Conor Grennan's Little Princes' offers one of those rare reading experiences that are all of joyful, gripping and transformative. The story is a serious one - about one man's decision to set aside his own self interest to serve an incredibly sympathetic and needy group of people in a region to which he - at first - has little personal connection. Remarkably, Grennant tells his story of his personal transformation and his quest to help these people in a relatively light and genuinelyvery funny way. Grennan's writing moves at a fast pace - making it difficult to put down and exciting to resume. I would predict that reading this book will span more than a weekend for most! Moreover, as he narrates the story of his quest to reunite the vulnerable children with their parents, Grennan touches on themes of self-interest verses the interest of others who are far more needy, the touching and inspiring resolve of people who survive with so little advantage, and through the account of Grennan's interaction with the children's parents- the importance (and challenge) of honoring others who have so little by Western standards but yet show such amazing humility, dignity and strength.

Perhaps my favorite aspect of this book is that as a true story, the reader can continue to engage with the infectiously optimistic cast of characters by following the progress of the real life non-profit - Next Generation Nepal - that Grennan and others went on to build. Our sadness about the childrens' plight and their families poverty is greatly assuaged by the hope and excitement of Next Generation Nepal's continued progress. Overall, "Little Princes" is a fantastic read - and a story that you will think about for months even years to come...