Leaving Microsoft to Change the World: An Entrepreneur's Odyssey to Educate the World's Children

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Leaving Microsoft to Change the World: An Entrepreneur's Odyssey to Educate the World's Children

4.09 of 5 stars 4.09 · rating details · 1,929 ratings · 389 reviews

John Wood discovered his passion, his greatest success, and his life's work—not at business school or leading Microsoft's charge into Asia in the 1990s—but on a soul-searching trip to the Himalayas. Wood felt trapped between an all-consuming career and a desire to do something lasting and significant. Stressed from the demands of his job, he took a vacation trekking in Nep...more

Hardcover, 272 pages

Published August 29th 2006 by HarperBusiness

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Sep 13, 2009 Harun Harahap rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: punya, terjemahan, memoir-biografi, non-fiksi

Pengalaman dan perasaan gw saat membaca buku ini hampir sama saat gw membaca buku Three Cups of Tea -nya Greg Mortenson..perasaan gw mengharu biru dan sering "memaksa" diri gw untuk bercermin diri dan memeprtanyakan apakah diri gw sudah nyaman dengan apa yang sudah gw miliki dan berapa besar andil gw untuk membuat dunia ini lebih "Indah"..

John Wood, eksekutif perusahaan Microsoft, berani meninggalkan statusnya untuk menjadikan dirinya petualang dan pendiri sebuah organisasi "ROOM TO READ"..sebua...more

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Feb 18, 2009 RandomAnthony rated it 3 of 5 stars

I read Leaving Microsoft to Change The World over three or four days, culminating in a marathon airline session between Milwaukee and Orlando. While I like Wood's basic premises, and I absolutely can’t fault him for his dedication, the question as to whether or not this book works both as inspirational narrative and trailblazer for the future of philanthropy is open to question.

Wood's personal drive would be purely admirable if it weren’t borderline insane. I got the feeling, while reading, that...more I read Leaving Microsoft to Change The World over three or four days, culminating in a marathon airline session between Milwaukee and Orlando. While I like Wood's basic premises, and I absolutely can’t fault him for his dedication, the question as to whether or not this book works both as inspirational narrative and trailblazer for the future of philanthropy is open to question.

Wood's personal drive would be purely admirable if it weren’t borderline insane. I got the feeling, while reading, that the author is one of those people who desperately wants to please others and focuses on measurable achievement as the sole indicator of whether or not an activity is worthwhile. To his credit Wood focuses his efforts on procuring resources for education in third world countries. Hey, if you’re going to be that driven and admit to having no life whatsoever you get my appreciation for pointing your efforts in the direction of making the world a better place. No problems there. As much as Wood complains about his travel schedule, not having a girlfriend, etc., I’m not sure I’m buying his regrets. Some readers would probably pay a steep price for the travel and meaning he experiences as part of his “Room to Read” gig. Maybe Wood is a modern, corporate version of a saint, cruising the skies on donated first class miles and using powerpoint to separate the affluent from their cash in the pursuit of a better world. Hey, his methods seem to be working, more often than not, and even if his life isn’t for many of us, I’m glad someone like him exists.

I draw the line, however, with the deification of big business and the implied assertions that corporate practices are the best paths to successful nonprofit endeavors in every case. Sure, nonprofits need to evolve, but the implied idea that corporations have it right and if only nonprofits acted just like them…well…let’s just say that this book was written before the economy tanked and business leader idiocy was ever-present on CNN. Wood goes too easy on big businesses who toss him some cash for third world libraries. Does he ever ask, I wonder, if these companies’ practices in the third world are ethical? Yes, it’s glamorous to go to a big ticket event and procure money at a benefit, but how much are these companies paying their grunt workers and how much are their CEOs making that could go to the greater good?

Still…like I said…Wood’s book is inspirational, no doubt, and leads to some interesting questions about how one person can change the world with the right understanding of how to work the hegemony. I enjoyed the book and I appreciate his efforts. More power to him.
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Nov 06, 2007 Ulatbuku rated it 5 of 5 stars

Konon kabarnya, kesuksesan dan kekayaan adalah dua di antara sebagian besar yang paling diburu banyak orang. Karena itu, tidak heran jika kita menemukan banyak petuah singkat, praktis dan kadang-kadang menyesatkan untuk meraih tangga sukses melalui jalan-jalan pintas. Akan tetapi, seadainya kita pernah membayangkan seandainya kita ada di sana, menjadi sukses dan kaya, sensasi apa yang akan kita alami? Buku ini barangkali menjadi semacam titik balik bagi semua upaya-upaya berhasil. Bukan tidak bo...more

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Sep 21, 2007 Decy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: biografi-orang

Seorang Kepala Pemasaran Microsoft untuk pasar China mengundurkan diri dari jabatannya dan memilih untuk membantu menyumbangkan buku dan membangun sekolah untuk anak anak di Nepal.
Kisah inspiratif John Wood melihat panggilan hidupnya bagi orang lain diceritakan dalam buku ini.
John Wood memiliki karier yang sangat cemerlang dalam membangun bisnis software perangkat lunak terkenal tersebut, kesuksesannya di Australia membawanya terpilih untuk mengembangkan perusahaan Bill Gates ini ke pasar China,...more

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Apr 15, 2008 Forest rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Forest by: beth Fisher

From a librarian's perspective, this is a little disappointing because of the lack of specific details about the Room to Read libraries, their patrons and their local staff. To a cynical person, the book will eventually become tedious because of the relentlessly optimistic and heartwarming tone. (To give the author credit, he is honest about his personal doubts and struggles with his decision to leave his lucrative job and work for four years without a salary to improve literacy in rural Asia. B...more

