William Kamkwamba books

William Kamkwamba is a Malawian inventor and author best known for The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, the memoir about building a windmill from scrap to power his village.

Anthologies

Title Published Buy on Amazon
10 Common Core Essentials 2013 Buy

Non-Fiction

Title Published Buy on Amazon
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind 2009 Buy
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Young Readers Edition 2015 Buy

William Kamkwamba’s story became one of the most inspiring memoirs of its decade. Growing up in rural Malawi during a famine, fourteen-year-old Kamkwamba taught himself engineering from library books and built a windmill from scrap to power his family’s home. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (2009), co-written with Bryan Mealer, told this story to a global audience.

The book was adapted into a 2019 Netflix film directed by and starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, and a young readers edition (2015) brought the story to younger audiences. Kamkwamba’s experience has made him an advocate for education and innovation in Africa.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books has William Kamkwamba written?

William Kamkwamba has written three books across two series.

What was William Kamkwamba's first book?

William Kamkwamba’s first book is The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, published in 2009.

What is William Kamkwamba known for?

Kamkwamba became internationally known after building a windmill from scrap materials to bring electricity to his family’s home in Malawi at age fourteen. His memoir The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind tells this story and was adapted into a 2019 Netflix film directed by Chiwetel Ejiofor.

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