This review is based on a reading of an Advance Readers’ edition. It will be availbele for sale in September 2006.

Living close to Microsoft, I often hear about former employees who have left the corporate world to become philanthropists and reading is one of my favorite obsessions, so when I first heard about “Leaving Microsoft to Change the World,” I jumped at the chance to find out more about John Wood and his organization, Room to Read. The book is fun, fast paced, and filled with stories of individual children and villages that have benefited from Wood’s vision and non-stop activism. Wood has an incredible energy and passion for the children of developing countries who lack basic tools for education and though his original goal was to build one library for a school in Nepal that only had a handful of castoff books, in just 8 years he has led Room to Read to build in six countries over 2300 libraries, 200 schools and 50 computer and language labs; and to provide long term scholarships for over 1700 girls. He brings the business principles that he learned in the corporate world together with his passion and that makes for very lively reading. Reading “Leaving Microsoft to Change the World” was like being seated next to the liveliest dinner guest and being regaled with brilliant stories and I was at a loss when the book ended. I realize now that it is time to stop reading and I am inspired to put what I’ve learned into action—either to raise funds for Room to Read or create my own philanthropic project.

I just returned from hearing John Wood and members of his organization describe their progress in helping to change the world.

John is Founder and CEO of Room to Read, an organization that helps children from less developed countries gain the lifelong gift of education. While at the meeting, I was able to read an advance copy of John’s new book “Leaving Microsoft to Change the World: An Entrepreneur’s Odyssey to Educate the World’s Children” (Collins: September 1, 2006)

I’ve heard John speak on many occasions… from formal presentations, to fireside chats and I found this book to be somewhat similar to sitting down to an intimate dinner conversation with the author… it is a unique story told by a very gifted storyteller, made all the more enthralling because it is told by a man of action ... watch for this book this fall, it will create buzz and is a must read for anyone who doesn’t just want to believe in the power of individuals to make a difference, but wants to know that there is a real case history of just such success.