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Feb 10, 2009 Yofish rated it 2 of 5 stars

I guess it's sort of an interesting story--guy leaves high-paying job at Microsoft in order to start a charity that builds schools and libraries in 3rd-world countries (first Nepal, then Vietnam, then Sri Lanka and other places affected by the Tsunami). There are two big flaws. One is that he really can't write very well. It all feels like it's high-school essay level. Stunted, cliche-filled, etc. The other is that it feels like he always has to be relentlessly positive; after all, he's still tr...more

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Jan 20, 2009 Megan rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is about a Microsoft executive who is trekking in Nepal on vacation when he is invited to visit a local school. He is shocked by the conditions of the school and specifically the library - which has about 7 books locked up in a cabinet. He pledges to return with books for this school in the future. Thus begins his journey of quitting his job at Microsoft to start a non-profit that builds schools and libraries in third world countries.

Again, this is a fascinating study of an amazingly...more

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Jan 20, 2013 Eve rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: owned, 2013

I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this book and I was pleasantly surprised. Mr. Wood is the founder of Room to Read, an organization that builds schools and libraries primarily in Asia, and of the Room to Grow program that provides scholarships for girls. There are elements of self reflection combined with an organizational history that I really enjoyed and that reminded me why I like certain non-profits over others. Mr. Wood is a former Microsoft executive who founded what is now Room...more

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Aug 26, 2012 Anne Slater rated it 4 of 5 stars

The story of a man determined to change the world, one girl at a time: he quit his fabulous job with Microsoft and set out to set up libraries and aid schools in third-world countries.

This is Three Cups of Tea without the ego, without the fiscal mismanagement. Nicholas Kristof of the NYT has written glowingly about it.

If you are looking for a cause to back, "Room to Read" is it. What follows is from Room To Read's web page: " In 1998, John Wood was a rising executive at Microsoft when he took a...more

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Apr 09, 2012 Muzze Muzzamil rated it 5 of 5 stars

Serious osem! [sungguh tak tipu]

Buku travelog tulisan John Wood betul-betul luar biasa. Antara buku yang ku kira terbaik pernah dibaca. (Terus terang, aku bukanlah peminat buku-buku tebal beratus muka surat) -.-'

Tapi, karya 'Leaving Microsoft to Change the World' berjaya buatkan aku terus mengunyah & menghadam intipati dan kisah hidup beliau dalam usaha memberikan harapan & peluang pendidikan kepada kanak-kanak di negara membangun. Dengan tekun aku baca dari satu bab ke satu bab, sampail...more

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Mar 17, 2012 Peter McCarthy rated it 2 of 5 stars

This book is nor particularly well written. It has a very plain style that is readable but has a very cliched feel to the prose.

But Mr. Wood is not a writer, he is a person who puts books in to the hands of children in places where they would not otherwise have them.

This book stands in contrast to Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortensen in that little time is wasted on developing the character of the author. Whereas Three Cups of Tea borders on outright hagiography in trying to convince the reader...more This book is nor particularly well written. It has a very plain style that is readable but has a very cliched feel to the prose.

But Mr. Wood is not a writer, he is a person who puts books in to the hands of children in places where they would not otherwise have them.

This book stands in contrast to Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortensen in that little time is wasted on developing the character of the author. Whereas Three Cups of Tea borders on outright hagiography in trying to convince the reader as to the worthiness of Mortensen as a person in pointing out all that he endured and all that he sacrificed to build his schools, the narrative in this book (written in the first person by Wood himself) doesn't waste your time in trying to convince you of how wonderful a man Wood is. Now that seems rather obvious given that Three Cups of Tea is written in the third person and this book is in the first person. But that is a conscious writing/editing choice that I think is particularly instructive.

The more interesting parts of this book have to do with Microsoft anecdotes and vignettes. You get a sense of what an odd duck Bill Gates really is and how he may think that he is the smartest guy in the room at all times. Wood describes the episodes with a lot of good insight that shed light on why Microsoft has struggled and continues to struggle in China. The parts with Steve Ballmer are interesting as well and reinforce the popular collective image of Ballmer as sweaty, foul-mouthed bully advancing Microsoft by sheer force of his bravado personality.

But there's not enough Microsoft to make the book that interesting and while the story of the odyssey is interesting, I think this just goes on the pile of mediocre books about people who gave up the trappings of the good life in order to make life better for children in faraway places. From a contextual standpoint, it is sad that books like this are remarkable just in and because of the story they tell. We need more John Woods in the world just doing this stuff, not spending six months writing about it and then another 2-3 years going around and promoting it in order to raise money and awareness for the cause. The concept here is good teach your children material- namely that we have more than we need in the U.S. and there are people in the world who cherish a box of used books as if they were delivered from above

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Feb 27, 2012 Alluna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Anda bilang ingin sebuah revolusi ?? Berhentilah bicara dan mulailah bertindak !!!

Buku ini inspiratif!!!

Saya memperoleh buku ini dalam suatu kunjungan untuk menonton talk show di salah satu stasiun swasta. Buku yang membuat hati saya berdesir, terkadang merinding atau menangis. John Wood sudah membuktikan sejatinya manusia. Kekayaan dan jabatan yang tinggi rela ditinggalkannya demi memenuhi kepuasan batinnya.. kepuasan batin yang diperoleh dengan membantu sesama.

Kesuksesannya membuat 3600 perpu...more Anda bilang ingin sebuah revolusi ?? Berhentilah bicara dan mulailah bertindak !!!

Buku ini inspiratif!!!

