William Kamkwamba grew up in a small village in Malawi. At the age of 14, he devised a windmill that brought electricity to his home during a catastrophic drought. His
New York Times Bestselling autobiography has been translated into nearly twenty languages worldwide as well as a feature film, and William has appeared on
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and
Good Morning America. After graduating from Dartmouth College in Environmental Studies, William began work as a Global Fellow for the design firm IDEO.org. Now an entrepreneur and TED Fellow, he divides his time between the U.S. and Malawi and is currently working full-time with the Moving Windmills Project, a nonprofit he launched that’s dedicated to ethical, hands-on development in Malawi.
Bryan Mealer is the author of
Muck City and the
New York Times bestseller
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, which he wrote with William Kamkwamba. Since publication, the book has received many honors and has been translated into over a dozen languages. Mealer is also the author of
All Things Must Fight to Live, which chronicled his years covering the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo for
Harper's and the Associated Press. His book
The Kings of Big Spring, is a multi-generational saga about his family in West Texas. He and his family live in Austin.
Praise for the Young Readers Edition:New York Public Library's 100 Books for Reading and Sharing
* "This is a fascinating, well-told account that will intrigue curious minds . . . An inspiring, incredible story."—
School Library Journal, starred review
* "Against astounding odds, Kamkwamba's eventual creation of a windmill to bring lighting to his family's home is nothing short of amazing. Compelling and informative for a broad readership and a good addition to STEM collections."—
Kirkus ReviewsPraise for the original edition of The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind:“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 is an amazing, inspiring and heartwarming story! It’s about harnessing the power not just of the wind, but of imagination and ingenuity. Those are the most important forces we have for saving our planet. William Kamkwamba is a hero for our age.”—Walter Isaacson, author of
Einstein and
Benjamin Franklin“This book is inspirational. What William did took nothing more than initiative and a little learning, yet he changed his village and his life. There’s never been a better time to Do It Yourself, and I love how much we can learn from those who often have no other choice.”—Chris Anderson, editor in chief of
Wired and author of
Free and
The Long Tail
