday, January 13, 2010

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer

2010 Alex Award Winner!

It's always fun when I go against the reviews of the people. :) Amazon readers LOVE this book. Reviewers LOVE this book. I was bored to tears as I read it. Why? First, it's a feel good story. I usually don't like those. I don't like Mitch Albom, Dave Pelzer or self-help books. Secondly, I felt like I was reading a nonfiction title on a classroom science reading list. That's where this title will go in my library. Sure, the reader learns about physics and electronics and wind power. But, um, that bores me. Thirdly, I felt like I was watching an infomercial on television. "Send money now to help Africans build more windmills!" Oh, that sounds cynical, doesn't it? I know that isn't why the book was written. It was meant to be inspirational and to show how one unschooled boy could change his town and his country and inspire people all over the world. But it just didn't work for me.

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