Saya memperoleh buku ini dalam suatu kunjungan untuk menonton talk show di salah satu stasiun swasta. Buku yang membuat hati saya berdesir, terkadang merinding atau menangis. John Wood sudah membuktikan sejatinya manusia. Kekayaan dan jabatan yang tinggi rela ditinggalkannya demi memenuhi kepuasan batinnya.. kepuasan batin yang diperoleh dengan membantu sesama.

Kesuksesannya membuat 3600 perpustakaan di asia ini tak lepas pula dari teman-temannya. Berawal dari email yang dikirimkan John Wood ke salah satu temannya untuk meminta bantuan buku bagi "proyek besar" nya ini, email itu kemudian tersebar sebagai pesan berantai... dan buku pun mengalir.. terus dan terus.. hingga memenuhi garasi rumahnya.

Aaah.. garasi lagi, setelah membaca kisah ini saya semakin yakin kalau hal-hal besar pasti dimulai dari garasi rumah. lihat saja Thomas Alfa Edison dan bola lampunya, atau Steve Jobs dengan Apple nya, dan kini John Wood dengan proyek Room to Read nya

Hal yang besar dimulai dari hal yang kecil. Dari buku ini kita semua bisa menyaksikan bahwa proyek kecil yang awalnya bertujuan untuk membantu sebuah sekolah di Nepal, berubah menjadi organisasi terkenal di dunia yang beroperasi di negara-negara Asia dan Afrika. Sampai detik ini, 'Room to Read' nya John Wood telah berdampak pada kehidupan lebih dari 1,3 juta anak-anak dengan membangun sekolah, mendirikan perpustakaan, penerbitan judul bahasa lokal untuk buku anak, beasiswa bagi anak gadis dan mendirikan laboratorium komputer.

Cerita ini sangat menginspirasi saya, dan mungkin kalian jika sudah membacanya. Setelah membaca buku ini, saya rasa-rasanya ingin marah.. marah ketika melihat para mahasiswa yang masih saja malas kuliah, atau para pelajar yg hobby tawuran. Karena banyak anak-anak di belahan bumi ini yang masih bermimpi untuk mendapatkan pendidikan yang layak.. sedangkan yg sudah mendapatkannya malah mensia-siakannya.

John Wood seperti malaikat di mata saya, Ia adalah perpanjangan tangan Tuhan untuk membantu mereka yg tak mampu memperoleh pendidikan yang layak. Dan semoga kedepannya akan makin banyak John Wood John Wood yang lain, dan semoga salah satunya adalah saya :)(less)

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Aug 18, 2011 Laura Smith rated it 4 of 5 stars

It's back to school time, which consumes our brains with thoughts of school supplies and uniforms or back to school clothes. We wonder who got which teacher and who will be in whose class. But, it's not like that for everyone. It's not like that around the world. John Wood was a senior exec at Microsoft. A trekking trip to Nepal changed his perception of life - changed his life, and the lives of so many others. "Perhaps sir, you'll someday come back with books." Was a plea from a headmaster at a...more

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Jul 13, 2010 Adie Riyanto rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Seorang backpacker legendaris pernah berkata, "Certainly, travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent. in the ideas of living." Mungkin perjalanan seperti itulah yang dilakukan oleh John Wood. Perjalanannya yang dilakukan secara backpacker ke Nepal telah membawanya pada pengalaman yang akan mengubah hidupnya selamanya.

John Wood adalah seorang eksekutif senior di perusahaan Microsoft yang rela untuk meninggalkan kenyamanan hidup--kedudukan dan imbalan...more Seorang backpacker legendaris pernah berkata, "Certainly, travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent. in the ideas of living." Mungkin perjalanan seperti itulah yang dilakukan oleh John Wood. Perjalanannya yang dilakukan secara backpacker ke Nepal telah membawanya pada pengalaman yang akan mengubah hidupnya selamanya.

John Wood adalah seorang eksekutif senior di perusahaan Microsoft yang rela untuk meninggalkan kenyamanan hidup--kedudukan dan imbalan yang baik, mobil dan pengemudi sehari penuh, pilihan saham, keliling dunia dengan biaya perusahaan--untuk mendedikasikan dirinya, membantu pendidikan anak-anak di dunia ketiga khususnya pada ketersediaan sarana dan prasarana seperti buku-buku, perpustakaan, gedung sekolah, dan lain-lain.

Pertimbangan yang menjadi alasan kuat untuk membenarkan ide 'gila'nya itu adalah 'Apakah sungguh-sungguh penting berapa banyak salinan Windows yang kami jual di Taiwan bulan ini ketika jutaan anak tak memiliki akses pada buku? Bagaimana saya bisa siap mengenai proyek e-commerse kami di Hongkong atau usaha antipembajakan di China, saat tujuh dari sepuluh anak di Nepal menghadapi kebutahurufan seumur hidup. Apakah pekerjaan saya sungguh-sungguh penting? Satu tahun yang sukses hanya akan membantu sebuah perusahaan kaya menjadi semakin kaya. Saya akan menambahkan rekening di bank melebihi apapun yang mungkin saya mimpikan pada usia 35. ... Lihat, kau seharusnya mengakui kepada dirimu sendiri bahwa Microsoft akan kehilangan kau selama satu atau dua bulan. Seseorang akan dengan cepat mengisi tempat kosong itu. Itu berarti seakan kamu tidak pernah bekerja di sana. Tanyakan kepada dirimu sendiri, apakah ada ribuan orang yang mengantri untuk membantu desa-desa miskin membangun sekolah dan perpustakaan? Tak ada yang melakukan pekerjaan itu. Kamu harus bangkit menghadapi tantangan ini." (hal. 53-54).

