Books with author John Wood

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.

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.

Uncover dazzling cities that are hiding in plain sight!Colorists, puzzle fans, and adventure seekers, take note: you will love this color-by-number book that is unlike anything you've ever seen before. Grab your colored pens or pencils and start coloring the numbered shapes…and in no time at all, you'll free the images concealed on the page. Your odyssey will take you on a dazzling journey through numerous cities, uncovering artistic gems that are hiding in plain sight.You'll unearth:stunning cities such as London and Morocco iconic landmarks such as the Rialto Bridge in Venice and the Chrysler Building in New Yorkhidden gems like the Hallgrímskirkja Cathedral in Reykjavík, IcelandOnce you've completed them, perforated pages allow you to pull them out--making them perfect for decorating, framing, or giving as gifts. It's all just waiting to be liberated by you as you color each one, breathe new life into these pages, and uncover stunning and intricate works of art in your Color Quest.

Plankton are microscopic organisms living in large bodies of water. They are a major food source for several kinds of sea creatures, and although they are tiny, they have a major impact on many other living things. Accessible explanations of marine life, food chains, and other essential science curriculum topics enhance readers' knowledge of the natural world and the part every living thing plays in it. Additional features, such as fact boxes and full-color photographs deepen readers' understanding of these tiny yet hugely important creatures.

The desert is home to many different animal species. These animals make their habitats in this dry climate, which can sometimes be difficult to survive in because of the hot temperatures and scarce food sources. Fun facts about desert animals are presented through age-appropriate text, which covers common science curriculum topics such as animal adaptations and biomes. Vibrant, full-color photographs provide readers with examples of what desert animals look like and how they appear in their natural habitats.

Through generations, their honor and bravery prevailed.In the early 19th century, a Blackfoot Indian warband slaughters a group of Irish immigrants. Soon after, another war party finds the wagon - and a baby still alive in the wreckage.He soon becomes known as the White Crow - one of the Dog Soldiers of the tribe - and makes a name for himself as a warrior. But after a journey to Old California, his life takes a drastic turn.This historical fiction saga follows the life of the Crow family, from their beginnings in 1816 to the American Civil War and the times of the U.S. Marshals, and finally to the story of Charles Crow - the last son of The House of Crow.Praise from readers:★★★★★ - "Historical fiction brought to life with strong-willed, likable protagonists and plenty of adventure"★★★★★ - "An interesting story. Caught and held my attention from the beginning."★★★★★ - "This book is an epic journey reminiscent of a James Clavell or a Louis L'amour saga... I thoroughly enjoyed it."★★★★★ - "A thrilling family saga with strong characters and enough action to satisfy any fan of historical fiction."

Calling all puzzle lovers, animal enthusiasts, and challenge seekers!Color Quest Animals features 30 wild and wonderful creatures that are just waiting to be revealed. Grab your colored pens or pencils and start shading in these shapes…and in no time at all, you'll free the images concealed on the page. Your odyssey will take you on a magical journey to find animals that are hiding in plain sight, including a magnificent mandrill, a colorful kingfisher, or a beautiful butterfly. Once you've completed them, perforated pages allow you to pull them out--making them perfect for decorating, framing, or giving as gifts. It's all just waiting to be liberated by you as you color each one, breathe new life into these pages, and uncover stunning and intricate works of art in your Color Quest.

John Wood discovered his passion, his greatest success, and his life's work—not at business school or leading Microsoft's charge into Asia in the 1990s—but on a soul-searching trip to the Himalayas. Wood felt trapped between an all-consuming career and a desire to do something lasting and significant. Stressed from the demands of his job, he took a vacation trekking in Nepal because a friend had told him, "If you get high enough in the mountains, you can't hear Steve Ballmer yelling at you anymore."Instead of being the antidote to the rat race, that trip convinced John Wood to divert the boundless energy he was devoting to Microsoft into a cause that desperately needed to be addressed. While visiting a remote Nepalese school, Wood learned that the students had few books in their library. When he offered to run a book drive to provide the school with books, his idea was met with polite skepticism. After all, no matter how well-intentioned, why would a successful software executive take valuable time out of his life and gather books for an impoverished school?But John Wood did return to that school and with thousands of books bundled on the back of a yak. And at that moment, Wood made the decision to walk away from Microsoft and create Room to Read—an organization that has donated more than 1.2 million books, established more than 2,600 libraries and 200 schools, and sent 1,700 girls to school on scholarship—ultimately touching the lives of 875,000 children with the lifelong gift of education.Leaving Microsoft to Change the World chronicles John Wood's struggle to find a meaningful outlet for his managerial talents and entrepreneurial zeal. For every high-achiever who has ever wondered what life might be like giving back, Wood 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 one of the world's most pressing problems: the lack of basic literacy.

Pearson English Readers bring language learning to life through the joy of reading. Well-written stories entertain us, make us think, and keep our interest page after page. Pearson English Readers offer teenage and adult learners a huge range of titles, all featuring carefully graded language to make them accessible to learners of all abilities. Through the imagination of some of the world’s greatest authors, the English language comes to life in pages of our Readers. Students have the pleasure and satisfaction of reading these stories in English, and at the same time develop a broader vocabulary, greater comprehension and reading fluency, improved grammar, and greater confidence and ability to express themselves. Find out more at english.com/readers

These are difficult times for the Catholic Church and the United States of America. There is only one solution to the problems we face... saints! Becoming a saint is a choice, and we must begin choosing the saint within each of us. The biggest crisis of our time is not economic, health care, or vocations, but is an identity crisis. We have forgotten our mission to become saints and forgotten our story as Catholics. We must rediscover that mission and hold each other accountable for accepting responsibility for that mission. Business, as usual, is not going to cut it. We need heroic Catholicism. We must stop talking, and start walking... stop crying, and start sweating... stop defining ourselves by our sins, and start realizing we are saints in the making! Everything we need to accomplish our mission is in the Church... but the Catholic Church is a sleeping giant. It is time we wake the sleeping giant! This book is a five-step guide to choosing the saint within you. The world doesn't need another John Paul II or Mother Teresa. The world needs you. Your ordinary life has an extraordinary purpose.

Many people know the dangers of coming in contact with different types of bacteria, but what they may not be familiar with are the good types of bacteria. This accessible text explains the various types of good and bad bacteria and their value to different ecosystems. Readers will deepen their understanding of these organisms after seeing what they look like under a microscope. Informative fact boxes and bright, full-color photographs presented as part of an engaging design add extra insight into this interesting science curriculum topic, and help make learning about science fun.

Many maps present weather patterns, which can aid in helping people predict hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, and other forms of extreme weather. These maps can help people understand the normal patterns of everyday weather as well. Readers are introduced to these kinds of weather maps through accessible main text. Detailed diagrams, useful graphic organizers, interesting fact boxes, and full-color examples of maps serve as additional resources to help readers understand this science and social studies curriculum topic.