Leaving Microsoft to Change the World - by John Wood (Paperback)

About the Book

This uncommon primer on personal success is the story of one Microsoft executive who found true contentment by making it his business to bring books and schools to children around the developing world. 16-page b&w photo insert.

From the Back Cover

John Wood discovered his passion, his greatest success, and his life's work not at business school or helping lead Microsoft's charge into Asia in the 1990s but on a soul-searching trip to the Himalayas. He made the difficult decision to walk away from his lucrative career to create Room to Read, a nonprofit organization that promotes education across the developing world. By the end of 2007, the organization will have established over 5,000 libraries and 400 schools, and awarded long-term scholarships to more than 3,000 girls, giving more than one million children the lifelong gift of education.

If you have ever pondered abandoning your desk job for an adventure and an opportunity to give back, Wood's story will inspire you. He offers a vivid, emotional, and absorbing tale of how to take the lessons learned at a hard-charging company like Microsoft and apply them to the world's most pressing social problems.

Review Quotes

"The bottom line is passion, and it seems the world is better off for John Wood having followed his." - USA Today
"In this captivating memoir....Wood provides recipes for how to succeed at operating nonprofit firms globally, regardless of local cultures." - Library Journal
"Room to Read is one of the best long-term investments I have made." - Don Valentine, founder, Sequoia Capital, early investor Apple, Electronic Arts, Google, Oracle, and Yahoo
"One-third business saga, one-third world travelogue, and one-third human drama--a 100% great book by a 100% great guy." - Marc Andreessen, co-founder, Netscape Communications
"One-third business saga, one-third world travelogue, and one-third human drama -- a 100% great book ...." - Marc Andreessen, co-founder, Netscape Communications