Berawal dari keprihatinannya melihat semangat para siswa dan guru di Nepal untuk belajar, namun di sisi lain sarana dan prasarana yang mereka miliki begitu minim, John Wood tergerak untuk menghimpun bantuan dari koleganya melalui sebuah email dengan harapan mereka akan ikut berpartisipasi. Seiring berjalannya waktu, kegiatan donasi untuk membantu pendidikan anak-anak di dunia ketiga tersebut berkembang pesat sehingga pada tahun 1999 didirikanlah sebuah organisasi nirlaba dengan nama Room to Read.

Kalau kita lihat postingan terbaru dari website Room to Read di www.roomtoread.org hingga postingan ini diterbitkan, Room to Read telah membantu 1.129 sekolah, mendirikan 9.196 perpustakaan, menerbitkan 433 buku dengan total oplah sebanyak 4,1 juta eksemplar, mendonasikan 7,1 juta buku berbahasa Inggris, mendanai 8.725 beasiswa jangka panjang untuk anak perempuan, dan memberikan kelayakan kehidupan bagi 4,1 juta anak-anak di Banglades, Kamboja, India, Laos, Nepal, Afrika Selatan, Srilanka, Vietnam, dan Zambia.

Melihat pencapaian yang dilakukan oleh John Wood melalui Room to Read, rasanya tidak masuk akal jika kita tahu bahwa awal mula dari organisasi nirlaba yang mendunia dan mempunyai tempat terhormat di kalangan internasional tersebut dimulai dari sebuah email beruntun yang dikirim oleh John Wood kepada para koleganya.

Buku peraih Academy for Educational Development 'Breaktrough Ideas in Education ' Award 2007 ini memaparkan tentang kisah sukses John Wood membangun organisasi nirlaba Room to Read. Pada dasarnya untuk 'menjual' usaha nirlaba seperti ini diperlukan dua prinsip utama yaitu kemampuan menjual visi dan transparansi dalam pengelolaan dana dari para donatur.

Pengalaman bekerja di Microsoft menuntun John Wood untuk membawa organisasi nirlaba ini sesuai dengan apa yang dicita-citakannya pertama kali saat dia melakukan perjalanan secara backpacker ke Nepal. Rekruitmen pegawai yang gigih dalam menghimpun dana dan memiliki loyalitas dan integritas tinggi, menjual visi dengan menampilkan foto-foto yang memberikan energi positif bagi masyarakat, dan memberikan laporan secara berkala terhadap semua pencapaian yang telah dilakukan dari dana donasi merupakan beberapa langkah strategis John Wood untuk membuat Room to Read menjadi kredibel sebagai organisasi nirlaba bertaraf dunia.

Apa yang dilakukan John Wood adalah salah satu potret dari usaha seseorang untuk menemukan jalan hidup yang mendatangkan kebahagiaan hakiki. Sesuatu yang oleh Paulo Coelho disebut sebagai pencarian legenda pribadi dalam hidup. Melalui Room to Read, John Wood menemukan legenda pribadi itu. Sebuah media yang menyalurkan bantuan untuk menghadirkan kemungkinan untuk anak-anak di dunia ketiga menikmati pendidikan yang layak demi perkembangan diri pribadi dan kemajuan suatu bangsa di kemudian hari.

Dalam suatu kesempatan, John Wood menulis di buku hariannya: "Tidaklah penting jika kita memiliki kekayaan materi. Apa yang sesungguhnya penting adalah apa yang kita lakukan dengan kekayaan itu? Saya telah mencapai kesuksesan finansial pada usia muda, tetapi itu sebagian besar karena keberuntungan. Saya kebetulan bergabung dengan perusahaan yang tepat. Fakta bahwa saya mempunyai uang tidak menjadikan saya orang yang lebih baik. Yang sungguh-sungguh penting adalah apa yang saya lakukan dengan uang itu." (hal. 18-19)

Hasrat John Wood yang besar untuk berbagi, menghadirkan secercah harapan untuk membantu menghadirkan pendidikan yang layak bagi anak-anak di dunia ketiga, telah memancarkan energi positif yang menggerakkan ribuan orang di seluruh dunia untuk menjadi bagian dari solusi yang dia tawarkan.

Awalnya, hal-hal besar yang mendunia seperti telah terjadi pada Room to Read tersebut tak jarang disanksikan oleh banyak orang untuk menjadi kenyataan. Namun, bukti-bukti yang ada mengatakan bahwa optimisme yang disandingkan dengan kerja keras dan kerjasama yang baik, dapat menghasilkan sesuatu yang bermakna menjadi kenyataan. Maka, tidak salah jika ada peribahasa yang mengatakan bahwa tiada kebahagiaan yang lebih besar daripada kita dapat melakukan sesuatu yang menurut orang lain tidak dapat kita lakukan.(less)

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Apr 19, 2010 Lisa rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: memoirs

If you're looking for a book about how to run an effective non-profit, or how to fundraise effectively for a non-profit organization, this book is for you. However, I picked it up looking for a great book about the lack of education in developing nations, why we should be concerened about that, and what we can do about it. In comparison, I really enjoyed reading "Three Cups of Tea", which made the educational issues in Pakistan (and its culture) come alive for me. I thought this might be a simil...more If you're looking for a book about how to run an effective non-profit, or how to fundraise effectively for a non-profit organization, this book is for you. However, I picked it up looking for a great book about the lack of education in developing nations, why we should be concerened about that, and what we can do about it. In comparison, I really enjoyed reading "Three Cups of Tea", which made the educational issues in Pakistan (and its culture) come alive for me. I thought this might be a similar story, but it's not.

