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47 reviews for:
Leaving Microsoft To Change The World: An Entrepreneur's Quest To Educate The World's Children
John Wood
3.95 AVERAGE
47 reviews for:
Leaving Microsoft To Change The World: An Entrepreneur's Quest To Educate The World's Children
John Wood
3.95 AVERAGE
I want to give this man a hug. This book will put a smile on your face.
Reminded me somewhat of [b:The Promise of a Pencil|19598139|The Promise of a Pencil How an Ordinary Person Can Create Extraordinary Change|Adam Braun|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1387675883s/19598139.jpg|21955374]: in theory a book about the developing world but in practice a book about starting and running a business.
Wood started working at Microsoft before the company became such a powerful entity, and a few years in he pretty much had it made: his Microsoft shares had increased rapidly in value; he had a high-powered job and chances to live all over the world and access to pretty much any (reasonable) luxury he could want. But a chance conversation convinced him that he could be putting his effort in somewhere more important...so he quit his job to start providing books to schools in Nepal...and build libraries in schools, and build the schools themselves, and expand to other countries.
And the book is...fine. He's a businessman rather than a writer, but that's to be expected. The thing is, the title could just as well be Leaving Microsoft to Start My Own Company. Not a tech company, sure, but that's still what the book's about: getting his feet wet in the nonprofit world and, often, applying lessons from Microsoft to his work with Room to Read. I'd really hoped to see more personal stories (especially about the kids these schools/libraries/books were for) and personal growth here, and it just wasn't forthcoming. Instead it's just a lot about fundraising and the people who believed in his vision (and some thumbing of his nose at the people who didn't—which, come on now! Yes, go ahead and be frustrated when somebody doesn't give you a grant...but skip the petty ha-ha-I-succeeded-without-their-money crowing) and discussions of when they expanded and where.
I dunno. It's just, I found this bit—about visiting a school that opened in 2003—telling: A nightmarish scenario plays out in my mind. What if the school is poorly attended? What if the rooms were being used to house chickens in the grade one classroom and goats in grade two? I know that the developing world is littered with projects that had every good intention, but were badly planned and therefore unsustainable. (243) Yes, this is absolutely something he should be thinking about (and of course it turned out that the school was in great form), but shouldn't that have come up earlier than page 243 of a 254-page book? Indicative of just how little this book has to do with the individuals and how much it leans on business-money-connections.
Two and a half stars, rounded up to a tepid three.
Wood started working at Microsoft before the company became such a powerful entity, and a few years in he pretty much had it made: his Microsoft shares had increased rapidly in value; he had a high-powered job and chances to live all over the world and access to pretty much any (reasonable) luxury he could want. But a chance conversation convinced him that he could be putting his effort in somewhere more important...so he quit his job to start providing books to schools in Nepal...and build libraries in schools, and build the schools themselves, and expand to other countries.
And the book is...fine. He's a businessman rather than a writer, but that's to be expected. The thing is, the title could just as well be Leaving Microsoft to Start My Own Company. Not a tech company, sure, but that's still what the book's about: getting his feet wet in the nonprofit world and, often, applying lessons from Microsoft to his work with Room to Read. I'd really hoped to see more personal stories (especially about the kids these schools/libraries/books were for) and personal growth here, and it just wasn't forthcoming. Instead it's just a lot about fundraising and the people who believed in his vision (and some thumbing of his nose at the people who didn't—which, come on now! Yes, go ahead and be frustrated when somebody doesn't give you a grant...but skip the petty ha-ha-I-succeeded-without-their-money crowing) and discussions of when they expanded and where.
I dunno. It's just, I found this bit—about visiting a school that opened in 2003—telling: A nightmarish scenario plays out in my mind. What if the school is poorly attended? What if the rooms were being used to house chickens in the grade one classroom and goats in grade two? I know that the developing world is littered with projects that had every good intention, but were badly planned and therefore unsustainable. (243) Yes, this is absolutely something he should be thinking about (and of course it turned out that the school was in great form), but shouldn't that have come up earlier than page 243 of a 254-page book? Indicative of just how little this book has to do with the individuals and how much it leans on business-money-connections.
Two and a half stars, rounded up to a tepid three.
Loved this book! Wood left his lucrative career at Microsoft to start building libraries in Nepal. Though he had the benefit of being financially independent, he shows through his personal experiences with others, that anyone (even little kids) can help make the world a better place.
I gave this five stars because I'm so in awe of what he has done. Very inspiring.
"There is nothing with which every man is so afraid as getting to know how enormously much he is capable of doing and becoming."
~Soren Kierkegaard
"There are two ways to remove a Band-aid: slowly and painfully, or quickly and painfully. Your choice."
'My reaction to rejection was "No? Can I ask you to instead say 'Not yet'?"'
"There is nothing with which every man is so afraid as getting to know how enormously much he is capable of doing and becoming."
~Soren Kierkegaard
"There are two ways to remove a Band-aid: slowly and painfully, or quickly and painfully. Your choice."
'My reaction to rejection was "No? Can I ask you to instead say 'Not yet'?"'
I love reading true stories about humanitarians like this. This book doesn't just tell about what he's done at Room To Read, there's also a lot of moral stories about passion, life and the positive drive you need to achieve anything in life. Recommended to all.
Very enjoyable and inspiring read. :) Favourite line from the book:
"Sometimes it's really important to move with all deliberate speed. If there is something out there that you want to do to make the world a better place, don't focus on the obstacles. Don't ask for permission. Just dive in. Don't let the naysayers get you down"
"Sometimes it's really important to move with all deliberate speed. If there is something out there that you want to do to make the world a better place, don't focus on the obstacles. Don't ask for permission. Just dive in. Don't let the naysayers get you down"
I gave this five stars because I'm so in awe of what he has done. Very inspiring.
"There is nothing with which every man is so afraid as getting to know how enormously much he is capable of doing and becoming."
~Soren Kierkegaard
"There are two ways to remove a Band-aid: slowly and painfully, or quickly and painfully. Your choice."
'My reaction to rejection was "No? Can I ask you to instead say 'Not yet'?"'
"There is nothing with which every man is so afraid as getting to know how enormously much he is capable of doing and becoming."
~Soren Kierkegaard
"There are two ways to remove a Band-aid: slowly and painfully, or quickly and painfully. Your choice."
'My reaction to rejection was "No? Can I ask you to instead say 'Not yet'?"'
I really enjoyed this book - it's nice to see how effective helping people can be if done well and with an eye towards business practices! Very inspiring read. Not the most eloquent writing style in the world (he's a businessman, not an author by training) but it's easy to read and funny in parts.
Wood is a clear, if not especially skillful writer. He is able to convey his vision and passion, and articulate how his business experience and connections made him a successful philanthropist. I would recommend this book more for those who want to understand the history of Room to Read, and the business side of charity work, than for those who are looking to gain a deeper understanding of educational issues in the developing world.read more