I'm so impressed with this woman; Wangari Maathai began the Green Belt Movement in Kenya and won the Nobel Peace prize in 2004: http://www.greenbeltmovement.org/wang...
I love her "voice" in the book--really human and down-to-earth. At 8 years old, she walked 3 miles to school and did not yet know how to read and write!
Bill Clinton wrote this for the front of the book: "Wangari Maathai's memoir is direct, honest, and beautifully written--a gripping account of Africa's trials and triumphs, a universal story of courage, persistence, and success against great odds in a noble cause."
Here are some of the quotes that really will stay with me:
p. 164: "None of us can control every situation we find ourselves in. What we CAN control is how we react when things turn against us."
p, 172: She is betrayed by a young man who came to her for help, and she says: "This dishonesty was very disturbing, but highlighted for me the challenge facing the larger society. If corruption like this existed at the grassroots, I could only imagine what it was like in the higher echelons of government and society in general."
P. 197: As the government continues to harass her, she says: "What is important, indeed necessary, is to hold up your own mirror to see yourself as you really are."
And when she received the call from the Nobel Committee in 2004, these words will stay with me. Even if you don't read the book, I hope this quote will be meaningful for everyone:
p. 293: "Trees have been an essential part of my life and have provided me with many lessons. Trees are living symbols of peace and hope. A tree has roots in the soil yet reaches to the sky. It tells us that in order to aspire we need to be grounded, and that no matter how high we go it is from our roots that we draw sustenance."
I love her "voice" in the book--really human and down-to-earth. At 8 years old, she walked 3 miles to school and did not yet know how to read and write!
Bill Clinton wrote this for the front of the book: "Wangari Maathai's memoir is direct, honest, and beautifully written--a gripping account of Africa's trials and triumphs, a universal story of courage, persistence, and success against great odds in a noble cause."
Here are some of the quotes that really will stay with me:
p. 164: "None of us can control every situation we find ourselves in. What we CAN control is how we react when things turn against us."
p, 172: She is betrayed by a young man who came to her for help, and she says: "This dishonesty was very disturbing, but highlighted for me the challenge facing the larger society. If corruption like this existed at the grassroots, I could only imagine what it was like in the higher echelons of government and society in general."
P. 197: As the government continues to harass her, she says: "What is important, indeed necessary, is to hold up your own mirror to see yourself as you really are."
And when she received the call from the Nobel Committee in 2004, these words will stay with me. Even if you don't read the book, I hope this quote will be meaningful for everyone:
p. 293: "Trees have been an essential part of my life and have provided me with many lessons. Trees are living symbols of peace and hope. A tree has roots in the soil yet reaches to the sky. It tells us that in order to aspire we need to be grounded, and that no matter how high we go it is from our roots that we draw sustenance."