The author of this book focuses on his own life, his success at Microsoft, and how he has built a successful non-profit organization. While he is certainly having an amazing, powerful impact on global education, I was looking for a story about the issues his organization is trying to address. He spends hardly any time in the book explaining the issues, telling stories about the great need, helping us understand these issues and other cultures, etc. He doesn't even seem to deeply connect with the people he is trying to help. He is clearly very concerned, but doesn't seem deeply connected with their daily lives, heartbreaks, etc. He spends most of his time living in the U.S. building the organization and fundraising, and very little time getting to know the people who can help him understand the issues. He hires local people in each country to do that for him.

Again, I admire all he has done, but I was looking for a different kind of book to read. I wanted to walk away from the book feeling like I really understood the plight of poor people in Nepal, what it's like for parents who can't afford an education for their children, what it's like for kids to grow up with no schooling, no books, etc.

So I much preferred reading "Three Cups of Tea", and how the author really invested himself in caring for the people of Pakistan and spending lots of time with them, understanding their world, and then communicating that to us.

Kudos for John Wood for his success, but don't read this book if you want another "Three Cups of Tea" experience.(less)

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Apr 05, 2010 harri pratama rated it 4 of 5 stars

awalnya, seorang lelaki jutawan yang bekerja di Microsoft bernama John Wood, hanya bermaksud berlibur melepas penat kerja di kantornya. jiwa petualangnya membuat ia memilih mendaki gunung Himalaya.

Namun, saat ia sedang beristirahat di sebuah kedai dibalur cuaca yang dingin, ia bertemu dengan seorang lelaki bernama Pasupathi, yang bekerja bagi pemerintah Propinsi Lamjung, Nepal untuk mencari sumber dana bagi 17 sekolah di propinsi pedalaman ini (hal: 5). dalam pertemuan itu, Pasupathi banyak berc...more

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Jan 07, 2010 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Educators and Book Lovers

Shelves: 2010, alphabetical-reading-challenge-2010, memoir-autobiography

John Wood quite an amazing job at Microsoft to make the world a better place by providing books to children around the world. His efforts have built hundreds of libraries and provided scholarships to school...not college, but primary and secondary school...to thousands. His love of reading as a child motivated him to help make sure that children in Nepal, Vietnam, South Africa, and India could get an education and make better lives.

I was very moved by his story of what parents and communities we...more

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Nov 30, 2009 Wage rated it 4 of 5 stars

John Wood, seorang eksekutif di Microsoft Corporation tidak pernah menyangkan perjalanan wisatanya ke ketinggian Himalaya di Nepal ke akan merubah arah hidupnya 180o. Bermula dari melihat keadaan sekolah-sekolah di Nepal yang miskin akan buku serta permintaan yang tulus dari seorang Nepal “Barangkali Pak, suatu hari anda akan kembali dengan buku-buku ?”, John Wood sepulang dari Nepal langsung mencoba mengorganisir pengumpulan buku-buku bekas yang masih layak baca untuk disumbangkan ke sekolah-se...more

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Oct 28, 2009 Abigail rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Leaving Microsoft to Change the World
By John Wood
Reviewed by Abigail Hayes
Room to Read is a non-profit organization geared towards educating children in the poorest parts of the world where illiteracy is rampant and there aren’t enough resources or funds to contest it. Room To Read started in Nepal and has to sprawled to South Africa and Zambia collecting corporate partners like Microsoft, Scholastic, and yes, even Google has pitched in to help John Wood and his extensive team of volunteers arou...more Leaving Microsoft to Change the World
By John Wood
Reviewed by Abigail Hayes
Room to Read is a non-profit organization geared towards educating children in the poorest parts of the world where illiteracy is rampant and there aren’t enough resources or funds to contest it. Room To Read started in Nepal and has to sprawled to South Africa and Zambia collecting corporate partners like Microsoft, Scholastic, and yes, even Google has pitched in to help John Wood and his extensive team of volunteers around the world help underprivileged children and young girls whom otherwise would have no chance at an education receive one through this program. Leaving Microsoft to Change the World is written by a former marketing executive from his standpoint and provides great detail of his journey from working for Microsoft to starting Room to Read which started on a vacation to Nepal after seeing how the other half lives, so to speak.

John encountered a school with only one library with very few book that were kept locked up so the children wouldn’t ruin them, “Maybe someday you come back with books?” were the parting words from the headmaster and began Johns quest to find all the help he could and send all the books he could back to this little school in Nepal. While reading this book I felt the pride, courage, and satisfaction John felt while making the decision to quit his job and how much faith he had in himself and the world to ask for their help, honesty is a reoccurring theme as he tells of his personal struggles and the logistical struggles of his project trying to present his cause to one corporation on the East Coast while planning the next trip to the next school and country in need never seeming to stop to catch his breath.

