We’re in the midst of the launch for Foreword Thinking – The Business and Motivational Book Review Podcast presented by HarperCollins Canada with me as your host. I’m still stumped about how I’m going to manage two Podcasts, this Blog, my Twitterati status and, oh yeah, my Digital Marketing Agency. When we started kicking around ideas for Foreword Thinking, one of the big ones was democratizing the conversations with all of these amazing writers, thinkers and speakers by opening up questions to the greater community.
HarperCollins Canada has arranged for some time to chat with John Wood. In case the name doesn’t ring a bell, Wood is the founder of Room To Read an amazing organization that “partners with local communities throughout the developing world to establish schools, libraries, and other educational infrastructure.” Wood is a former Microsoft executive who experienced a developing country’s issues first hand and started off by delivering some books, so they could start a local library. This one action created a chain-reaction of events which bring us to today and his organization, Room To Read, which has established more libraries than Andrew Carnegie and the publishing of Wood’s powerful book, Leaving Microsoft To Change The World – An Entrepreneur’s Odyssey To Educate The World’s Children.
I’ve met Wood – he’s an amazing person. I actually just got word that we’ll be sharing the stage in Calgary at an upcoming event (hint: it starts with “Power” and ends with “Within”) and with this conversation for Foreword Thinking on the horizon, I would like to open the questions, comments and thoughts to this community.
Let me know what you would like to discuss with John Wood and let’s help bring Foreword Thinking – The Business and Motivational Book Review Podcast to the community at large.
Special thanks to Michelle C. Dy from the Philippines for the email and re-ignition of the idea to have listeners ask the questions.
Building A Business Book Community – Questions For John Wood
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Never another podcast episode or article 
Dear Mr. Wood,
I was watching an Oprah show, it happen that your one of her guest. You caught my eyes when you said that your helping less fortunate people around the world. And that moment, i thought to myself ” oh, you might be able to help my village back home from the Philippines” It was just a thought. Currently i am working in canada as caregiver. To tell you more, my village was located in the mountain, far distance from the city. We walked 20km to the city. People who lived there is less educated, and there are kids that is smart but they don’t have money to pay for the education. Well anyway, hope this short story can encourage you, if you might be able to help my village too or our entire town by your project about putting up a library it might be a big help to everybody in our town. If possible. Thanks you so much. Cecilia
Thanks for your comment Cecilia. I have sent it on to John Wood at Room To Read. If his people are interested, I am sure they will contact you.
Dear Mr Joel:
This is in follow up about my request I wrote last June 3, 2007, for Mr. John Wood. Until now I did not hear anything from them. I hope this follow message Mr. Wood will look at my request to help me make the dream of our small village to have a Library that could benefit thousand of children who cannot afford books. It will also benefit thousand of people. I will attached again my comment.
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June 3, 2007 12:49 AM
Posted by cecilia Sibonga
Dear Mr. Wood,
I was watching an Oprah show, it happen that your one of her guest. You caught my eyes when you said that your helping less fortunate people around the world. And that moment, i thought to myself ” oh, you might be able to help my village back home from the Philippines” It was just a thought. Currently i am working in canada as caregiver. To tell you more, my village was located in the mountain, far distance from the city. We walked 20km to the city. People who lived there is less educated, and there are kids that is smart but they don’t have money to pay for the education. Well anyway, hope this short story can encourage you, if you might be able to help my village too or our entire town by your project about putting up a library it might be a big help to everybody in our town. If possible. Thanks you so much. Cecilia