Creating Room to Read

January 14, 2013
A well-intentioned but ultimately self-serving follow-up memoir from the author of Leaving Microsoft To Change The World. At the age of 35, Wood left his executive job at Microsoft to start "Room to Read," a startup charity dedicated to partnering with local communities to bring books to impoverished children all over the globe. From the first five libraries in rural Nepal to the opening of its 10,000th in the bookâs opening scene, the organization quickly became one of the fastest-growing and most lauded charities of the last decade. The story runs through the birth of Room to Read, his break when on Oprah while flogging his first book, the growth of the ambitious goal to bring literacy to every child in the world, expansion to Africa, growing pains, and the swift growth of the companyâs reach. Wood is admirably committed to the importance of education in alleviating global poverty, and his stories of children determined against all odds to learn are inspiring, but thereâs simply not enough here beyond a lukewarm, feel-good tale.

November 1, 2012
How one man's vision of making books available to every child has changed the lives of millions. In 1999, at the height of the tech boom, Wood (Leaving Microsoft to Change the World: An Entrepreneur's Odyssey to Educate the World's Children, 2006, etc.) gave up the executive fast track at Microsoft to pursue "the quest for global literacy." His success--the opening of 10,000 school libraries across the globe within the next decade--exceeded his optimistic expectations. Room to Read, the organization that he founded, has published more than 700 children's books in local languages, expanded globally into 10 countries in Asia and Africa, partnered with local communities to build new schools and provided 17,000 scholarships for women. This moving account of the way the program has impacted the lives of children is only one part of Wood's important story. The author explains how he applied lessons learned in the corporate world to running a successful nonprofit, describing Room to Read's commitment to maintaining low overhead and accountability. Opening the first school libraries (filled with donated English-language books) revealed the need for simple children's books in local languages, and this led to the publishing venture. Similarly, the organization addressed the special problems faced by young girls who wanted an education. In every instance, local communities were challenged to partner in the venture. Wood explains how he is achieving his goal of being "one of many leaders of a global movement," and he pays special tribute to Nelson Mandela's understanding of how encouraging "a profound and deep love" for reading can be a transformative social force. An absorbing personal account of a remarkable achievement.

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December 1, 2012

In what sometimes seems like a post-book world, it is easy for technologically savvy readers to forget that many people lack basic literacy and have no access to books (regardless of format) at all. Wood (founder, Room To Read; Leaving Microsoft To Change the World) looks back at the work of his literacy organization, on the opening of the 10,000th library it helped build in Southeast Asia and Africa. The Room To Read program is based on a challenge-grant model that works with local communities to build support for individual projects. Room To Read does not define itself as a charity; monies given are investments, not donations. The organization has expanded to include teacher training, education programs for girls (who make up two-thirds of the world's illiterate population), and book publishing in local languages. Wood traces the philosophy and growth of the organization and tells the stories of the people in these communities. VERDICT Inspiring and heartfelt, this will remind readers that books and reading remain a powerful tool for change. Wood's story shows how even the most intractable problems have solutions when people work together.--Nancy Almand, Fresno City Coll. Lib., CA

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 1, 2012
To John Wood, founder of Room to Read, books are not simply inanimate objects; they are vehicles of change, stepping-stones for children out of poverty and into a brighter future. Continuing the story from his earlier work (Leaving Microsoft to Change the World, 2006), Wood explains how, in 10 short years, Room to Read became an enormously successful nonprofit, opening more than 10,000 libraries. Bringing his experience from the corporate world, Wood melded his business savvy with an insatiable desire to help educate children from poverty-stricken areas around the world through the creation of libraries and schools. Throughout the book, Wood celebrates the many successes of Room to Read and includes inspiring stories of the children whose lives were changed by gaining access to books. Yet Wood doesn't shy away from the difficult aspects of establishing an international charity. He includes stories of donors reneging on promised funds and dealing with embezzlement by local team leaders. Wood's passion for literacy and education infuses every page of the book. An inspiring read on the power of books.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)