Before reading this book I had no idea Room to Read existed and it’s inspiring to see someone with such a lucrative career drop everything to better mankind, any executive in any industry could learn a thing or two from John Wood. Not necessarily dropping life as they know it for a cause like Room to Read but maybe to persuade them to donate to such causes or start looking into it and possibly convincing other companies to do the same. Leaving Microsoft to Change the World showcases all the struggles and triumphs of John Wood basically starting a new business from the ground up with only his connections and dreams keeping him going.
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Aug 02, 2009 mahatma rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

buku ini saya terima dari roos yang baik hati [sebagaimana teman-teman di GRI yang lain juga baik hati: suka ngasih buku ke saya dan belum pernah bisa saya balas kebaikannya! ha..ha..]

dan saya langsung tertarik pada buku ini karena pengen tahu bagaimana mengadakan buku dalam jumlah besar secara rutin pada masyarakat yang tidak mungkin membalas jasanya.
john wood menulis kisah sukses hidupnya ini, meski dengan dramatisasi bahwa dia sukses justru dengan meninggalkan pekerjaan yang bergensi di perus...more

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Oct 15, 2012 Jodi Ettenberg rated it 4 of 5 stars

If you enjoyed Greg Mortensen's Three Cups of Tea, read Wood’s account of his metamorphosis from corporate executive at Microsoft to philanthropist. While Mortensen’s personality often served as a deterrent to the success of his endeavours (he was notably disorganized and often forgot about the commitments he made to speak to a crowd, and of course more recently, funding and income issues have discredited him further), Wood’s business acumen and the many skills he developed at Microsoft enabled...more

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Apr 27, 2012 Ira Mustika rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

John Wood, yang sebelumnya mempunyai status sosial berkelas sebagai seorang eksekutif teknologi di Microsoft dan memiliki keamanan finansial yang lebih dari cukup, rela meninggalkan karirnya yang cemerlang demi mengisi sebuah perpustakaan di pedalaman Nepal yang hampir kosong dengan ratusan buku.

John tidak tahu darimana dia mendapatkan dana untuk mewujudkan impiannya. Tidak setelah dia memutuskan untuk keluar dari Microsoft yang menyita hampir semua waktunya dan menjadi seorang pengangguran. Ta...more John Wood, yang sebelumnya mempunyai status sosial berkelas sebagai seorang eksekutif teknologi di Microsoft dan memiliki keamanan finansial yang lebih dari cukup, rela meninggalkan karirnya yang cemerlang demi mengisi sebuah perpustakaan di pedalaman Nepal yang hampir kosong dengan ratusan buku.

John tidak tahu darimana dia mendapatkan dana untuk mewujudkan impiannya. Tidak setelah dia memutuskan untuk keluar dari Microsoft yang menyita hampir semua waktunya dan menjadi seorang pengangguran. Tapi ketika "setiap ada kemauan pasti ada jalan" menunjukkan dirinya, John tidak hanya dapat mengisi perpustakaan tersebut dengan buku, tetapi juga berhasil membangun ratusan perpustakaan dan sekolah di lima negara berkembang di dunia.

Setidaknya pengorbanan yang dilakukannya sebanding dengan perasaan yang dirasakannya saat melihat wajah berbinar anak-anak sekolah desa terpencil ketika melihat ratusan buku mengisi rak-rak perpustakaan mereka. Dia bilang rasanya seperti apa yang dikatakan Johan Wolfgang von Goethe tentang Simponi Kelima Beethoven, "Seandainya semua pemusik di dunia memainkan gubahan ini secare serempak, planet bumi akan lepas dari porosnya."

Buku ini diterbitkan pertama kali ditahun 2006. Diterjemahkan ke bahasa Indonesia tahun 2007. Buku yang berada ditangan saya ini adalah edisi baru yang diterbitkan pada April 2009. Buku yang baru bisa saya beli pada tanggal 5 April 2011. Baru sempat dibaca tanggal 27 April 2012, setelah terselip dengan menyedihkan diantara catatan-catatan kuliah, masih terbungkus rapi. Tidak akan terlihat seandainya saja tidak packing untuk kembali ke kota kelahiran karena masa studi di Banjarbaru sudah selesai.

Yang lebih menyedihkan lagi adalah ketika saya menyebut diri saya sendiri sebagai seorang pecinta buku, tapi tidak pernah memikirkan para pecinta buku lainnya diluar sana yang berharap dapat membaca lebih banyak buku namun mereka tidak mampu bahkan sekedar untuk melihat buku tersebut terpajang di raknya.

Padahal saya mempunyai banyak buku, banyak sekali buku, kalau dilihat dari penuhnya rak buku yang menjulang sampai kelangit-langit rumah dan beberapa buku yang terpaksa ikut menginap di lemari pakaian lantaran tidak ada tempat lagi.

Buku-buku saya masih dalam keadaan baik, masih terlihat seperti baru, bahkan untuk standar buku favorit yang dibaca berulang kali, dan mereka adalah harta saya yang paling berharga. Terlalu berharga sehingga saya bahkan tidak pernah ingin membaginya bahkan kepada teman-teman ataupun keluarga saya sendiri. Bukan hanya karena buku-buku tersebut saya beli dengan uang jajan saya sendiri (ayah sudah angkat tangan untuk membelikan saya buku, karena saya selalu ingin beli dan ingin lagi), tapi karena buku-buku tersebut tidak pernah kembali utuh.

Meminjamkan kepada seorang teman sama artinya dengan meminjamkan keseluruh teman. Saya masih ingat dengan buku pertama yang saya beli dengan inisiatif sendiri (sebelumnya saya selalu bergantung dengan perpustakaan), saya meminjamkannya kepada teman sebangku saya, dan pada akhirnya ke teman-teman seluruh kelas, dan bukunya kembali kepada saya dengan sampul yang sudah terlepas dan lusuh. Ingin menangis saja rasanya. Buku kedua tidak bernasib lebih baik, harus memakai staples tambahan untuk mencegahnya agar tidak tercerai berai.

Meminjamkannya kepada keluarga lain lagi. Buku yang dipinjam sepupu saya tidak pernah kembali lagi, bahkan buku yang dipinjam oleh kakak saya sendiri lenyap entah kemana.

