THE BOY WHO HARNESSED THE WIND by William Kamkwamba

Hunger and famine are common occurrences for William and other people living in Malawi, Africa.  Forced to drop out of school at the age of 14 because his father could not afford the tuition, William haunts a local library.   Inspired by a book and his experiences fixing radios with his cousin, William decides to provide power to his home by creating "electric wind"--a windmill.  He scavenges parts--his father's broken bicycle, his mother's clothesline, pipe from his uncle's abandoned outhouse.  Locals think he's crazy, but when his windmill actually works, the media discovers and soon William is a local and international sensation.

This true story details William's life in Malawi.  Interesting details about how the people live, including the politics of famine, make the book larger than one young man's life.  A good read.