Membaca cerita John Wood membuat saya merasa jadi orang paling egois sedunia. Memang ada alasan dibalik sikap protektif saya terhadap buku. Tapi itu bukan alasan yang cukup untuk tidak mau berbagi dan membuat orang lain merasakan momen indah ketika kita selesai membaca sebuah buku dan menambah sepetak pengetahuan baru. Mungkin sudah saatnya untuk kembali percaya kepada orang-orang disekitar saya sendiri bahwa mereka mampu memelihara dan menjaga sebuah buku layaknya buku mereka sendiri. Bukan layak yang membuat mereka seenaknya merusak dan menghilangkannya tetapi layak yang berarti menjaga buku tersebut agar masih bisa dibaca bersama lagi lain kali. (less)

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Oct 23, 2011 jiwa rasa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

1. Buku ini adalah buku tentang dunia buku. Lebih dari itu, buku ini bercerita bagaimana idea berbagi buku boleh mengubah hidup kanak-kanak yang tidak mampu membeli buku.

2. Buku ini memutar semula memori saya semasa kecil, yang sering berkunjung ke perpustakaan. Buku-buku di situlah yang telah menjadikan saya pembaca yang tegar.

3. Membaca buku ini buat mata saya sering tergenang. Saya terfikir tentang koleksi buku milik saya yang menimbun tetapi hanya mendatangkan kebaikan dan keuntungan buat di...more

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Jul 26, 2009 Jimmy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ingin-punya

Setiap orang menginginkan kebahagiaan. Kesehatan yang baik, karir yang cemerlang, pacar atau calon istri yang menarik dan pintar. Sudah bahagiakah saya sekarang?

Setiap orang mempunyai tujuan kenapa berada di dunia ini. Saya percaya hal itu. Setiap orang juga punya panggilan pelayanan sesuai dengan talenta masing-masing. Sudahkah saya memenuhi panggilan pelayanan saya?

Saya tidak akan bercerita tentang apa yang sudah saya lakukan untuk menemukan kebahagian hidup saya. Terlalu menarik (baca: hancur...more

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Oct 06, 2012 gramakri rated it 4 of 5 stars

Room to Read is a social organization founded by John Wood an ex-Microsoft employee.
Till date (May 2012) Room to Read has helped build over 1500 schools and 13,000 libraries and benefited about 6 million children of Third World countries like Nepal, India, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Laos, Tanzania, Zambia, South Africa and Tanzania.
This book is an inspiring and fascinating saga of Room to Read with doses of humor sprinkled in it. It is also a sort of post-Microsoft autobiography o...more

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Sep 23, 2012 Soh Takeuchi rated it 4 of 5 stars

PENGUIN READERSLE level 3
Time 9/22 90min
9/23 120min

7words summary, education, books, money, children,
poor, disaster, future

Discussion
Question 1.Which companies do you want to work in th world?
A.I wish I could work at NASA because it's so cool.

2.Do you have any friends in foreign country??
A.Yes, this summeer I went to Vietnam to do international volunnter work. And people all over the world joined it. so many nationality. I keep in touch with them at Facebook.

I really respect John Wood, b...more

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Mar 18, 2012 Purbandini rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: memoar, terjemahan, inspirational

Hmm.. Apa yang bisa kukatakan tentang buku ini? Menakjubkan pastinya. Demi anak-anak Nepal yang tidak bisa memiliki akses akan buku-buku bermutu, John Wood banting setir keluar dari Microsoft dan mengejar gairahnya untuk membangun 10.000 perpustakaan diseluruh dunia. Semangat dan kegigihannya pantas diacungi jempol, tidak heran jika pria ini telah memperoleh berbagai penghargaan.

Membaca buku ini serasa bercermin akan pendidikan dinegri sendiri. Masalah-masalah pendidikan dinegara berkembang terj...more Hmm.. Apa yang bisa kukatakan tentang buku ini? Menakjubkan pastinya. Demi anak-anak Nepal yang tidak bisa memiliki akses akan buku-buku bermutu, John Wood banting setir keluar dari Microsoft dan mengejar gairahnya untuk membangun 10.000 perpustakaan diseluruh dunia. Semangat dan kegigihannya pantas diacungi jempol, tidak heran jika pria ini telah memperoleh berbagai penghargaan.

Membaca buku ini serasa bercermin akan pendidikan dinegri sendiri. Masalah-masalah pendidikan dinegara berkembang terjadi pula di Indonesia, sekolah rusak, anak putus sekolah, ketidaksediaan guru, perpustakaan yang kurang memadai, hingga daerah-daerah terpencil yang belum tersentuh oleh pendidikan, sangat kompleks. Miris tentunya jika mengetahui di era digital yang kian canggih masih ada anak-anak kita yang buta aksara. Tanggung jawab siapakah gerangan? Secara hukum dan undang-undang, pastilah pemerintah. Tapi dengan begitu banyak alasan dan kendala, persoalan pendidikan masih belum terselesaikan. Apa yang bis kita lakukan? Lakukan apa yang kita bisa. Menjadi orang tua asuh untuk anak-anak yang putus sekolah karena kurangnya biaya, dapat menjadi salah satu jalan membantu pendidikan. Jika kita bisa mengumpulkan buku dan mengirimkannya ke daerah-daerah terpencil, itu pun akan sangat membantu. Semua terserah kita, apa kita akan mengambil bagian dari msalah ini, atau diam. Tahun akan terus bertambah, jika anak putus sekolah hari ini banyak yang tidak bisa terbantu, maka 3 hingga 5 tahun lagi akan menjadi terlambat bagi mereka untuk memperoleh pendidikan. Jika kita bisa melakukan hari ini, lakukanlah.

John sangat menekankan pentingnya pendidikan bagi anak-anak perempuan, hal ini ditunjukkannya dengan penyediaan beaisiwa untuk anak perempuan. Di Asia, karena kultur dan budaya patriatrikal yang menempatkan anak laki-laki diatas anak perempuan, membuat anak perenpuan menjadi beban dalam suatu keluarga. Keluarga yang memiliki anak perempuan, memaksa anak-anak mereka putus sekolah dan menikahkannya. Sungguh sangat disayangkan, karena menurut John, mendidik anak perempuan itu sama dengan mendidik seleuruh generasi muda. Ditangan para wanitalah pendidikan anak-anak mereka yang pertama hingga dewasa terletak. Jika ibu-ibu yang melahirkan anak kurang mendapatkan pendidikan, maka apa yang bisa mereka sampaikan untuk anak-anak mereka? Tidak berbeda jauh dengan di Indonesia, menyekolahkan anak perempuan hingga tingkat tinggi kadang dianggap percuma, alasannya, paling-paling nanti di dapur juga. Tapi, dengan pendidikan 'wanita yang akhirnya ke dapur juga' akan lebih mempunyai nilai plus. Walau harus masuk dapur, pendidikan dan pengetahuannya akan memberikan yang terbaik untuk keluarga, mulai dari makanan sehat hingga pola hidup sehat. jadi tidak ada kata rugi dalam pendidikan, wanita yang mengenyam pendidikan akan mempunyai rasa percaya diri, mandiri dan dapat berbuat banyak untuk orang-orang disekitarnya. Karena itu, membedakan pendidikan antara anak laki-laki dan perempuan adalah keliru, semua anak berhak mendapatkan yang terbaik.(less)

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Jul 29, 2011 Simon Sundboell rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: owns

It's true what Bill Clinton is quoted as saying on the cover; 'imagine what would happen if only 100 people took up his example ?'.

This book - and more so John Wood - is truly inspirational and makes me want to go out and change the world. Although John Wood is indeed describing his own life story - including emotions, successes and failures - it fortunately does not turn into a sugar-coated version of reality, but stands out as a truly inspiring story. He blends the chronological version of eve...more

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Jun 27, 2009 Kristine rated it 4 of 5 stars

John Wood, the author of this book, founded a non-governmental organization called Room to Read to bring books and literacy to children beginning in Nepal and quickly spreading to other countries. Readers of the book Three Cups of Tea (about Greg Mortenson) may try to compare Mortenson and Wood's similar efforts, but I suggest resisting that impulse as much as possible while reading. Wood and Mortenson both reveal something of their personal histories, turning points, and passion to make a diff...more

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Jan 07, 2012 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: travel, inspiring

I enjoy reading inspirational stories about people doing good for the world. It makes me think that one day, I'll be able to do something that has an impact too. This book was pretty good, and it supports a good cause.

Even though he was making good money in a high powered job at Microsoft, John Wood decided that he needed to do more with his life. Having traveled in Nepal and loving its scenery and people, he was crushed to see the appalling state of its schools. Which led him to quit his job an...more I enjoy reading inspirational stories about people doing good for the world. It makes me think that one day, I'll be able to do something that has an impact too. This book was pretty good, and it supports a good cause.

Even though he was making good money in a high powered job at Microsoft, John Wood decided that he needed to do more with his life. Having traveled in Nepal and loving its scenery and people, he was crushed to see the appalling state of its schools. Which led him to quit his job and start a program to build schools and libraries in Nepal and give children the gift of reading. Although he starts out small, what grows to be known as Room to Read really expands and is still doing a lot of good even today. They continue to expand and help in several countries and help thousands of children receive a better education each year.

John's story is pretty inspriational. He seems to do a lot of good and I particularly like his stance on education for girls. He just is one of those genuinely good people that I sometimes think there are too few of in the world. He is very fair to the people he describes in his book too. Even if they do have flaws he is accepting of it rather than saying nasty things about them or looking down on them for it.

I like that John uses a lot of details and statistics in his book. Like he says, he wants to back up what the organization does and prove that they are putting donations to good use. And judging by the figures found on the website, they are doing very well in that regard. I also like how he incorporates what he learned working for Microsoft into how he runs his charity. Now, at times this book can feel a bit like a sales pitch, but that's to be expected. I fully this book is intended to help bring donations to the organization. And there's nothing wrong with that. But some of the repetitive details can get a little bland at times and I would have loved to see more description on the actual schools and people in them rather than the fund-raising methods.

A great book to read if you like reading about how charitable organizations get going and the good people can do in the world. John Wood has done a tremendous job with his vision.

Leaving Microsoft to Change the World
Copyright 2006
254 pages

Review by M. Reynard 2012

More of my reviews can be found at www.ifithaswords.blogspot.com (less)

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About John Wood

John J. Wood is the founder and executive chairman of Room to Read, a nonprofit organization dedicated to eradicating world poverty through the power of education. He is also the author of Leaving Microsoft to Change the World (Harper Collins; September, 2006).

More about John Wood...

Books by John Wood

Creating Room to Read: A Story of Hope in the Battle for Global Literacy

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John Wood and Paul Harrison: Answers to Questions

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“There are two ways to remove a Band-Aid : slowly and painfully, or quickly and painfully. Your choice.” — 11 people liked it

“The biggest risk is that a lot of people will try to talk you out of pursuing your dream. The world has too many people who are happy to discuss why something might not work, and too few who will cheer you and say, "I'm there for you." The more time you spend navel-gazing, the longer you give those negative gravitational forces to keep you in their tether.” — 8 people liked it

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